What style bra

[Getting boobs]

I have a pretty fair collection of bras already, most in finding out what I like and don't like. I have found that I much prefer an underwire, for all the same reasons you have said. I have also found that the same size bras in different brands do not fit and wear the same. I have bought some lace cups for the warmer weather, but with the cooler mornings I can see it being a problem. I need to look into some molded cups for the winter time. I have tried a few kinds of sports bras, but found that I like the ones with cups much better. I don't feel all smashed down and flattened down. It has all been a learning curve in what I like, what don't fit, what I style I want. This place has been a great help to learn a bit more about what might work for me.. Thanks again to everyone whom has took time to comment.  

[Johndoe1]

Wearing a bra does let us take control of our appearance and presentation.

That was the biggest surprise for me when I started wearing a bra. I had the fear and paranoia that a bra would make my chest look feminine and it would be obvious that I had boobs so I MUST be some kind of freak or half breed of man/woman because bras are so identified as strictly female since they are marketed exclusively to women and are made with "soft and feminine materials" like lace and satin and emphasis the breasts.

The truth is due to the number of styles and types of bras, I found out very quickly that with support, I could shape and mold how my chest looked depending on the bra. A technique women do all the time. If a woman wants to draw attention to the chest, they will wear a bra that will emphasis the firmness/projection/size of the breast or if they just want to be casual, they will wear a bra that will support but doesn't have much projection or show off size. The top they wear also will determine whether their breasts show or not. Since women have smaller waists than breasts or hips, their clothing is tailored to nip at the waist, which will emphasis the breasts, men's clothes do not do that so does not emphasis the chest. I also found that with my breasts properly supported, there was no more movement to draw attention to them. So while my chest may have a feminine appearance when wearing a bra, with the proper bra and top and now no movement of the girls, eyes were not drawn to my chest. The bra also improved my appearance in the chest since my breasts were now supported and not just flopping around. Imagine a woman who is braless and one wearing a bra. You can tell a difference in appearance. The woman wearing a bra has a perceived better appearance and goes unnoticed while a braless woman gets the attention. The same is true for us as well. Its not all negative wearing a bra.

There are advantages to wearing a bra if you have breast tissue, man or woman. Remember, a male with true gynecomastia has breasts that are the same as a woman's, including the ability to lactate under the right conditions even though it is less common for men because we lack the amount of hormones needed to lactate, even though we still have the same hormones as women do, just smaller amounts. So our breasts will react the same way women's do, because they are the same! The difference is how much fat is deposited in the breasts and that is controlled by hormones or lack there of. So if they are the same, why can't they be treated the same? It's society that has the problem with breasts in general on a man much less a bra. If you have gynecomastia, your breasts are already on the radar. People are noticing whether they say anything or not. A bra becomes invisible at that point and can be a real friend, not a vile foe. Remember, we are all made of the same material. How it is distributed or stimulated in the womb by the sperm will dictate male or female. Male testes are female ovaries that develop outside the body and instead of creating eggs, create sperm. Same material. Genetics, driven by hormones dictates which it is. Many don't realize that so men with breasts is not as unusual as one might think. It's the reaction that is.

[Johndoe1]

I have tried a few kinds of sports bras, but found that I like the ones with cups much better. I don't feel all smashed down and flattened down.

I HATE compression bras. They hurt my nipples. When I jog, I wear an encapsulation cup sports bra. It supports each breast individually with its own personal cup/support system. Its a soft cup sports bra, but it is stitched in the cups in such a way so it gives great support and keeps the girls in place without movement, but it does give me quite the feminine chest with each breast individually supported. The girls are definitely lifted and shaped round with slight projection and don't move around, but it is SO comfortable, I don't really care about the look. For that type exercise, that is what I have to have to keep from hurting myself, so I go with it and watch what top I wear and where I will be. I have breasts, so I treat them like breasts and I am a happier (and healthier) person because I do!

[JohannK]

Wearing a bra does let us take control of our appearance and presentation.

That was the biggest surprise for me when I started wearing a bra. I had the fear and paranoia that a bra would make my chest look feminine and it would be obvious that I had boobs so I MUST be some kind of freak or half breed of man/woman because bras are so identified as strictly female since they are marketed exclusively to women and are made with "soft and feminine materials" like lace and satin and emphasis the breasts.

The truth is due to the number of styles and types of bras, I found out very quickly that with support, I could shape and mold how my chest looked depending on the bra. A technique women do all the time. If a woman wants to draw attention to the chest, they will wear a bra that will emphasis the firmness/projection/size of the breast or if they just want to be casual, they will wear a bra that will support but doesn't have much projection or show off size. The top they wear also will determine whether their breasts show or not. Since women have smaller waists than breasts or hips, their clothing is tailored to nip at the waist, which will emphasis the breasts, men's clothes do not do that so does not emphasis the chest. I also found that with my breasts properly supported, there was no more movement to draw attention to them. So while my chest may have a feminine appearance when wearing a bra, with the proper bra and top and now no movement of the girls, eyes were not drawn to my chest. The bra also improved my appearance in the chest since my breasts were now supported and not just flopping around. Imagine a woman who is braless and one wearing a bra. You can tell a difference in appearance. The woman wearing a bra has a perceived better appearance and goes unnoticed while a braless woman gets the attention. The same is true for us as well. Its not all negative wearing a bra.

There are advantages to wearing a bra if you have breast tissue, man or woman. Remember, a male with true gynecomastia has breasts that are the same as a woman's, including the ability to lactate under the right conditions even though it is less common for men because we lack the amount of hormones needed to lactate, even though we still have the same hormones as women do, just smaller amounts. So our breasts will react the same way women's do, because they are the same! The difference is how much fat is deposited in the breasts and that is controlled by hormones or lack there of. So if they are the same, why can't they be treated the same? It's society that has the problem with breasts in general on a man much less a bra. If you have gynecomastia, your breasts are already on the radar. People are noticing whether they say anything or not. A bra becomes invisible at that point and can be a real friend, not a vile foe. Remember, we are all made of the same material. How it is distributed or stimulated in the womb by the sperm will dictate male or female. Male testes are female ovaries that develop outside the body and instead of creating eggs, create sperm. Same material. Genetics, driven by hormones dictates which it is. Many don't realize that so men with breasts is not as unusual as one might think. It's the reaction that is.

I've also thought about that.  The shirts I normally wear along with my extra weight helps to disguise my breasts, but depending on what I wear I always notice how obvious they are if I see myself in a mirror.  It actually strikes me as odd that I haven't had any comments so far (I can't comment on wandering eyes, I don't have that instinct to make eye contact or notice where people are really looking).  On the other hand though, we who have breasts are more likely to notice.  I can only imagine how obvious they'll be once I reach my target weight.

[Johndoe1]

You will loose fat in your breasts. How much will depend upon hormones and their ratios. As I have yo-yo-ed up and down, the girls have been a constant no matter what my weight. As I have lost and gained the girls have increased in size. I have three times in my life had 100 lbs gain and loss of weight and several smaller gains and loses and each time I have more breast tissue the next time I lose weight. This is not uncommon since once that fat is created, and if it is deposited in the breasts, you usually don't go back to previous breast size even though you very well may lose some size. Once the estrogen has put it there, it seems to want to stay. 

When I entered my 20s I was around a large B. Now several decades later and massive amounts of weight gain and loss, I am now DD and around 30 lbs overweight but still dropping weightfrom my last "binger". 30 lbs isn't going to drop but maybe one cup size if that much. That brings me to a D cup. Surgery would be my only hope to completely be rid of them, but who is to say that they wouldn't regrow again with my hormones as whacked out as they are. Best leave sleeping dogs lie. 

My last doctor's visit, it was noted that while my overall weight is dropping, the fat is being redistributed to places normally seen on women such as breasts and hips even though I don't have "curves" like a woman. This is based on measurements that the doctors office have taken. So the estrogen levels in my body are such that they are influencing how some of my fat is being distributed throughout my body. While not in trans proportions, and any curves I have are not readily noticeable, nevertheless I am physically affected. 

I have come to accept my situation. If I  were given a choice to develop large breasts or to develop cancer, I will take the boobs any day. Having boobs isn't terminal. I am getting by just fine with a developed chest now. 

[hammer]

Wearing a bra does let us take control of our appearance and presentation.

That was the biggest surprise for me when I started wearing a bra. I had the fear and paranoia that a bra would make my chest look feminine and it would be obvious that I had boobs so I MUST be some kind of freak or half breed of man/woman because bras are so identified as strictly female since they are marketed exclusively to women and are made with "soft and feminine materials" like lace and satin and emphasis the breasts.

The truth is due to the number of styles and types of bras, I found out very quickly that with support, I could shape and mold how my chest looked depending on the bra. A technique women do all the time. If a woman wants to draw attention to the chest, they will wear a bra that will emphasis the firmness/projection/size of the breast or if they just want to be casual, they will wear a bra that will support but doesn't have much projection or show off size. The top they wear also will determine whether their breasts show or not. Since women have smaller waists than breasts or hips, their clothing is tailored to nip at the waist, which will emphasis the breasts, men's clothes do not do that so does not emphasis the chest. I also found that with my breasts properly supported, there was no more movement to draw attention to them. So while my chest may have a feminine appearance when wearing a bra, with the proper bra and top and now no movement of the girls, eyes were not drawn to my chest. The bra also improved my appearance in the chest since my breasts were now supported and not just flopping around. Imagine a woman who is braless and one wearing a bra. You can tell a difference in appearance. The woman wearing a bra has a perceived better appearance and goes unnoticed while a braless woman gets the attention. The same is true for us as well. Its not all negative wearing a bra.

There are advantages to wearing a bra if you have breast tissue, man or woman. Remember, a male with true gynecomastia has breasts that are the same as a woman's, including the ability to lactate under the right conditions even though it is less common for men because we lack the amount of hormones needed to lactate, even though we still have the same hormones as women do, just smaller amounts. So our breasts will react the same way women's do, because they are the same! The difference is how much fat is deposited in the breasts and that is controlled by hormones or lack there of. So if they are the same, why can't they be treated the same? It's society that has the problem with breasts in general on a man much less a bra. If you have gynecomastia, your breasts are already on the radar. People are noticing whether they say anything or not. A bra becomes invisible at that point and can be a real friend, not a vile foe. Remember, we are all made of the same material. How it is distributed or stimulated in the womb by the sperm will dictate male or female. Male testes are female ovaries that develop outside the body and instead of creating eggs, create sperm. Same material. Genetics, driven by hormones dictates which it is. Many don't realize that so men with breasts is not as unusual as one might think. It's the reaction that is.

Johndoe1, you have written a fantastic piece here and I hope that everyone gets a chance to see it! The only thing that I have to say is: you say "remember, a Male with true gynecomastia".  I looked up the definition of gynecomastia and this is what I found!

gyn·e·co·mas·ti·a

enlargement of a man's breasts, usually due to hormone imbalance or hormone therapy.

____________________________
I also recall an article on the subject that I read that I Also believe may be located right here in the forum back in about 2012. It started that that make up of a Male's breast and a female's breast is no different at all!

So in conclusion, I don't think that there is a "true" gynecomastia! Either you have it or you don't! If you have "Male breast enlargement, you have gynecomastia"!


Bob

[Johndoe1]

Johndoe1, you have written a fantastic piece here and I hope that everyone gets a chance to see it! The only thing that I have to say is: you say "remember, a Male with true gynecomastia".  I looked up the definition of gynecomastia and this is what I found!

gyn·e·co·mas·ti·a

enlargement of a man's breasts, usually due to hormone imbalance or hormone therapy.

____________________________
I also recall an article on the subject that I read that I Also believe may be located right here in the forum back in about 2012. It started that that make up of a Male's breast and a female's breast is no different at all!

So in conclusion, I don't think that there is a "true" gynecomastia! Either you have it or you don't! If you have "Male breast enlargement, you have gynecomastia"!


Bob

I was referring to if you have false gynecomastia, made entirely of fat due to being overweight with no glandular tissue, then your breasts would not react as a women's does since you have no "active component" so to speak. No way you can lactate if the only thing you breast is made of is fat. That is all I was implying.

[hammer]

Johndoe1, you have written a fantastic piece here and I hope that everyone gets a chance to see it! The only thing that I have to say is: you say "remember, a Male with true gynecomastia".  I looked up the definition of gynecomastia and this is what I found!

gyn·e·co·mas·ti·a

enlargement of a man's breasts, usually due to hormone imbalance or hormone therapy.

____________________________
I also recall an article on the subject that I read that I Also believe may be located right here in the forum back in about 2012. It started that that make up of a Male's breast and a female's breast is no different at all!

So in conclusion, I don't think that there is a "true" gynecomastia! Either you have it or you don't! If you have "Male breast enlargement, you have gynecomastia"!


Bob

I was referring to if you have false gynecomastia, made entirely of fat due to being overweight with no glandular tissue, then your breasts would not react as a women's does since you have no "active component" so to speak. No way you can lactate if the only thing you breast is made of is fat. That is all I was implying.

However if you recall, being overweight does mess with your hormones causing you to produce more estrogen. Therefore you may also develop the breast tissue along with the excess fat in the chest area, so there you have the "true" gynecomastia as you call it!

I for one have more tissue in one breast and more fat in the other, but the actual size of the two are not that different! This was all confirmed in my first ultrasound and explained to me by the radiologist.

It is also not uncommon that a woman after having a baby will not lactate! Both of my wives breast feed our children,  however we did know of others that were not about to do so!

So therefore, if your a man with the so called "true" gynecomastia doesn't mean that you to will be able to lactate either!

[aboywithgirls]

I will say this about that. I had expressed breast milk last year during mammogram imagining. When they squeezed, I squirted.  From my endocrinologist,  she told me that women, ages 40-50, who are going through menopause, it is not all that uncommon for the breasts to produce milk due to hormone imbalance.  She figured that my case may be similar given my breast size and subsequent hormone levels. 

I did leak after my mammogram and was given nursing pads to place in my bra so I wouldn't leak through. I did attempt to pump the milk down for about a month.  While I liked the relief of pumping. It was difficult to keep a schedule. I couldn't go 8-10 hours so I had to find a place at work where I could. Eventually I gave up on it. I changed pads several times a day for about a month.  The leakage stopped and life resumed to normal. 

[aboywithgirls]

I see my wife get frustrated with pumping and upset when pads leak through or wakes up and her pumping bra is soaked and I cannot imagine having to deal with that let alone the schedule of 3 hour intervals of 20-30 minute sessions of a pump that sounds like a bullfrog lol. I'd be lying if I never thought of trying a pump and seeing if anything would happen but I have yet to waste my time with it lol. Last time I was at the dr as mentioned in last comment, I did ask about lactation if it was a possibility. Just asked "given they are growing more apparently, am I going to lactate or anything like that at some point" he said it is possible but very unlikely. Citing the amount of things that would need to occur for a body to present milk production.

I would assume you are quite the exception given how large you have developed and how much one's body must produce to get to such a size. Not intending to offend just think it is quite the exception vs commonality to produce milk as a man unless they obtained development to such a size as some others here have experienced. But I would be curious to know if there is any truth to any level of male breast growth vs substantial growth and the occurences in the breast themselves that would allow lactation to be a possibility.

I don't know of the statistics or even the hormones that are required to initiate lactation. 

I can say that if you do find yourself in the situation where you do have milk expression,  consult your doctor. My other advice is to leave them be and do not pump. I found it to an incredible inconvenience and pointless because as soon as I was done. I would produce more. The best thing that I did was leave them alone.