Is your Bra giving you cancer?

by Geeta Bagga

Category: Things everyone should know…

About 80 percent of women wear the wrong bra size!  Breasts are one of the most distinctive feminine and beautiful features of a woman's body, adding to her beauty and sex appeal. And it only makes sense that you take proper care of them. Making them look and feel as good as possible not only boosts your self esteem or self confidence, it can also make everything you wear over your bra look better than ever before.

Despite this, many women do not properly look after their breasts and wear bras which do not fit well, offer little support, and displace the breast tissue, pushing it under the arm or flattening it around the breast wall. Many of us are familiar with the discomfort of an ill-fitting bra, but are unaware of the health risks and cosmetic effects that can manifest themselves in the form of breathing difficulties, anoxia, back and neck pains, and breast Ptosis (saggy breasts), to name a few.

Studies have shown that ill-fitting bras put stress on your bones and muscles that create breathing problems. Consequently, when wearing a bra with an underwire that digs or with an elastic band that wraps around too tightly, the middle ribs are held much too rigidly, forcing the upper ribs to work harder than usual. As a result, breathing is constricted, often going unnoticed until the bra is removed. Scientists at the Harvard University found that the wrong-sized bras can confine blood circulation and damage lymph flow. When a woman is wearing a tight bra especially for long periods of time, the lymph circulation is restricted with less oxygen and nutrients being delivered to the tissues and more waste products accumulating in the breasts.

This may eventually lead to such conditions as anoxia (low oxygen level), which has been linked to fibrosis, and can increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Shoulder, neck and back pains experienced by many women may just be the result of constant strain on the trapeziums muscle group. This muscle group connects the neck to the shoulder. If a bra provides insufficient support to the correct places; these muscles react by tightening in order to manage the weight of the breasts.

The support of a bra must come from the bottom elastic and not the straps. Finally, among the other preventions of Breast Ptosis, wearing the right, properly fitting bra is one way to maintain the shape and firmness of the breasts. Without proper support, gravity naturally begins to pull your breasts down and breast tissue is displaced. A proper fitting bra is known to support ligaments in the breasts, which prevents them from displacement and overstretching.

Above all, finding the right bra provides the comfort and support that your breasts need, which ultimately works to enhance your attitude, appearance, and confidence. Here are five signs that the bra you're wearing isn't your size, and tips for a better fit:

1. Spillage. If your breasts spill over the top or sides of your bra, increase the band and/or cup size.

2. Puckering. If cups wrinkle or pucker, choose a smaller size.

3. Riding up. A bra should fit snugly. If it creeps up in the back, trade it in for one with a tighter band.

4. Jutting. The underwire isn't flush against your rib cage; it should be.

5. Grooves. If straps dig into your flesh, try a style with wider straps or a different cup size -- either bigger or smaller. Many women mistakenly believe their bra straps hold up their assets, when in fact the bra's wings do the job. The breasts shouldn't move when the straps are pulled down. An ill-fitting bra has many consequences that are either not immediately noticeable or may be attributable to other things.

Take the time to get properly fitted for a bra regularly. Finding the right bra with the right fit should be a priority, it will not only make you look great, but feel great, too.

References: Best Health September 2010 Tips for Choosing the Right Bra: http://fit-breast.blogspot.com/2009/04/tips-for-choosing-right-bra-for-your.html