Over 90% of North American women wear a bra, many without ever asking why. This article talks about different reasons women give for wearing a bra.
Some women with large breasts need it and want it - yet some women suffering from fibrocystic breast disease can get tremendous relief from breast pain by going without bras. For most women (excluding the large-breasted ones) bra wearing is not anecessity for their breasts' sake; it is worn for cultural reasons.
Brief history of bras
Bra has basically developed from the corset, in an attempt to manufacture a more comfortable underwear piece. The purpose of corset was to shape a woman's body the way the fashion dictated, and the small waist was a fetish for men at those times. Before the time of corset there is only a very little evidence of any garments that could be considered bras. So history of the bra is strictly linked to fashions and to the idea that women have to dress in a certain way in order to please men's eyes. Even today bra is not used worldwide. And where it is used the most - in western culture - it has been turned into a sexual garment: its main purpose is toemphasize the sexual nature of breasts.It is no wonder feminists symbolically threw bras to trash in the 60s. Eventoday, going braless is sometimes connected with feminism. Still, puttingfeminism aside, there are some health reasons to consider not wearing bras.Do breasts really feel more comfortable with or without bras?The thing is, most women are so used to bras that they don't notice the slightdiscomfort from bras. But thinking about it, can you feel any discomfort andtightness from your bra? When you take your bra off, do you feel somethingsimilar to the feeling when you have eaten your belly full at a restaurant, andyou loosen your belt a little? Can you possibly even see little red marks onyour skin after taking bra off? If you answer yes to these questions, yourbreasts may be trying to tell you something!"Asked if a bra is uncomfortable, most women will respond "no", even though theevidence is there. This may be the result of conditioning towards certain social"rules" actually outweighing the physical discomfort. In other words, it is moreuncomfortable to be braless in today's society."A New Look At Breast CancerBy Brian Sanderoff and Craig N. FryerSo why do you wear a bra?"Because breasts need to be supported."This is largely a myth: "...wearing a bra... has no medical necessitywhatsoever", says Susan M. Love, M.D in her "Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book".Breasts were fine before the invention of brasserie. This is similar to themyth that women supposedly need corsets to support their stomach muscles.Also there is no proof that bras would prevent your breasts from sagging. Yourbreast is supported by ligaments, and if breasts ligaments act anything likeother bodily ligaments, they may atrophy from the constant unnatural supportfrom the bra.Now, some large-breasted women may find that going without bra gives them pain.It is an individual thing - you just have to try it out. In one study aboutlarge-breasted women and shoulder pain caused by bras, ladies removed the weightfrom their shoulders for two weeks, either by going braless or by wearing astrapless bra. Only one woman chose a strapless bra and all the others wentbraless.Quoting the article, "Long-term outcome was presence or absence of muscle painand tenderness. Seventy-nine percent of patients decided to remove breast weightfrom the shoulder permanently because it rendered them symptom free."(Ryan, EL, Pectoral girdle myalgia in women: a 5-year study in a clinicalsetting. Clin J Pain. 2000 Dec;16(4):298-303.If you need a bra, find a bra that is not tight and without underwires or sidepanels, because underwires can create extra pressure and tightness. You couldget it fitted right with professional fitter. Also try give your breasts as much'free time' as possible. Take your bra off whenever you can, and at least do notwear it to sleep."Because I feel 'immoral' or 'indecent' going without."That is how many women feel - but is morality really dependent upon the type ofunderwear you wear?"In all of my questioning, I've found no one who has ever been able to tell mewhat it is about the human female breast that is so immoral, obscene, orindecent. Nor has anyone ever been able to produce anatomical facts supportingthe general concept that women's breasts are primarily for sex. I've concludedthat the female breast is the most misunderstood part of the human anatomy. Thesight of one (that's not being used for sexual or commercial purposes) is onlydetrimental if you want it to be."by Whitney R. McCleskey, TERA articles page"Because everybody does so, or in other words the unspoken rules of society sodictate."True. In many situations you may have to comform to the modern society's dresscode. But to help your breast health, try minimize or eliminate bra wearing atother times.Especially, if you have any breast pain, try going brafree see if your breastsfeel better! It is a fairly easy experiment to undertake. Women with fibrocysticbreast disease who go bra-free report swelling before periods disappearing, nolumpiness, no hardness in breasts, no PAIN!Chris's story Margaret's story"I need to wear bras for my job since it's the 'dress code'."If you'd rather not wear a bra, try a camisole/vest or another alternative forbra. A good camisole made out of elastic material will give some support toyour breasts so they don't 'bounce around', and you will probably be surprisedhow little people notice.Also, companies that require bras probably do not have a policy that defineswhat a bra is. Some cropped camisoles look very much like bras. Some camisoleseven have adjustable straps like a bra. Basically, if it looks professional, itshould be OK."Because I hate the thought of my breasts sagging so much."True, bra helps sagging - while you wear it. But remember it is normal forbreasts to sag. Only young teenage breasts have a perky upright look - by farthe majority of women's breasts have that lower and relaxed adult position. Seethe breast gallery for pictures of normal breasts. So there is usually no reasonto 'angst' about it.Also, did you know that the idea that bras prevent sagging seems to be a myth?"A mistaken popular belief maintains that wearing a bra strengthens your breastsand prevents their eventual sagging. But you sag because of the proportion offat and tissue in your breasts, and no bra changes that."Susan M. Love, M.D. in her "Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book."Discomform from sweat and 'slapping':"I, myself, experience discomfort from NOT wearing a bra, due to the way inwhich sweat collects under my breasts (I live in Dixie), and how my breasts slappainfully against the skin underneath when I move quickly. In fact, due to thefact that I am not a very restfull sleeper, I usually wear a comfortable sportsbra to bed."Abi Bell"Because they jump up and down while I exercise and do sports."If you don't have pain from this, then exercising is not doing damage to breasttissue or to the chest wall. Actually, movement of breasts aids the lymph flow.However, large-breasted women can surely be in pain from breasts flopping andbouncing so this is an individual issue."That was 6 months ago, and my eyes are wide open now. The monthly breasttenderness is gone, in fact, it was totally relieved by the second month. As fortripping over them, NO WAY, in fact they are the firmest they have ever been inmy life. Even during my aerobics class (I was sure I would have to wear a brathere), and granted it did feel a bit weird not wearing one in class for awhile, but I think that was the most important place not to wear it! The way myfriend put it, and I believe it now, is that breasts need exercise just like anyother part of your body, and muscles underneath can go a long way to preventsagging if they are given a chance to work.."
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