To bra? or not to bra? That is the question.

The Myth is that wearing a brazier will keep em perky. The opposite is true. Women who have NEVER worn a bra develop micro muscles, and stringer connective tissues that hold the gals aloft. They do not sag from age or lack of a bra, they sag from never having to develop natural loft, or fitness. It's an interesting topic, because the body is so much more amazing than we give it credit in our rush to modify and help everything. The older I get and the more I experience the more I become convinced everything is better as God/Nature intended. As has been mentioned well developed chest muscles help the issue.

Now as for my vote: No Bra (And not because I am hoping for a cheap thrill) I vote no because bras are linked to breast cancer due to their affect on both lymph fluid and blood circulation. The human body has more lymph fluid than blood, and the job it does is to remove toxins. Your blood provides nutrients, oxygen and removes toxins. Impeding circulation causes negative health effects and bras impair circulation.

Bras were invented as alternatives to corsets whose sole purpose was to force a high and accentuated cleavage. They are not health items, in fact stopping wearing a bra has been shown in multiple studies to enhance and lift breasts.

What follows is a Wikipedia entry on bras and breast sagging: (I looked this up just to quote something but I have already read a number of artlcles over the years backing this up, so it's something I am familiar with from multiple independent sources.)

Heredity plays a part in breast size and shape, including helping determine characteristics like skin elasticity and the amount of breast tissue.[147] Breast skin retains a youthful appearance through the contribution of a protein called elastin. Internally, the breasts are composed of the mammary glands which remain relatively constant throughout life, fat tissue which surround the mammary glands, milk ducts, and Cooper's ligaments. The milk ducts don't influence breast size until a woman becomes pregnant, and again when she begins lactating. It is the amount and distribution of adipose tissue and, to a lesser extent, glandular tissue, that leads to variations in breast size. The exact function of Cooper's ligaments and their role in supporting breast tissue is not certain.[148][149]

The biggest factors affecting whether a woman's breasts sag are the number of children she has had, her body mass index, the size of her breasts before pregnancy, and whether she smokes cigarettes.[150][151][150][152] Cigarettes contribute to sagging because they break down elastin, decreasing the breast's elastic appearance and external support." When breasts sag, the breast tissue folds down over the infra-mammary fold, the point where the underside of the breasts attach to the chest wall. As a result, the breast's lower (inferior) surface lies against the chest wall. In some cases, the women's nipple may even point towards the ground.

Two small studies provide some indication that wearing a bra may have an overall negative affect on sagging breasts. In a Japanese study, 11 women were measured wearing a standardised fitted bra for three months. They found that breasts became larger and lower. The underbust measurement decreased and the overbust measurement increased, while the lowest point of the breast moved downwards and outwards. The effect was more pronounced in larger-breasted women. This may be related to the particular bra chosen for the experiment, as there was some improvement after changing to a different model.[153] A year-long study in France followed 33 women who were active in sports at least four hours per week. They agreed to stop wearing a brassiere for one year. Their position of their breasts and nipples were biometrically assessed four times during the year. Before the study began, a majority of the women reported some discomfort while wearing a bra. Researcher Dr. Laetitia Pierrot found at the end of the year that 88% of the women reported feeling increased comfort. Her physical assessment of participants showed strengthened rotator and pectoral muscles, fewer stretch marks, and an overall improvement in the height of the women's nipple-aerola complex when measured relative to her shoulder. Contrary to popular belief, the women's breasts did not sag further, but their position on the woman's chest actually improved.[154]

These findings were confirmed by Jean Denis Rouillon, sports physician at the University Hospital of Besançon, France, in a much larger 3-year-long French study of 250 women beginning in 2006.[155][156] One example is given of a woman who had breasts that were uncomfortably large, and who experienced improvement after two years of not wearing a bra.[157


To bra? or not to bra? That is the question. The answer is for your health and breast appearance, just say no to the bra!

Now, there are exceptions... My wife for example wears a bra while breast feeding our children, to keep the breast pads which absorb leaking milk in place and avoid embarrassing milk stains. Between children she is bra-less 24x7 except when a certain outfit or outing would be material benefited by the wearing of a bra. Otherwise she does not wear one, particularly at home or to bed.

There are also women whose breasts are very large and who may need one for work or social outings. But this class of breast is the hardest to fit properly with a good bra and is the highest risk group for the negative health effects of braziers.

My two cents...

That's funny; Thanks for the laugh!

You are welcome. Wearing a bra is like using a wheel chair when you are capable of walking, will your legs get more fit or less? Breasts have connective tissues, ligaments, and underlying muscles which all gain health, strength and firmness when asked to do what they were designed to do, like any other body part. Do we really believe the human body NEEDS anything wraps tightly around it to make it stronger?

Makes no sense at all...

If I ever wore a bra, knowing what I know now, would free me immediately. Reading these studies and others over the years, has convinced me the best way to enhance breast health and fitness is forgo the brazier whenever possible and build chest strength. It's very encouraging that the one woman, "with uncomfortably large breasts, in the above mentioned study spent two years not wearing a bra and had improvement in her comfort level!

What's natural is generally light years ahead of what's artificial.

Free the gals and watch em perk right up, if these one to three year studies showed improvements in both comfort and breast loft, just imagine what never wearing a bra would do for you!

Oh... I am almost always bra-less any time I'm at home!


Commando too!

Are you a professional breastologist? I am impressed with the amount of research you do! :flowerforyou:

I think it's a rule in my house that the bra comes off within 5 minutes of being home and only goes back on if I'm leaving or if I've ordered a pizza.

...women wear bras when they're just sitting around at home?
WHY!?

The Myth is that wearing a brazier will keep em perky. The opposite is true. Women who have NEVER worn a bra develop micro muscles, and stringer connective tissues that hold the gals aloft. They do not sag from age or lack of a bra, they sag from never having to develop natural loft, or fitness. It's an interesting topic, because the body is so much more amazing than we give it credit in our rush to modify and help everything. The older I get and the more I experience the more I become convinced everything is better as God/Nature intended. As has been mentioned well developed chest muscles help the issue.

Now as for my vote: No Bra (And not because I am hoping for a cheap thrill) I vote no because bras are linked to breast cancer due to their affect on both lymph fluid and blood circulation. The human body has more lymph fluid than blood, and the job it does is to remove toxins. Your blood provides nutrients, oxygen and removes toxins. Impeding circulation causes negative health effects and bras impair circulation.

Bras were invented as alternatives to corsets whose sole purpose was to force a high and accentuated cleavage. They are not health items, in fact stopping wearing a bra has been shown in multiple studies to enhance and lift breasts.

What follows is a Wikipedia entry on bras and breast sagging: (I looked this up just to quote something but I have already read a number of artlcles over the years backing this up, so it's something I am familiar with from multiple independent sources.)

Heredity plays a part in breast size and shape, including helping determine characteristics like skin elasticity and the amount of breast tissue.[147] Breast skin retains a youthful appearance through the contribution of a protein called elastin. Internally, the breasts are composed of the mammary glands which remain relatively constant throughout life, fat tissue which surround the mammary glands, milk ducts, and Cooper's ligaments. The milk ducts don't influence breast size until a woman becomes pregnant, and again when she begins lactating. It is the amount and distribution of adipose tissue and, to a lesser extent, glandular tissue, that leads to variations in breast size. The exact function of Cooper's ligaments and their role in supporting breast tissue is not certain.[148][149]

The biggest factors affecting whether a woman's breasts sag are the number of children she has had, her body mass index, the size of her breasts before pregnancy, and whether she smokes cigarettes.[150][151][150][152] Cigarettes contribute to sagging because they break down elastin, decreasing the breast's elastic appearance and external support." When breasts sag, the breast tissue folds down over the infra-mammary fold, the point where the underside of the breasts attach to the chest wall. As a result, the breast's lower (inferior) surface lies against the chest wall. In some cases, the women's nipple may even point towards the ground.

Two small studies provide some indication that wearing a bra may have an overall negative affect on sagging breasts. In a Japanese study, 11 women were measured wearing a standardised fitted bra for three months. They found that breasts became larger and lower. The underbust measurement decreased and the overbust measurement increased, while the lowest point of the breast moved downwards and outwards. The effect was more pronounced in larger-breasted women. This may be related to the particular bra chosen for the experiment, as there was some improvement after changing to a different model.[153] A year-long study in France followed 33 women who were active in sports at least four hours per week. They agreed to stop wearing a brassiere for one year. Their position of their breasts and nipples were biometrically assessed four times during the year. Before the study began, a majority of the women reported some discomfort while wearing a bra. Researcher Dr. Laetitia Pierrot found at the end of the year that 88% of the women reported feeling increased comfort. Her physical assessment of participants showed strengthened rotator and pectoral muscles, fewer stretch marks, and an overall improvement in the height of the women's nipple-aerola complex when measured relative to her shoulder. Contrary to popular belief, the women's breasts did not sag further, but their position on the woman's chest actually improved.[154]

These findings were confirmed by Jean Denis Rouillon, sports physician at the University Hospital of Besançon, France, in a much larger 3-year-long French study of 250 women beginning in 2006.[155][156] One example is given of a woman who had breasts that were uncomfortably large, and who experienced improvement after two years of not wearing a bra.[157


To bra? or not to bra? That is the question. The answer is for your health and breast appearance, just say no to the bra!

Now, there are exceptions... My wife for example wears a bra while breast feeding our children, to keep the breast pads which absorb leaking milk in place and avoid embarrassing milk stains. Between children she is bra-less 24x7 except when a certain outfit or outing would be material benefited by the wearing of a bra. Otherwise she does not wear one, particularly at home or to bed.

There are also women whose breasts are very large and who may need one for work or social outings. But this class of breast is the hardest to fit properly with a good bra and is the highest risk group for the negative health effects of braziers.

My two cents...