We all know it is important to regularly check your boobs for lumps bumps and anomalies, however did you know that wearing an incorrectly fitting bra can cause serious damage to your breast tissue and lead to a higher risk of breast cancer. Studies conducted by Dr Jenny Burbage and Professor Joanna Wakefield-Scurr at Portsmouth University concluded that 80% of women are wearing an incorrectly fitting bra. An ill fitting bra can cause aching ribs, shoulder and neck aches, headaches, bad posture and boob stretching and sagging, once the Coopers ligaments (defines breast shape) in your breasts stretch, there is no going back. Finally and more seriously blockages of lymph nodes can occur, ths happens because the lymphatic vessels are very thin and over time if your bra is too tight the pressure can cause them to close.
Therefore we need to educate ourselves as to how to ensure we are wearing a correctly fitting bra. So your under bust measurement is the back size you should be looking for, all the support should be coming from the band and not the strap so do not be sucked into the old sizing trap of adding 4 inches. Now all women are different, we come in many different shapes and sizes which means there can be no hard and fast rules for bra-fitting. Different body shapes and boob shapes will require different size and styles of bra, for example “muscular women and thinner women often have to add inches due to larger lats and less cushion over the ribs”. The style of bra most suited to you will depend on whether your boobs are full on top or bottom or even fullness. There is a simple test you can perform which will tell you the fullness of your boobs.
There are a number of signs to look out for when your bra is ill fitting. Firstly bulges, front side or back, the correct band and cup and style can remedy this. If you’re clasping your bra on the tightest hook, then the band is too big. If your straps are digging in, then you are relying on too much support from the straps. If you are uncomfortable, making adjustments all day and you get the dreaded double boob these are all signs to get a new fitting.