At what size did you feeling the need to wear a bra for support?

[mgr]

I searched the posts for a like question, but found nothing.
I am a 38B and find it very uncomfortable and actually painful to not wear some type of support.  I struggle with the concept and every month or two try going without a bra and it only takes hours to know I was wrong.  Although 38B is not huge, support seems necessary for me.  What where your experiences if you don't mind sharing? It has been less than a year for me, so I am still rationalizing. I appreciate your thoughts.

[TigerPaws]

Sir, do what is comfortable for you. Everyone is different, there is really nothing that is right or wrong only what works for you. I grew quickly because of medications for an enlarged Prostate so for me things changed within a couple of years (and I am still growing).

When I needed to wear something for support is when driving on a rough road became uncomfortable because of the bouncing/jiggle. Protruding nipples also became an issue very quickly which was both noticeable and uncomfortable from chafing on a rough shirt.
Pull over sports bras were the first step, zip up the next with more traditional styles to follow, surprisingly lightly padded and some push-up styles are the most comfortable because of the padding.  

[hammer]

I had gynecology as a teen and grow very large in my early 30' after the lose of my testicles due to complications after a vasectomy. At 57 I'm a 46H, and I find myself going a long time without wearing a bra and I have sores under my breast because of it! It also bothers my shouldersugars and back. I will wear my bra for weeks on end with no problems, but then I will stop again until I get them damn sores again or my wife will remind me it's been awhile since I've had on on!

Like tigerpaws said, it is up to you as to what works for you! No right or wrong, and if you need the support, wear one, I know I should more then I do, I'm just more focused on chronic pain I think and when the boobs get to hurting enough they get my attention too!

[aboywithgirls]

I was a teenager when I began to benifit from a bra. My first bra was a 36C. I've been wearing a bra daily for almost 30 years now. I recently lost almost 50 lbs,(trying to reduce my breast size at the recomendation of my PCP. I'm now in a 36F in most of my bras.
Like the others have said here, its a matter of what works for you. Now granted, most women wear a bra everyday and some don't even own a bra. I mostly wear an underwire, molded cup, lightly lined, rear closure. This is what I found works best for me in terms of comfort and support. I also have sports bras for what sports bras are designed for and leisure bras for sleeping. Its taken some trial and error and lots and lots of formal fittings but its been worth it to be comfortable with my breasts.

[mgr]

Thank you for your kind and thoughtful responses.  I have gotten past a number of things in my life and I am sure I will get past (accept) this one as well.  You have increased my confidence and I appreciate it. Thank you.

[aboywithgirls]

I also have very supportive wife who is very close to the same size as me. At least close enough that we share most of our bras. She tells.me all the time that bras are not for women....they're for breasts.

[TigerPaws]

I also have very supportive wife who is very close to the same size as me. At least close enough that we share most of our bras. She tells.me all the time that bras are not for women....they're for breasts.

Bras are not for women....they're for breasts.

Exceptional explanation, simple and directly to the point.

[TigerPaws]

Thank you for your kind and thoughtful responses.  I have gotten past a number of things in my life and I am sure I will get past (accept) this one as well.  You have increased my confidence and I appreciate it. Thank you.

Start with a compression sports bra, then as you become more comfortable wearing something move on to a slightly more molded cup front zip, then try one with underwire  before progressing to a more "traditional" bra design. Experiment with what is comfortable for you, I am a 38D now at 165lb and find a lightly padded design is more comfortable.

As I said do not be afraid to experiment and try different styles and designs.

[aboywithgirls]

It's also important once you decide that a fitted bra is right for you, not to focus on  just one size but more of a zone. Like myself, I wear a 36F in most of my bras. I also have a couple of 36G as well as a few 38F bras that all fit me very well. You will more that likely develop you own bra "style ". Meaning, you might find that you like the support of an underwire or how well a push up holds you. You may find that you like the breathability of a  lace bra. I  think it's something that we all go through.
Both my mother and  my older sister don't  like underwire bras at all. So when I was in my early teens and started to wear a bra, I was "told" that I won't like an underwire  and I don't  need one. When I moved into the D cup zone I was advised that an under would help wiyh shape.and support. At that point I started with underwire bras and wore nothing else since.

[Bman41]

One of my very first bras was a Tek-Gear Sports bra.  Very good bra, I liked it a lot. 
I would also recommend the Nike Combat Compression Sports Bra too.  
http://www.amazon.com/Nike-375833-Pro-Bra/dp/B004Y7MLNO
They offer them in A/B cup and C/D cup.  I have them in XL A/B cup and with me now more of a C, I wish I had the C/D cup now.  I use them to sleep in in the summer time

[Paa_Paw]

I am a barrel chested guy with a 48 to 50 inch chest.  I do not need a bra for support, and rarely ever wear one as I can barely fill a B cup.  But, when younger and involved in vigorous activities a bra was really good to stop the bounce.   

[Bman41]

I don't know exact bra size I wore when I started as I started in compression shirts, then womens shapewear (tighter than mens compression shirts), then after having so much problem with pain driving my 75 mile each way commute, I found a 2XL sports bra on sale and it was sooo much better.  I didn't have all the clothing covering my stomach in the summer so I was cooler, and it gave me a lot more support under my breasts.  The cups were generally too large, but it helped a lot.  I guess if you are a 2XL in a sports bra they assume you are a D, E or larger cup size.  Not a B or C.  

So eventually I got a XL sports bra (the TekGear) and it was much better.  But it was easily seen through my neckline, so I finally gave in an tried a real bra.  My wife's bra at the time was a very worn out 40C and it fit really well, but she was much larger, I got her fitted as a 40DD at Soma, so I knew I was probably pretty close on my size.  

I have fluctuated between 42B, 40C and occasionally a 38D.  Some bras a 40B does ok, but the look of a 40B scares me because in my mind it makes me look huge, where the 40C covers more so I don't think it looks at big.  

[expedient-traveller]

I tend to walk fast and when you have gyno you will bounce. I started wearing a sports bra to control my breasts back when I was a 44AA and that continues to this day where I am a 44B/C, although the standard form of measuring says I am a 44DD/DDD. My breasts cannot fill the cups on a DD but I do nicely fill a B cup and sometimes a C cup. The point is, I started wearing a control device for comfort and modesty. I wear regular bras and prefer seamless cups. I try to keep the "assets" compressed when in public but it is not easy with breasts this large. At home I wear a leisure bra, but I always have the "assets" in some sort of bra for comfort and modesty.

[hammer]

I try to keep the "assets" compressed when in public but it is not easy with breasts this large.

I used minimizer bras for a long time, when I was smaller. I decided it was to hard to hide my size of breast, so I went with comfort instead of fear!

When it comes to sizing, I'm very close to the cup size, unlike most of you, I fill the cup! I measure a H cup and with most bras a will fill an G or H cup no problem.

So as you said, its not easy to hide breast this large!

[aboywithgirls]

I agree hammer, we are what we are. I also gave up.on concealment and opted for comfort. After  losing weight, I now wear  a 36G / 38F in most of my bras now. As you know, there's no hiding them. But then again, most people don't notice or don't care.