Bra Myths You Need To Unhook From Your Mind

Who knew that a simple piece of clothing would cause so much controversy and myths!? We’ve rounded up some of the most common bra myths and debunked them one by one so you can finally unhook them from your mind.

Myth #1 Wearing a bra will keep your breasts perky

Wearing a bra doesn’t guarantee that your breasts will be perky forever, even if you sleep with a bra on. Pregnancy, weight gain, aging, and gravity can cause breasts to sag over time, and it’s completely normal.

However, a supportive sports bra can help maintain the breasts’ supporting tissue when working out. Breasts bounce up and down during high impact aerobic exercises, such as running, which could weaken the connective tissues over time. A well-fitting sports bra with enough support really does help in that aspect.

Myth #2 Wearing a bra will make breasts sag

The other side of the myth has a totally different claim. You might have heard about a study a few years ago that concluded that wearing bras will cause breasts to sag. The French researchers claimed that bras prevent supportive muscle tissues from developing; however, breasts don’t contain muscles — just skin, fat, and ligaments.

There aren’t muscles in your breasts that you can work out to improve, as your arms or abs do. Wearing or not wearing a bra will not affect the physiological changes your breasts will go through as time passes.

Myth #3 Bras (especially with underwire) cause breast cancer

One of the longstanding bra myths is about its relation to breast cancer risk. It claims that bras restrict the breasts’ lymph system, causing toxins to accumulate in the breasts and develop breast cancer. There are some illogical assumptions in this theory, and there are no well-designed studies that prove bras increase the risk of breast cancer.

Myth #4 Going braless will make your boobs bigger

There’s no scientific research that shows going braless will increase your breast size. Diet, exercise, and changes in weight can make your breasts grow or shrink.

Myth #5 All bras are the same

All bras aren’t created equal. Your size in one brand may not be the same in another. If you go bra shopping, it’s best to fit the bra first instead of just getting a specific size. Consider how well it fits you and how comfortable you are with it — that’s more important than just a specific size.

Myth #6 Going braless means you’re promiscuous

If you’re comfortable with going braless, go for it! Take inspiration from Sue Ramirez who openly said that she goes around sans a bra because she’s more comfortable that way.

It’s no surprise that a lot of women will hesitate to go braless because they’re worried about what people will think of them, especially in a country where patriarchy is pervasive and women are often perceived to exist for the male gaze.

Your body, your choices. It’s up to you whether you’ll go braless every day or not. If you really are not comfortable with going out with no bra on, that’s totally okay! There’s no scientific evidence that dictates whether you need to wear a bra or not, so go with what you’re comfortable with — that should be your deciding factor.

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