Wearing the wrong bra can be bad for your health

By DONNA HUSSEY-WHYTE All Woman writer husseyd@jamaicaobserver.com

Monday, January 23, 2012

IT has been estimated that some 80 per cent of women wear incorrect sized bras, but many women don't know that wearing the correct bra can promote good breast health.

Donalda Reid, proprietor of La Belle Femme in Montego Bay, and who is specially trained to measure and fit bras in women, including breast cancer survivors, said the 80 per cent estimate is even lower than what she has seen in her experience.

Reid said one of the challenges is that while a number of stores sell bras, not many offer fitting and so women are left guessing or relying on other methods to find their right fit.

And with ill-fitting bras come a host of problems.

As a woman gets older, she loses breast support, resulting in sagging. This happens when the ligaments that support the breasts become weakened. Wearing a good bra provides additional support so that the ligaments will not have to strain themselves.

Experts have also found that having a properly fitting bra can prevent breast pain in women, especially for those involved in strenuous activities like jogging where the breasts bounce around.

For those wearing too-tight bras, there are also issues.

"When you wear a bra that compresses the breast tissue it actually breaks down the breast tissue and it leads to premature sagging. It (tight bras) may be wonderful and glorious when you are in your early 20s but when you reach your 40s you begin to wonder what happened," Reid said.

She suggests that before buying a bra, women should get measured for size.

"The very first thing I would suggest is that a woman be fitted before buying a bra," Reid said. "It is a very tricky thing. And the reality is if you want to get a good fitting bra you have to go to a specialist store whether here or abroad."

Breast specialist at the University Hospital of the West Indies, Dr Derek Mitchell, said inadequately supporting bras lead to "jiggling" while running and may slow down the woman.

"This is clearly important for sprinters," he said. "Also long distance runners without bras may have nipple abrasions from clothing that may lead to bleeding."

Dr Mitchell pointed out that incorrectly fitting bras, including those with underwires, may cause chafing and may also be associated with other rashes, especially in big breasted women.

"Supporting/lifting the breast is important for women who have significant ptosis (drooping of the breast) or who have large breasts that lead to back pain without adequate support," Dr Mitchell said. "These large breasted women may develop significant problems related to back strain unless they are supported."

In the meantime, Reid, who said she is on a quest to educate women, will hold a free bra fitting clinic at the Knutsford Court hotel in St Andrew on January 28 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm where she will also be selling bras that fit.

"It is possible to go to a store and buy a size that fits, but you do need to know your size first," she said.

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Wearing the wrong bra can be bad for your health