Do we really need to wear a bra

[hammer]

Guys, my wife who I have said is very supportive of us guys that have breast sent this to me, so I thought that I would share it with all of you! As I've said in some of my post I don't always wear my bras because I don't like tight stuff on,  not like many of you who even wear them to bed! I  also wondered if it was bad or hard on me for not wearing them, even though I do feel comfortable in them in a different kind of way but uncomfortable do to the restriction feeling of the tightness. As you know I'm not as mobile as most of you so the bounce and swing isn't as much of a problem as it is for most of you do.

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Posted 2.20.17 Kaisa Schmitz, DO
From cancer to sore backs to breast sagginess; bras have been attributed to a wide range of health concerns, leaving some women asking, “Should I take a break from my bra?” Let's address some of the health claims out there. 

Claim:
Wearing a bra, especially an underwire bra, can cause or increase my chance of developing breast cancer.

Fact:
According to the American Cancer Society, there are no scientifically valid studies that show wearing bras of any type cause breast cancer.

Claims:
Wearing a bra will prevent my breast from becoming saggy—OR—wearing a bra long-term will make my breasts saggy.

Fact:
Breasts are made up of tissue, glands, ducts and ligaments. Within that, fat makes up most of your breasts' tissue. Your pectoral muscles are behind the tissues, but there are no muscles in your breasts. With that said, it is totally normal and natural for your breasts to become saggier as you age, or as a result of major changes in your body like pregnancy, breastfeeding and major weight loss or gain.

A French study, conducted over 15 years, reported that wearing a bra results in accelerated sagginess because it prohibits breast tissue growth; however, the study has too many variables to be taken as scientific proof.

There is also no solid evidence that a bra will prevent sagginess either. Changes in our bodies are a natural occurrence, and the best way to prevent sagginess is by taking care of that area of your body. Maintain proper posture and do exercises focusing on your shoulders, upper back and pectoral muscle areas.   

Claims:
Bras create back pain—OR—bras can prevent back pain.

Fact:
As they are designed to do, bras support and shape our breast tissue, and that can provide comfort. Just like any piece of clothing, an ill-fitting bra can cause discomfort or pain in your shoulders and back. So, yes, a bra could cause back pain; however, a poorly-fitted bra could also be adding to already existing back pain from poor posture, obesity or injury. The best way to prevent back pain is with proper posture, exercise and maintaining a healthy weight.

So, should you take a break from your bra? There's no scientific proof that you need to take a break from your bra, but there’s also no scientific reason that you need to wear one either. It really is about the societal norm. Even so, I don't expect many to feel comfortable not wearing a bra. The key connections I make for wearing a bra and breast health are to make sure:

your bra fits well
your bra is made of a breathable fabric
you wash your bra regularly
you rotate bras to extend their wear
 Kaisa Schmitz, DOMEET THE EXPERT
Kaisa Schmitz, DO

Dr. Schmitz is a board-certified family medicine physician at Allina Health Savage Clinic. Her professional interests include women's health, weight management, preventive medicine, child and adolescent medicine, and osteopathic manipulation. Some of her favorite activities are gardening, baking, crafting, traveling, bike rides and walks with her family. Read more about what makes a doctor of osteopathic medicine unique.

[aboywithgirls]

Thanks for the post, hammer. 
For myself. I am alot more comfortable wearing my bras. I recently went for a fitting. I knew that I had grown again. I was wearing a 36G  (US). I ended up with a couple of new 36H bras which were a great fit. I stick with underwire bras exclusively for everyday bras. I find that the underwire helps a lot with support, control and shape. The soft cup bras give me a weird, pointed shape that I think looks worse than no bra at all. I usually wear a leisure bra to bed. I just don't like them flopping around. 
I think being large busted always presents a  challenge for us. It's kind of a balancing act between comfort and concealment. I know that the study didn't mention it but, binding in all accounts is bad for breasts. So I just try to be as comfortable as possible. I know that there are a lot of women who say how much they hate wearing a bra. But having breasts like I have, I couldn't imagine going braless.

[littes]

That's a really interesting read. Thanks.
I agree with aboywithgirls, for large busted it's a matter of comfort and concealment. Being myself a D cup I personally benefit bra wearing when I walk/move a lot during the day. I don't wear 24/7 and avoid night wearing but when I don't and happens that I walk up and down stairs I'm really uncomfortable while my chest flaps and wobbles and I even use my hands to stop it. That's when you realise that there's a garment that prevents that!

I think that, for men with breasts, it's harder to say and see they can benefit from bra wearing (for example if you are a C+ cup exercising/walking a lot etc...) because it's so heavily advertized and socially seen as a female piece of clothing so charged with sexual appeal. If it was neutral men would be more accepting if they feel the need.

Just my 2 cents.

[hammer]

As a 46H I totally get it! I use my arm across to stop the bounce myself! 

I had gyno all my life and after I lost my testicles my breast growth went like a well watered garden! I was always up in arms about the bra thing, not because of it being a female piece of clothing, but I hate tight stuff, and I didn't know if it was better for me to wear one or not.

When I was working as a carpenter all I ever wear was bib overalls, since I went on disability I wear loosely fitting sweats. Summer tees, and the shorts are the tee shirt material type shorts, and I don't like tight things on by back due to the back surgeries! That's why I like shoulder holsters for my carry style for weapons.

I'm in no way saying I'm against wearing bras, nor am I saying I'm going to stop wearing them! I need to wear them to help prevent that nasty rash I get under them sometimes. I posted the information because of some of the talk that goes on within the forum, and thought it was good to share!

Bob

[littes]

As a 46H I totally get it! I use my arm across to stop the bounce myself!  

I had gyno all my life and after I lost my testicles my breast growth went like a well watered garden! I was always up in arms about the bra thing, not because of it being a female piece of clothing, but I hate tight stuff, and I didn't know if it was better for me to wear one or not.

When I was working as a carpenter all I ever wear was bib overalls, since I went on disability I wear loosely fitting sweats. Summer tees, and the shorts are the tee shirt material type shorts, and I don't like tight things on by back due to the back surgeries! That's why I like shoulder holsters for my carry style for weapons.

I'm in no way saying I'm against wearing bras, nor am I saying I'm going to stop wearing them! I need to wear them to help prevent that nasty rash I get under them sometimes. I posted the information because of some of the talk that goes on within the forum, and thought it was good to share!

Bob

Hi Bob,

I totally get it and the read was really interesting... many good points and I agree about no need to wear 7/24. My points were intended to be general.

Thanks for sharing.

[aboywithgirls]

I agree with both of you. There really is no NEED for me to wear 24/7. It was funny that you mentioned the stairs thing. That's the biggest reason I wear a leisure bra to bed. A leisure bra doesn't provide as good support as a regular underwire but, it's more comfortable to wear to bed. 
A bra, for me, just makes life easier. I'm obviously more comfortable, I look better, and my nipples like me wearing a bra a whole lot more than going braless. 

[dbweb]

Appreciate the information from  Dr. Schmitz of Allina, a good group without a doubt,
Interesting that even as there is no "scientific" evidence to support the need to wear a bra when a person starts to "develop"  it is very common to see young ladies advised by medical staff that they need to start wearing a bra at some point-it seems that these days girls and boys dress a lot alike, as even in sports, they all want to be treated the same.  I don't mind this, I have daughters as well and want them to get every chance they can,  but have to say that in my 6 decades, I have to say that today the girls tend to be well grown up before they start to dress and act as ladies  so maybe they need a bit more push to recognize when it is time to wear a bra routinely?
Wandering a bit here, but the point again is that it is common to be advised by medical staff that you need to "take care of your breasts" which is simply time to start to wear a bra.  Even in my case, my  doc who just happens to be a woman(family doc for decades now) told me the same, that you have to take care of your breast tissue, for you well being IE comfort
I believe that if your body is telling you something, (not comfortable) that you need to add something to address this discomfort, that is its way of telling you that something is not right! Science not, but common sense for sure.

[Blousbunnys]

Like hammer, I don't wear a bra all the time. I usually don't wear one when I'm just kicking back and never when I'm sleeping.
I do believe they have helped keep the breast tissue from heading toward my belt.
I'm not as big as Hammer or Aboywithgirls, I'm only a D cup, but when they start bouncing, they really put on a show if they aren't contained.
I've been wearing bras for 50 years now. They are only an ariticle of clothing like socks or a belt. They have no gender of their own.

[aboywithgirls]

Of course, when you go for a fitting, they want to sell you a bra. But, whenever I go, I get the same thing. " you must be very uncomfortable without a bra". Yes, I am. I am very uncomfortable. A bra makes my life better.

Bras are for supporting breast tissue. Getting that support  (at least for us, comes with a price). When we are wearing a bra, it lifts and moves or breasts front and center. Myself, I can't say that I like look. That being said, I do wear underwire bras exclusively.  They tend to gather and move the breast even further forward. However, they do provide more support for the breast and I end up with a more rounded, natural shape. 

So comfort and concealment are on opposing sides. Binding is best for concealment but, uncomfortable and can be harmful to your health. Sports bras compromise on both sides. They do conceal somewhat but, not very comfortable for more than a few hours. A regular soft cup or underwire bra will be the most comfortable and something that you can wear all day. A minimizer bra is also a good option. 

[Maxx]

My wife recently told me she thinks I should maybe consider wearing a bra and offered to get some for me. That is new. In the past she was not at all supportive of the idea. That didn't help my courage to try them.

Bra wearing is a threshold I simply struggle to cross. Part of me thinks I would be much more comfortable, and I would stop "snagging" them on stuff like boxes, etc. I have tried compression t-shirts. I nearly die in them from being too hot. I dont want to be smashed...and like Hammer, I don't like to be constricted.

A few years back, I did order one from Amazon, but it didnt fit me right.
Size? I dunno. Under breast is 43" and across breasts is about 51". It is hard to get a correct size when you have underarm boob/fat contributing to the measurement. The one I ordered was a front close and it slipped off my shoulders all the time. It was one of the leisure ones. I didnt like it.
I am guessing I am a 44D? I have wide chest, so they dont really look like they would be that large. Fortunately or not, I am fat (~250lbs), so I just look like a fat guy with big moobs...for the most part.

I have had guy friends comment on them and ask me what caused it. Medications to stay alive is all I tell them. I refuse to get mutilated just to "look" normal. I did talk to a surgeon once. He told me if I didnt like how I looked now, I probably wouldn't like how i looked after surgery either. So I chose to learn to live with it as best as i can.

Sometimes I wish I could just muster up the courage to not give a crap what other people think. I am fearful that I embarrass my wife when we are in public. Sad, I know. But it is how I feel about it.

[Paa_Paw]

When I was younger I wore them for Mountaineering, Hiking, and Backpacking because they controlled the bounce and made life more comfortable for those activities.  Other than that, I rarely wore one and as I am no longer as physically active I have no need of them. 
The answer is going to be different for each individual.  Whether or not a bra is a good idea depends not only on the size of the breast, but the kind and degree of the activities a person is involved in.   

[hammer]

Maxx, I'm sure your wife loves you for the man you are inside, not how you look!

If you decide to try a bra. Go get a formal fitting, that's what I did and when I do wear my bras I am very comfortable in them because they fit very well!

As I have said, I don't wear them everyday day, but I am comfortable in them too, I just can't handle the tightness everyday so I take breaks from them.

Maxx, read the bottom of my post. If you can adapt that kind of mind set, life becomes much more simple!

I answer to God, wife and self,  and those are who I also try to please, nobody else!

[Maxx]

I agree with all you said Hammer. It is basically pride that gets in the way of a peaceful acceptance of this naturally, unnatural condition. 

When I meet God someday, perhaps we will have a chat about the boobie shortcut in the design plan.

[aboywithgirls]

Maxx, the thing is that you want to be comfortable. I don't blame you. I wanted to be comfortable too. I knew that surgery was not going to be for me. I turned to bras and guess what, they work. I should say in my case, because of my early development, they were given to me to help. Maybe because I started wearing a bra fairly young, I consider it as just another article of clothing.  It's a garment that is designed to support breast tissue. 
I never imagined that I would grow as big as I have, but, like hammer suggested, get a female fitting because I was just fitted with a 36I. For myself, I could not imagine going about my day braless. 
I also wish that there wasn't so much stigma attached to the bra. To be perfectly honest, wearing a bra that provides support and the right shape will make your "girls" appear less obvious. 

[hammer]

Aboywithgirls is correct, when it come to the fact that wearing a bra actually makes it less abvious! They hold to your chest nicely, have much less movement as well!