In 2013, a French study reported that there is no benefit to wearing bras around the world in news outlets. In fact, the study's author, sports scientist Jean-Denis Rouillon, said that wearing a bra could do more harm than good because “the suspension system of the breast breaks down” when it receives external support.
Only, the study was never actually published. Rouillon told Reuters his findings were “preliminary” and should not be taken as universal advice.
But is it any wonder that the public worked so hard? There are many things we don't know about the space occupied by the social, psychological and cultural breasts of all. Do people with breasts really need a bra or not? How do we find matches? Do we need to free the nipple or just pretend? My own breast education started when my mom gave me a limited-edition bra when I was nine, and then, a few years later, a friend told me that eating orange M&Ms would make our breasts bigger. (I tried, it didn't work.)
The question of whether wearing a bra makes our breasts bigger or smaller has long been a topic of speculation. Some, like Rouillon, claim that bare breasts have a way of motivating themselves. “My 32F breasts started to firm up because they had to support themselves,” said one woman who mostly ditched bras during the pandemic. Guardian in 2021. At the same time, old wives tales suggest wearing a bra at all times, even when sleeping. Prevents ptosis (the medical term for sleep).
There is little evidence to support this claim, experts say. But based on how our skin and bodies work, says Dr Joanna Wakefield-Schurr, head of the Breast Health Research Group at the University of Portsmouth, who also goes by the name “bra dog”, bras seem to help keep shape. Lifts the breast without sagging.
“Any form of restrictive clothing, if worn for long periods of time, can alter the underlying anatomy,” says Wakefield-Scurr.
He points out how corsets and shoes can change the shape of people's bodies and legs. “Bras have the potential to change the shape of the breast to a bra shape,” she says.
Additionally, says Wakefield-Sker, in the population of women who don't wear bras, their breast tissue tends to sag and stretch. “There is reasonable circumstantial evidence that if you don't support the skin tissues properly, they will stretch,” he explains.
If wearing a bra makes a difference in how much one's breasts sag, it may be small.
Dr. Scott Bradley Glasberg, former president of the Plastic Surgery Foundation, a research arm of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, says the two biggest factors that determine how much breasts sag are the weight of the breasts and the quality of the skin.
People with smaller breasts and more elastic skin tend to have less ptosis over time, says Glasberg, and are more likely to have breasts that grow significantly and then shrink — due to weight gain or pregnancy. But regardless of your form, nature invariably takes its course. “If you wear a bra over time and your breasts don't sag for a long time, you may have less ptosis,” she says. “But the inevitable is the inevitable, and over time breasts will sag.”
Sagging breasts don't pose health risks, Glasberg says. But if one wants to lift the breasts, either for aesthetic or comfort reasons, there are two options.
“The truth is, unfortunately, surgery is the best option for women who want to correct their ptosis,” Glasberg says. For her patients who experience back, neck and shoulder pain as a result of large breasts, a breast reduction and lift can significantly reduce their discomfort. But these are serious medical procedures, and Glasberg stresses that anyone interested in them should do their homework.
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“If you want to correct ptosis, if you want to have surgery, it's important to find a board-certified surgeon who operates in a qualified and accredited facility,” he says.
For those who don't want to go through something like surgery, there's a much simpler option, says journalist and author of The Bra Book, Jane Luciani Sena. “The easiest and safest thing to do is find a bra that makes your breasts look and feel the way you want them to,” she says.
When shopping for a bra, a good rule of thumb is to find one that helps your breast sit halfway between your shoulder and elbow, says Sena.
“But if you're not looking for it, that's okay,” he adds. Although bras are more comfortable for her, Sena says that everyone has their own preference for what their breasts look like and how they want them to look.
“It makes you feel better at the end of the day,” he says.
