Truth be told, women share a complicated relationship with bras.
While a nice bra can offer a good fit and shape, on other days, bras can stab you and leave you in pain.
Several studies over the years have observed that wearing a bra might not be necessary physically, anatomically or psychologically and do not support your health in any major way (i.e., keep your breasts young and healthy). Depending on the type of fabric they are made of, they might not be the most comfortable as well.
While choosing to go bra-less is a personal choice, there are certain changes that kick in once you stop wearing one in the long run (apart from all the money you will be saving).
Let us educate each other a little:
- Promotes better skin health
Once you go braless, no more worrying about redness and the straps clawing into your skin, which can be a usual phenomenon if you are in the habit of wearing a bra (especially wired ones) for prolonged hours. Not wearing a bra frees up the skin and tissues around the boobs of pressure. What it also does is help lessen the chances of bacteria and any germs which might be clinging to the skin with the fabric, especially in the summers or humid weather.
- Helps you relax
Not having to put on the bra facilitates better relaxation and that is one of the reasons why women who chose to go braless call it liberating. Scientifically, without having a heavily padded fabric, the breasts learn to adapt naturally and are freer to get a natural lift and growth.
- Breasts do not sag
Contrary to what we believe, newer studies say that not wearing a bra prevents and does not promote sagging of the breasts in the first place. With extra muscle tissue which is not constricted in the bra, breasts tend to look perkier and the process of sagging also tends to slow down. A 2017 study done observed that women who did not wear a bra had “fuller” breasts than the ones who didn’t.
While more research is needed on the same, not wearing a bra may be actually promoting breast growth.
- Improved circulation and blood flow
Simply put, without any wires, mesh or heavy fabric stabbing your skin, blood flow through your skin and tissues improves around the chest area. This particularly helps keep your skin firm. Remember, the tighter your bra, the more likely are the chances of your skin experiencing trauma and pressure, which ultimately takes a hit on surface-level circulation.
- Might reduce pain
Another secret benefit of going braless can be experiencing lesser pain around the chest, pectoral muscles and the back. While it largely depends on the kind of bra you wear (whether it is well-fitted or comfortable), bras can induce pressure on the ribcage, back muscles or even the neck. Coupled with a bad posture, it might be causing pain. Hence, a braless lifestyle can help solve this issue. However, for women with heavier breasts, bras might be doing the contrary and helping lessen the pain.