Yes, that is the question- is wearing a bra bad for you? The answer is, yes- if it doesn’t fit right. There are some that belief wearing a bra that doesn’t fit right will do more damage to you than never wearing a bra.
There are many different ways that wearing a bra that doesn’t fit correctly can be bad for you- including causing nerve damage.
If your bra strap is too tight- especially when worn over many years- it can cause you to develop a permanent indentation on the tops of your shoulders. In addition, when it is too tight like that, it can cause your nerves to become pinched- leading to numbness and/or be tingling.
When the straps of your bra are too tight, they are holding entirely too much weight. On the other hand, if they have been fitted properly, they are fine.
The truth is that the straps of your bra should not have the primary responsibility for holding your breasts up.
Instead, they should be offering approximately 10 percent of the support and the band of your bra should be offering the other 90 percent. That being said, if your bra band is loose, it will not be able to do its job and will be your number one enemy.
If your bra is the wrong size, it can result in chronic shoulder pain, chronic back pain, and chronic neck pain. In addition, in some cases, a bra that doesn’t fit right can result in headaches.
Of course, women with larger breasts are often more likely to experience these problems than a woman with smaller breasts- but having a bra that doesn’t fit right will definitely make them worse.
Of course, if you have larger breasts, you could consider breast reduction surgery- or you could go the easier route and visit a lingerie shop to be professionally fitted and to find out the best bra for your body type. Having the right fit- and the right bra- can definitely help out with some of these issues.
There are many women who state that they have breast pain while they are working out. This is due to repetitive and/or excessive movement of their breasts.
These movements, in conjunction with perspiration, can result in chafing of the skin- especially of the breasts. The solution to this problem is to wear an encapsulating or compression sports bra. Every woman should have at least one sports bra in her wardrobe.
Most of the time, bras are made from itchy fabrics and laces, have cups that have been poorly designed, and other components that result in some crazy irritations during everyday wear.
This can result in a mild discomfort all the way up to open sores. In order to ensure that this never happens to you, make sure that you take the time to visit the dressing room and try on your bra before you buy it and take it home.
Put it on and wiggle around. Pretend you’re picking something up. Reach up over your head. If you notice any discomfort at all in the few minutes you are in the dressing room, know that it will be that much worse when you wear it all day long.
One of the main things you must remember regarding bra comfort is that if you know you’re wearing it, then most likely it is not the right one for you. How do you know if you’re wearing the right bra? Check out the following:
11 Signs You Have the Wrong Bra On
The band is cutting into your skin- if you notice that the band is cutting into your skin and you have back-fat or red marks, it is too tight and you must go up a band size.
You are able to pull the band more than a couple of inches from your back- if you are able to pull it back that far, it is too lose and you must move down a band size.
The straps are cutting into your shoulders- as mentioned above, this can result in more serious injuries such as nerve damage. If your bra straps are too tight, it is holding too much weight.
Chances are if your straps are tight your band is loose- so move down a band size, which will allow your bra to work properly.
The band isn’t parallel to the ground- if your band is riding up your back, it is too loose and you must go down a size.
There are not two finger-widths of space between your band and your back- if you are able to fit more than two fingers, it is too loose and you should go down a size. If you cannot fit two fingers, your band is too tight and you must go up a size.
The band isn’t resting flat on your back- if there is space between your band and back, it is too lose and you must go down a size.
Underwires rest on breast tissue- the cups of your bra, including underwires, should contain your breasts, not rest on them. If the wires are resting on your breasts, the cups are too small and you must go up a size.
Underwires poke you under the arms- if you are being poked, the cups are too small and you must go up a cup size.
Underwires lift off of your ribs- the underwires should lie flat on your ribs if not- the cups are too small and you must move up a cup size.
Cups are wrinkly- if your cups are not molded and there is extra fabric at the top, they are too large and you must move down a cup size.
There are not two finger-widths of space between straps and shoulders- if your straps are adjustable and there is room for more than two finger-widths, increase the tension. On the other hand, if there is no room for more than two finger-widths, decrease the tension.
When you have a bra that fits the way it should, it will be so comfortable you won’t even know you are wearing one.
In addition, it can help to improve your posture, create an appearance of a thinner you, and therefore increase your self-confidence and self-esteem.
Finally, when you have a bra that fits correctly, you are much less likely to experience nerve damage due to your bra. After all, a good bra is a critical part of every woman’s wardrobe!
