Men Who Need Chest Support, Is There A Sports Bra for Men?

[Bman41]

http://walking.about.com/od/sportsbras/a/sensmensbra.htm

[Bobcat54]

Lets look at this in the simplest of terms.
A bra is a garment designed to support larger breasts.
Support= less bounce= comfort
Some men have larger breasts that require support.
Support= less bounce= comfort
Is there a law somewhere that says bras are for women only?

[DrBermant]

Lets look at this in the simplest of terms.
A bra is a garment designed to support larger breasts.
Support= less bounce= comfort
Some men have larger breasts that require support.
Support= less bounce= comfort
Is there a law somewhere that says bras are for women only?

It depends if the man wants a male chest contour or a breast like female contour. Bras are designed for a female like shape.  For a male to female transsexual, a bra can accentuate the fat to a female like contour or be padded to give a female curve to a thin chest. For some, the shape of the bra as underwear is also an issue. As the contour of a bra shows through clothing, that is the look some may want.

For those wanting to look male, Bodyshaping Garments are a better option.  They can stabilize tissues during activities as demonstrated in this Video of Shapeware Garments vs Male Breasts Bouncing.  The garments do not look like bras, do not shape the chest into a breast like shape, and have the appearance of a bodybuilding shirt under clothing, not a bra.  This type of contour garment can also be use for transgender female to male breast binding converting a chest to a male look and stabilizing tissues during activities.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

[Bman41]

Is there any general comments on comfort/discomfort that a binder is vs a bra like garment?  Should it be comfortable?  Should it be expected not to be?  Is there long term consequences of compression?

Just with my hand, compressing my chest isn't a feeling I would like much at all.   I have one shelf bra top that is quite comfortable in daily wear, virtually invisible, and I have figured out how to get on/off easily and quickly. 

Doc, you have probably a lot of experience with customers with them, what is the general consensus?  Anyone else who have tried?  Did you like at all?  Would you wear 14 hrs a day?

[DrBermant]

Is there any general comments on comfort/discomfort that a binder is vs a bra like garment?  Should it be comfortable?  Should it be expected not to be?  Is there long term consequences of compression?

Just with my hand, compressing my chest isn't a feeling I would like much at all.   I have one shelf bra top that is quite comfortable in daily wear, virtually invisible, and I have figured out how to get on/off easily and quickly. 

Doc, you have probably a lot of experience with customers with them, what is the general consensus?  Anyone else who have tried?  Did you like at all?  Would you wear 14 hrs a day?

For those who do not mind the contour of a female breast, a bra offers support in a female breast contour. For those who do not like a female like shape, the compression garments flatten, compress, and stabilize.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia

[johnny125]

I have found that bras provide great support and comfort for my breasts, but I can't wear one in public because as the doc says, it gives me a female contour. I don't mind that in private, but I wouldn't want to be seen that way publicly.
I get too hot wearing a t shirt under my regular shirt, so I don't wear compression vests/undershirts. I think the perfect garment would be something that is light and does not cover the entire torso, kind of like a woman's bra, but providing some light compression instead of breast enhancement.

[Bman41]

Many of the sports bras I have seen don't really "support" (pun) the female contour in looks, they seem to prevent movement and not make the breasts protrude or be more prominent. 

I have a Jockey tank that I found with a shelf bra in that helps, not something to run in or do high impact stuff in, but helps in day to day comfort. 

[kevo]

Hi Marks and Spencers do one its an extra high impact sport bra with a zipped front i have one and it totally flattens by breasts they cost around £20 in England if you go on the marks and spencer web page it is on there hope this helps Kevo

[Bman41]

In general, are the front zipper ones that flatten a lot?

I see them, also worried about the front being visible to others. 

Hi Marks and Spencers do one its an extra high impact sport bra with a zipped front i have one and it totally flattens by breasts they cost around £20 in England if you go on the marks and spencer web page it is on there hope this helps Kevo

[kevo]

Hi this Bra does flatten really well. but the material is a lot thicker than normal bras i wear a lot of multi-coloured tops and no one as yet has ever noticed. and you will also find that most people will not be looking at a man and saying hey i think he wearing a bra hope this helps Kevo

[DrBermant]

I have never found a Sports Bra designed to stabilize a female breast yet preserve a female shape any where as effective for stabilizing or making a male chest contour as a double layer fabric Second Stage Compression Vest which tends to give a male shape to the body.  Look for actual before and after compression examples to verify a particular garment's effectiveness as I have posted here for my Body Shaping Garments. The videos in my pages are particularly effective in demonstrating what a garment offers.  But none of these are as powerful as trying the garment on, which is why we have them in our office for patients to see what they offer.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

[jdb]

This sports bra really does compress the breast into a non female shape. http://www.gynecomastia.org/smf/index.php?topic=15597.0 See what it has done to the model in the picture.  It really does do that and not having fastenings and adjuster on the back is pretty invisible and would naturally be mistaken for an ordinary vest if spotted through a shirt.  I have been using them for a more than a year now and it gives me the confidence to go around without heavy clothing or a jacket that I would wear otherwise to help hide my very prominent breasts. Like others I find a compression vest makes me uncomfortably hot and is hell to get on and off.

[kevo]

This sports bra really does compress the breast into a non female shape. http://www.gynecomastia.org/smf/index.php?topic=15597.0 See what it has done to the model in the picture.  It really does do that and not having fastenings and adjuster on the back is pretty invisible and would naturally be mistaken for an ordinary vest if spotted through a shirt.  I have been using them for a more than a year now and it gives me the confidence to go around without heavy clothing or a jacket that I would wear otherwise to help hide my very prominent breasts. Like others I find a compression vest makes me uncomfortably hot and is hell to get on and off.

Hi the picture of this bra is the same as the marks and Spencer's extra high impact bra in nearly every detail and its also a racerback style but the straps are not as wide on the marks and Spencer's bra as this one thanks Kevo

[Bman41]

I did find a Champion sports bra style 2994 (medium "bounce control") that was at Marshall's that was originally destined for Dicks Sporting goods (said was exclusive for).  

Reasonable wide straps that don't roll.  Racer back style (most all are), almost completely invisible under my short sleeve (thinner) t-shirts and polo's.  Only "issue" I have seen is the front, there is enough that the neckline shows thru some, I guess I have enough pushing forward that the neckline can easily show through.  

But I was a on a trip recently and wore a pull over top with a shelf bra (jockey brand, an out of production model) down, which was ok, didn't wear anything there, and my upper back was a in some pain the whole week, then wore the sports bra home, and had no pain the whole trip.  None.  I am home and haven't worn anything at home, and it is hurts some again.  I don't like having to, but there sure is benefits of wearing one.  

This one doesn't seem to "make" a female shape, but doesn't compress as much as I would like.  I can see what Dr. Bermant is saying, a woman's garment will always be somehow trying to make a female like breast and enhance it, either for comfort or looks.  But for me, this garment works well, it is 95%+ invisible, controls bounce some (far more than nothing), aids in comfort a LOT, doesn't really roll or dig in.  It is very similar (not exact) to this:  http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3977699.  It is a 2XL, which specifically covers a 40b size, which I seem to be...

[kevo]

Hi Bman sorry its took so long to reply yes it does flatten alot and is zipped front bra but it is made of quite thick material, what i do is wear a vest and a teashirt and no one has noticed as yet i also do this with all types of other bras i wear and no one has noticed hope this helps Kevo