Wearing a Bra......

[Jerry_Bell]

Hello, I am a male, 63 years of age, happily married and trying to learn to live with wearing a bra.  I have gyneomastia due to a medical condition which has caused me to not produce any testosterone.  I am on testosterone replacement therapy since about Feb. of this year. I have a very understanding wife, who is helpful to me in me wearing a bra.  
My doctor, a female, told me that a bra would most likely help my nipple pain and the pain in the breast itself.  She sent me to a fitting shop and I have been wearing one since.  I do not have hardly any pain now, but when I take the bra off at night, the pain comes back. So I usually wear one at night.
Are there any out there who have decided to not have surgery (due to many reasons) and have elected to wearing a bra?  I would like to hear from you and your experiences.  This could help me, since I am very timid about going in public with a bra.  The bra does make me protrude more, but it is worth it for the pain relief that I get from wearing the bra. Let me hear from you if you would like to discuss this more.  Have a great day..

jdb

[Gine2D]

I don't wear one but have seen guys that do.  Mine aren't painful but do bounce around.  They are 40-C & just starting to sag a bit.

Have you tried the quality sports bras?  They give support but do not protrude like a regular bra, so they are less noticeable under a dark shirt.

My wife wears them with her "Ds" when she does physical activities.  Hers cost about $30.

[Badgene]

I get a lot of pain in my shoulders and my lower back. I really have a feeling its from the gyne. Would that be possible? There are days I think wouldn’t mind having a bra to wear but I just cant do that. I really think its one thing for a 63 year old guy with a wife to do so, but not a seeking 19 year old. I can’t imagine the reaction I would face if my friends or co-workers noticed me wearing a bra. Back in school though, that would have been literally impossible to pull off with any amount of dignity.

BTW I get a LOT of pain. You don’t think that if I can prove my gyne is the cause of a lot of long-term terrible shoulder and back problems I could get health insurance to help me out? Because I swear, I feel like a 60 year old man. Too bad I'm not. Then I could retire and no longer face work’s humiliation. Maybe I should just show up with a bra and let them have it out with me, then sue later for sexual harassment. If I cant go up to those B****s and pinch their nipples then they cant do it to me!

[a-man]

badgene: you should try a compression vest from underworks..... like you said, a bra might be good for an old man... but not someone your age...

the vest will give you support and help your posture

[ItsOK]

I have been wearing a bra for several months and find that it eliminates pain related to my breasts flopping.  A side effect is that the reduction in jiggling makes them less noticable.  I stay away from thin white t-shirts where the straps are obvious, and I really don't think that people notice the bra.  They may notice the breasts, but they would anyway.

I have had good luck buying bras in local big-box stores.  I suppose that in theory I should have gone to someplace like a department store and gotten carefully measured, but I had no desire to go through that embarassment and I'm not eager to pay department store prices for frilly sexy bras.  I find that the discount stores have a reasonable selection of generic "everyday" bras, which is exactly what I am looking for.  No lace, no frills.  Some of them you would even think that they designed them for a man.

Once I find a style that works, I try to buy several identical bras because I have discovered that you can't count on women's clothing inventory staying the same, at least not at the discount stores.  On the other hand, I find that I need to wear it for a day or so to be sure; sometimes what feels great initially can be uncomfortable after a couple of hours.

I can't say that I've tried the fancy mail-order compression vests, but frankly my desire is to be comfortable, not to disguise the fact that I have breasts while making myself miserable.  For me, a bra has turned out to be a good solution.  Your milage may vary.

But don't endure breast pain just because you are somehow hung up with the "men don't wear bras" idea.  If the bra fits, wear it.

[a-man]

define: Bra:

"an undergarment worn by women to support their breasts"

best bra for men IMO, is none

find another way to hide/support them... compression vests, underarmour, etc etc

[ItsOK]

a-man, I don't know where you got your definition, but it's pretty silly.

There's this widely-available piece of clothing which is manufactured to support human breasts.  Because there are so many people who wear it, there are a large number of styles available and prices are low.  The fact that very few men have large enough breasts to justify wearing a bra does not mean that the device works any worse on a male than on a female.

Fell free to spend ten times more money buying your breast support.  If it is worth it for you to read "chest compression garmet" on the box instead of "bra", then who am I to tell you how to spend your money?  Personally, I'll take advantage of the mass market since the products there meet my needs perfectly, are easy to acquire, and are cheaper.

As for what is the ideal bra for a man, maybe I will try to take a picture and post it here.  There are a number of designs which have no lace or decoration.  I prefer the models with some lycra as I find them to provide the level of support that I need.  A side effect is that the plain models are often the cheapest.

[a-man]

i just did a google search for a definition.... every definition included the word "woman"

[ItsOK]

i just did a google search for a definition.... every definition included the word "woman"

So?

Is the ghost of Noah Webster going to attack me if I flaunt the official defintion of a term?  I suppose I could waste my time looking for an "official" definition that doesn't include the word "woman", but I don't really care.

I have a number of women friends who buy some of their clothes in the men's department because they have observed that they get better quality for less money.  Noah Webster would be upset.

I have explained that I have no problem with using something in a way that is different than the way most people use it, if it's to my advantage.  You remind me of women who buy "women's razors" which are exactly the same as razors packaged for use by men, but cost ten times as much.

If it makes people more comfortable to wear "chest compressors" because the box says "for men", fine.  But please don't bore me with a list of "definitions" of the word "bra" as a justification for my taking advantage of an inexpensive and effective solution to my problem.

As I consider this issue, it's really rather humorous.  Presumably some men would be aghast at wearing the piece of clothing in question if it came in a box which used the word "bra", but they would be perfectly comfortable wearing exactly the same item if it came in a box marked "chest compression vest".

On the other hand, if that's what it takes to remove the stigma of wearing a piece of clothing to support your breasts, and results in greater comfort, then it's well worth the extra cost.  I am sure that the women who buy the specially-packaged razors are convinced that they work much better than the models manufactured for men.

[billie9995]

I have had gyno my whole life but it was not severe until I started medication for my prostate at age 55.  By the age of 60 I had obvious C cup problems.  I consulted with two plastic surgeons who both described the "anchor scar" and the fact that I was not going to get away with simple liposuction.  My wife and I both decided against it.  

There was a problem that with increased size I was experiencing painful broken blood vessles under my arms called hematomas which turned to bruises and left stretch marks.  It got so bad I would grab my breasts when we hit bumps in the road and forget the riding lawn mower or boat bouncing.

First I tried wide ace bandages but they just rolled up finding a place to pinch above or below my breasts.  Next I tried the Gyno Vests made for this problem.  They were hot, uncomfortable and very expensive (I spent several hundred dollars to find one I could tolerate).  I was unsuccessful!  

Finally I tried a bra!  It was cheap, comfortable, came in beige seamless minimizer to prevent show through.  With a dark shirt it actually hides my problem to some degree.  I only need to wear it for long trips in the car, cutting the grass and riding my boat or ATV.  No more bruises, hematomas or raw nipples.  I almost do not mind my problem anymore.

Finally they are part of me and very sensitive to the point I would not want them cut up.  I actually enjoy them at quiet times and could not imagine two large scars and nipples without sensation.

Meeting others with the same problem has helped me get over the embarrassment to the point that I checked them out as they did me but I am still not wearing white T shirts and white or black bras that show through.  

A bra is just a means of living comfortably without surgery.  The best solution to a problem.

[a-man]

Indeed.

Lately I have also discovered the benefit of purses. I mean, why carry around a tiny wallet... just to satisfy society's opinion of what a "man" should be?

A purse holds more, doesn't create a bulge in my pocket, and is also stylish.

And while I'm at it, I have also discovered the benefit of women's underwear. Why be stuck with boring men's boxers of briefs when there is a world of frilly, silk & satin, comfortable, and colourful women's underwear out there.

So yes, to all of you who are wearing women's bras, why stop there? I also encourage you to try out purses and women's underwear while you are at it.

Next step... dresses.

[ItsOK]

Thank you, a-man, for clarifying for us what it means to be a Real Man.

No Real Man would ever consider using anything that was made for a woman.  It might somehow pollute his masculinity.

A Real Man would never wear a piece of clothing that made him more comfortable and made it less obvious that he has large breasts.  A Real Man can't have breasts.  He must either hide them at all costs or have them surgically removed.

A Real Man must always take the stereotypical macho way.  He must be Buff, he must be Muscled, he must be Masculine as the current society defines Masculine.

It's really too bad that a Real Man doesn't have enough self confidence to step outside the narrow bounds that he thinks that society has defined for him.

[a-man]

Why the cynicism? Clearly I am agreeing with you guys..

Just because I am willing to go a step further doesn't mean I am against you.

It's really too bad that a Real Man doesn't have enough self confidence to step outside the narrow bounds that he thinks that society has defined for him.

Oh but I do. That's why I suggest carrying around a purse... why be stuck with a tiny little wallet when a purse can do so much more? I have realized the wisdom in your guys' words...

And while we're at it... why have all these women walking around in tight skirts and high-heeled shoes? Just because society says it looks good? I mean who wants to see girls dressed up in such revealing and attractive ways... obviously those things cant be too comfortable... they should all just wear loose baggy clothing like the rest of us. Then we can all be a bunch of happy old fogeys  

My point? For some people (ie old men and women), fine, just do whats comfortable, no one will notice either way. Go ahead and wear bras.

For us with some sex drive left, who want to remain at least somewhat within societal norms, we'll find other solutions.

My only problem with these posts (ie "I have breasts and I accept them") is the air of superiority given off. Don't think that you guys have reached some higher state of psycological being than us... IMO, if you can walk around wearing a bra, then you have reached a point in your life where you simply don't care how you look, and neither does anyone else.

[gyno_boy]

I think relief would be a better word than Hero!

Most men wouldnt wear a bra, not young men anyway, its far too humiliating.

[a-man]

How about the 'I had breasts but got them hacked off, so I'm a hero and deserve a medal' syndrome that pervades these threads.

Hero? I have been following this board for a long time and have never come across that attitude. Like the poster above me said, people are more relieved that they can get on living their lives like normal males. I don't feel like a hero... I just feel normal now.

Anyway after re-reading this thread.... I can't believe I spent this much time arguing with a bunch of grown men who walk around wearing bras.