hat is the
point of a bra?
A bra is used for different reasons by different people. It might be
for modesty, for "decency" , or "security". Some women do not want to
give the impression that they are "looking for sexual attention" by
leaving the bra off. And, of course, many women have been led to believe
that the bra supports the breasts and prevents them from sagging in
later life. We cover this in
What
Does A Bra Do?. Take a look.
What is a "trainer bra"?
The undergarment industry and their advertising departments have done
a thorough job of convincing us that young women need a trainer bra
when they start to develop. Some girls look forward to wearing one.
They follow the reasoning that… "Adult women have breasts that are large
enough that they wear bras to "support" them. If I wear a bra, that
means that I am an adult woman." It is not unlike the feeling that young
men have when they first shave… or the first cigarette. A trainer bra
also covers the new maturing nipples that seem to always show through
their clothes and embarrass them. Read
What
Does A Bra Do? for more information on this.
Does a bra affect the growth of your breast?
Yes, but not the way you want it to. There is a lot of discussion about
the possibility that the suspensory ligaments that support the breasts
increase the same as any other ligaments in our body do: they become
stronger as they are given more weight to bear. If the bra takes the
load that they should be getting, they have no reason to get stronger,
so they remain weak. When the bra is removed, the weak ligaments will
not be able to support the breasts, and that will allow the breasts
to sag. A ligament is just like a muscle, and just like a muscle, you
must "use it or loose it".
Do bras shape the breasts?
Temporarily. In the twenties and the thirties, bras were used to flatten
the curves since the "boyish" look was "in Vogue" then. When the bra
was removed, the breasts returned to their own 'natural' shape. When
the bra was removed, the breasts returned. In the fifties, bras were
shaped like the bumper guards of a 1955 Cadillac ElDorado. Madonna brought
them back (in brass, not chrome). They were so pointed that they looked
like they could hurt you. Foam rubber "falsies" were popular for placing
inside a bra to exaggerate the actual size of the woman's breasts. In
the sixties, we saw the "braless movement", and the bra industry were
running scared, so they came out with the "natural look" that made breasts
actually look like natural breasts. One bra in particular was called
the "NoBra Bra", with very natural shaping and transparent fabric. Today,
we are able to buy just about anything that we want. When augmentation
surgery (implants) fell from our graces, "WonderBra" types came back,
to make breasts look fuller and larger than they really were. All of
these bras shape the breasts… for the time that they are in place. When
they are removed, the breasts still return to their natural shape.
Are bras good for you?
In the sense that they may provide comfort, security, and modesty,
and that they move the breasts into the position on the body that the
current fashions in the stores require, bras are good. If they are causing
breasts to sag, as some people believe, and if they are causing a restriction
to the lymphatic system of the body, then they are not good.
How does a woman properly measure for a bra? What does a "C-cup" or
"D-cup" mean?
Two measurements are taken to determine what size of a bra should be
worn. One is subtracted from the other to determine the difference between
the chest size and the larger breast size. That difference indicates
the cup size.
Is there a connection between wearing a bra and breast cancer?
A lot of concern has been generated about this type of question. Much
research has been and is being done, but much more should be done before
we can really answer that question with any authority. The important
thing to remember is that people that sell bras (or those that may benefit
financially from the undergarment industry) say that there is no possible
connection. Many independent researchers are saying that there is enough
evidence of a connection that more research needs to be done, soon.
You may read about some of the concerns by going to
Breast
Massage.
Does wearing a bra to bed every night increase a female's chance of
getting breast cancer?
The only reason to wear a bra to bed would be if you believe that the
bra will somehow direct your breasts to develop in a certain way, or
because your breasts are large enough that the bra offers some control
over them when you turn in bed. If there is any truth in the statement
that bras impact and restrict the body's lymphatic flow, or that the
increased temperature of the breast
can cause an increase in breast disease, then you may want to read
Breast
Massage and make the decision for yourself.
What does the lymph node do?
Lymph nodes are glands that gather lymphatic fluids to carry them from
the body. The breast area contains a large number of them, especially
under the arm and in the "tail" of the breast (the part that extends
around the side under the armpit). Be especially aware of any that become
enlarged for any reason. Take a look at the
Lymphatic
System and read about
Breast Massage
for more information on lymph nodes.
What happens if a girl wears a bra ALL the time (except for showering)?
Given what they have found so far, researchers recommend that we limit
ourselves to no more than 12 or even 8 hours of bra usage during any
day (24 hour block of time). This is based upon the material they discuss
in Breast Massage.