Sagging Breasts – Does Wearing a Bra Prevent This?
Let me start with the punchline here: No one knows. Believe it or not, research on what causes breasts to sag has not been done. This fact is probably due to the time involved to find out. You’d be hard pressed to find a woman willing to go without a bra for 10 years all in the name of science – especially if she’s full figured.
So we don’t know if bras prevent the inevitable breast sag. But, here are a few things I do know. My 80 year-young mom has great looking D-cup boobs. Even her gynecologist has commented on how high they are compared to those of other women her age. I too have pretty perky ones. What both of us have in common is that we have always worn a bra. Though I’m a C cup, I really avoid clothing where I can’t wear some kind of bra.
I had the opportunity to work with Joanna Scurr last year. Dr. Scurr is the only one I know currently doing work on breast bounce and movement. Her research shows that our breasts move in a figure-8 motion as we move – especially while running. Though she wasn’t able to measure an increase in sagging, she did discover that breast pain and thus breast movement can be reduced or eliminated by wearing a supportive sports bra. The more support, the less the bounce and thus less breast pain. HerRoom, in fact, is the only website that conducts a bounce test on every sports bra and shows you how much breast bounce to expect when wearing various sports bras.
Our breasts, like our faces and other body parts, are subjected to daily gravity. They will sag. And, since they have little to no muscle tissue, it’s not possible to tone our breasts to make them firm. Wearing a bra may or may not reduce your sag over time, but what a bra can do is put your girls in a more flattering light. A bra can lift, separate, push up, minimize, plump up and generally present your breasts in a more youthful and attractive silhouette to make your clothes look better. And, wearing a bra cuts down on breast pain, reduces jiggle, provides modesty from headlights showing, and makes us more comfortable. All in all, it’s a great idea to wear a bra.
Find Sports bras at HerRoom in these departments:
Sport Underwear
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Dear Tomima, I love your blog and website. Thanks for providing so much education, you helped me determine my correct bra size(s). And yes, I have ordered from HerRoom. Now, to comment on your topic: I’m 51 and not saggy. I have always worn a bra, plus I have always exercised and maintained a strong, limber back. So I think bras help but so does exercise. About sports bras, I HATE them. They are just about the ugliest thing I can imagine and don’t feel good. I think this category has a loooong way to go. Yet I see tremendous opportunity for some manufacturer who gets it right. I prefer a full-coverage bra with good support for my activities: walking my dogs, yoga, and dance classes.
Comment by MJC
June 22nd, 2009 @ 11:48 pm
Hi
should I be wearing a bra as a male i have very large breasts 44D and are starting to sag I have seen a doctor years ago when they started to grow said I had a high estrogen level and was nothing he could do but now starting to have back and shoulder pain do I need some support too.
Bob – You have what is known as gynecomastia. This is a condition where men develop breasts. Over the years, we have had many men ask for help and try to fit into a bra. This really doesn’t work very well because bras are made for women and usually do not have the band size that you would need. Possible suggestions would be to purchase a very firm shapewear camisole that would give you some support. Over on HisRoom, we also sell a form-fitting vest for men. Hope this helps.
Tomima
Comment by bob
June 24th, 2009 @ 1:23 pm
My breasts have sagged over the years, although I wore a bra all the time. The sagging occurred after I had children and especially after I nursed my second child. My question is, how do I figure out my correct bra size? I measured as recommended and came up with 29 for my ribcage, so that becomes 34. Then the fullest part of my breast, is that measured where it naturally lays or do I pick it up to normal height? I know this sounds silly, but Id like to finally get my correct size. The measurement at the fullest in its natural position is 33 1/2. Can you help me determine the correct size? Thank you.
Comment by mickie
July 21st, 2009 @ 3:55 pm