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What is all this freedom doing to our boobs?
For many of us now who are WFH, practicing social distancing or self-isolating due to Coronavirus, loungewear (read: our PJs) has become our new work wardrobe, and the need for the humble bra has taken a bit of a tumble.
Who doesn’t love the feeling of taking your bra off at the end of the day? Well, two weeks into lockdown, and many of us have enjoyed the feeling of taking off our bras and flinging them back into the drawer, safe in the knowledge that we might not need to put them back on until we're out of isolation.
But while we’re very much enjoying the comfort of not having to don our brassieres on a daily basis, we can’t help but wonder what all this freedom is doing to our boobs.
Some experts believe going a long time without any support runs the risk of potentially stretching the Cooper's ligaments in the breasts.
“Wearing a bra can help to stop premature sagging, as it means that the connective tissue within the breast isn't stretched as much throughout the day,” explains cosmetic surgeon, Dr Dirk Kremer of Harley St. Aesthetics.
Bra expert Jill Kenton who has fitted bras for the late Princess Diana and Madonna, agrees. “At the end of the day no one will see us during the lockdown and so people can be tempted to not dress up. However, wearing no bra at all can cause breasts to sag if the tissue is left with no support."
It's important to avoid sports bras too, she says. "Sports bras press the tissue against the chest and are really not ideal unless you're doing sport."
It seems ditching the bra could have a long-term impact on our postures too. “Breasts are heavy and over a long period of time going braless will affect your posture and may lead to hunching in some people,” Dr Kremer continues. “A bra does help to prevent the skeletal and posture problems that can come about as a result of not wearing one for a prolonged period.
“Unfortunately 80% of women are wearing the wrong size bra with it being either too small or too big in the back,” says Jill Kenton, former co-owner of Rigby and Peller. “If you’re wearing the right bra, it shouldn’t need to be taken off.”
But before we all put our bras back on, it is worth noting that there are some other factors at play.
“It’s important to remember that a major reason for the breasts sagging is age as opposed to our underwear choices,” Dr Kremer continues. “As we get older, our skin loses elasticity and thins which means that gravity has an easier time pulling us down. This stretching process tends to accelerate as we get older.”
So perhaps the bra can stay in its drawer for just one more week?
This article was originally published on GLAMOUR UK
