15 year study finds that bras may be useless.

Contributor: bratcat bratcat
A 15 year study of 330 women ages 18 to 35, conducted by french professor Jean-Denis Rouillon, found that wearing an underwire bra may actually lead to having "saggier' breast. The study found that over time breast would gain more muscle tone to support themselves and nipples would lift; as well as stating those who have larger breast may see less back problems over time when one does not wear a bra. To quote the article on Huffington Post, "When bras are worn, the restrictive material prevents such tissue from growing, which may actually accelerate sagging, the study concluded."
However there are a few things this study has not seem to have taken into account or mention, such as breast size or if the women in the study were wearing a well fitted bra.

As someone who has a DDD chest, and often goes bra-less, i can see how some of this material dose hold up. I have only started to go with out a bra in public more often very recently, noticing my back problems have started to subside some. Although, any other benefits mentioned, i have yet to see or notice such as a natural lift in my nipples or my breast gaining any sort of muscle tone.
Still i have some issues with the study since it doesnt mention how many women (usually quoted as "70% or more") wear the wrong size bra, and that many bra companies have their own method of sizing, as well as any mention of the average breast size measured for the study.

How do you feel about this article, and are you someone who had seen benefits from wearing/not wearing a bra?
04/15/2013
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Contributor: evie.amor evie.amor
I can't really comment on this because I don't have large breasts, I have A cups. But I can imagine that since there isn't any actual muscle in the fatty part of a breast, that gravity would eventually do a number if they were not supported. Interesting article though!
04/15/2013
Contributor: ShadowedSeductress ShadowedSeductress
I don't really believe much of it, but I do go without a bra often.
04/15/2013
Contributor: OH&W, Lovebears OH&W, Lovebears
What about the bouncing and jiggling ?
04/15/2013
Contributor: hyacinthgirl hyacinthgirl
I don't think they're really taking the extremely large-busted into account. I'm a J-cup, and I need a bra for my daily tasks, otherwise the jiggle is unbearable. It does hurt my back to be bouncing around all over the place, and if I exercise without a tight sports bra, I hit myself in the face. Literally.

So... for the smaller-busted among us, this is probably good, valuable news. For me, it's completely impractical. I don't wear a bra around the house, unless I'm going to be active, because big bras are expensive and get stretched out, but they're a necessity for me.
04/15/2013
Contributor: MrWill MrWill
I'm a guy, and I don't find this to be even remotely plausible. Look at tribal women who have never worn or heard of a bra compared to women of the same age that have.
04/15/2013
Contributor: bratcat bratcat
Quote:
Originally posted by MrWill
I'm a guy, and I don't find this to be even remotely plausible. Look at tribal women who have never worn or heard of a bra compared to women of the same age that have.
I dont know if going straight for the "tribal women" thing could really apply. When i see photos of the Himba of Namibia women of Africa, many of their breast are quite perky, with lifted nipples, and this seems rather common among "tribal" women around the world.
04/16/2013
Contributor: geliebt geliebt
Honestly, I don't care what bras may do to tits, I just can't go braless :\ I'm only 21 and mine are already so damn saggy I can't hardly stand it XD Sucks! So yeah, it's bra time all the time for me!
04/16/2013
Contributor: XxFallenAngelxX XxFallenAngelxX
I'm not sure how I feel about it. I wear an F, and always have worn a bra on a daily basis, and mine aren't saggy, to be a DDD/F.
04/16/2013
Contributor: indiglo indiglo
One of my issues with this study is that it stopped at women who are 35. A lot of sagging issues begin (or intensify) after that age. So, let's see what the verdict is in another 15 years - then maybe I'll pay attention to this guy. I also think a lot of that stuff is just plain old genetic. Some women have very large breasts that are really perky, while some women have very small breasts that tend to sag.

I don't wear a bra when I'm at home lounging - but I always wear a bra when I'm out and about, or if I'm doing something at home. I find it uncomfortable/painful when they bounce around. I'm sure they aren't as perky as they once were, but that's just life. I can't do most of the stuff I could do when I was a 20-something. lol
04/16/2013
Contributor: twelve13 twelve13
Haha. Good. I hate wearing bras anyways.
04/16/2013
Contributor: bratcat bratcat
Quote:
Originally posted by indiglo
One of my issues with this study is that it stopped at women who are 35. A lot of sagging issues begin (or intensify) after that age. So, let's see what the verdict is in another 15 years - then maybe I'll pay attention to this guy. I ... more
Thats a good point i didnt really take into account! Eventually all breast will start to sag since overtime our skins elasticity will start to wear thin and stretch more, but i do think it's kind of interesting how this may reverse some effects of sagging among young women though that could potentially last into one's late years when a bra may be more helpful to aid against further sagging.
The professor did say he was not done with his research and will be continuing the study, so hopefully the next round will adress some of the issues people are having with this study like age, average breast size, ect.

I mean it made sense that some of this holds true, since the purpose/introduction of the bra was to modify the appearance of ones breast and ultimately making it so women would appear slimmer, having nothing to do with the actual support of ones chest.
04/16/2013
Contributor: Eugler Eugler
Interesting. I've heared this theory some years ago while reading a wikipedia article.
04/16/2013
Contributor: marriedlady123 marriedlady123
Quote:
Originally posted by OH&W, Lovebears
What about the bouncing and jiggling ?
I mostly wear one to stop the nipples from showing through, although I am only a b cup
04/16/2013
Contributor: VeganChick (is Gone) VeganChick (is Gone)
It definitely seems like some of these findings have merit. I don't wear bras and find them to be horribly uncomfortable. Uck.
04/16/2013
Contributor: Petite Valentine Petite Valentine
Quote:
Originally posted by bratcat
A 15 year study of 330 women ages 18 to 35, conducted by french professor Jean-Denis Rouillon, found that wearing an underwire bra may actually lead to having "saggier' breast. The study found that over time breast would gain more muscle ... more
I call bullshit on this one. I'd bet that most women who experience back and shoulder pain from their bras are wearing the wrong size, and the only way someone with very large breasts would see 'natural lift' or muscle tone develop is through weight-training of the arms and pectorals. I can do without underwire, but I'm not burning my bra.
04/16/2013
Contributor: Miss Morphine Miss Morphine
Quote:
Originally posted by Petite Valentine
I call bullshit on this one. I'd bet that most women who experience back and shoulder pain from their bras are wearing the wrong size, and the only way someone with very large breasts would see 'natural lift' or muscle tone develop is ... more
Amen!
04/16/2013
Contributor: snowminx snowminx
I thought it was for support now and not just to avoid saggy boobs in the future? I couldn't imagine trying to run in gym class without a bra on, oh god that would be awkward and also annoying with your own chest pretty much slapping you.
04/17/2013
Contributor: Ryuson Ryuson
While it may not help sagging, it certainly helps being sore from jiggling and not giving yourself a black eye hurrying to class!
04/17/2013
Contributor: FieryRed FieryRed
Quote:
Originally posted by VeganChick (is Gone)
It definitely seems like some of these findings have merit. I don't wear bras and find them to be horribly uncomfortable. Uck.
VeganChick, I have to wonder if you might be one of those women who hasn't found the right size! It also depends on the style, of course, but a good bra in the right size should be very comfortable. (I'm a former Bra Specialist, and have helped a lot of friends find the right size!)
04/24/2013
Contributor: shotjuan shotjuan
This sounds like a bunch of garbage to me.
I'm not sure about the whole nipples lifting, but simply doing the butterfly chest exercise a couple times a week will tighten the chest without adding significant muscle mass.
04/24/2013
Contributor: GonetoLovehoney GonetoLovehoney
Mine aren't saggy (and won't be until I'm old) and I have DDD's, but I NEED a bra in order to contain them when I move around a lot.

I'm pretty sure I'd be fired from my job if I went without a bra too.
04/25/2013
Contributor: Gary Gary
Quote:
Originally posted by MrWill
I'm a guy, and I don't find this to be even remotely plausible. Look at tribal women who have never worn or heard of a bra compared to women of the same age that have.
Nice point. I wonder if this was a consideration, or even cross referenced with this study?
04/25/2013
Contributor: Mr. John Mr. John
Quote:
Originally posted by bratcat
A 15 year study of 330 women ages 18 to 35, conducted by french professor Jean-Denis Rouillon, found that wearing an underwire bra may actually lead to having "saggier' breast. The study found that over time breast would gain more muscle ... more
As a man I cannot speak regarding the health issues of wearing, or not wearing a bra. I will say though that I find most all the Victoria's Secret bras my wife wears to be utterly sexy. I'm a guy who likes to remove those clothing layers from a woman piece by piece. It's like opening a present.
04/25/2013
Contributor: Tar2013 Tar2013
Lets see how "unnecessary" a bra is when you have to run! Lol I think doing exercises that work out your chest would counter this effect from the bra.
04/25/2013
Contributor: bratcat bratcat
Quote:
Originally posted by Tar2013
Lets see how "unnecessary" a bra is when you have to run! Lol I think doing exercises that work out your chest would counter this effect from the bra.
In the article linked they discuss this. As part of the study the women who participated we're asked to go about their daily lives, and exercise as normal, such as jogging. The woman interviewed for the article says "At first, I was a little reluctant to the idea of running without a bra, but I got started and after five minutes, I had no trouble at all."
It seems that many women who go braless don't have much trouble adjusting to doing physical actives just fine, i do just fine when running or jogging while braless, and i happen to be on the larger end of the spectrum when it comes to breast size.
04/26/2013
Contributor: JDear JDear
I already knew they were useless! Boo bras! I wear a lightly padded sports bra that doesn't have much support most of the time. Even then I only wear it to work and most of the time in public. At home I am braless 100%. But I have small breasts so I don't know how much this applies to me.
04/26/2013
Contributor: Marie Hanna Marie Hanna
Quote:
Originally posted by MrWill
I'm a guy, and I don't find this to be even remotely plausible. Look at tribal women who have never worn or heard of a bra compared to women of the same age that have.
This is exactly what I was thinking.
04/26/2013
Contributor: Woman China Woman China
If I am at home, I am braless. I do quite a lot of work from home so the amount of time I am out of a bra is so much more than in a bra. I find bra's serve their purpose to enhance cleavage and the look of wearing a bra in my opinion is just plain sexy.

Now exercising.

Doing yoga or pilates I usually go without wearing one, but to give my breasts a wee bit of support, I wear one of those tank tops with the elastic on the inside simply to keep them a little bit in place. You know those tops I am speaking of? But when it comes to any form of jumping around... I wear a bra just because I find that all that jiggling of my boobs uncomfortable. Not painful, just uncomfortable.

My sister and I were talking about this just the other day, and she's commented about how much she's sagging and is younger than me. We've both not had children and our lifestyles are pretty similar. I have found my nipples and breasts seem more perkier than many other women my age who have no had children.

So I guess there is something to it.
04/26/2013
Contributor: alliegator alliegator
I don't know about useless, but I think there are a lot of factors that affect sagging. Weight fluctuations for one.
04/26/2013