Breasts are a symbol of female beauty, and wearing the wrong bra can easily lead to underdeveloped or deformed breasts, and in severe cases, even breast diseases. So how should women at different stages of life choose the right bra?
Girls can choose the size of the vest
Generally, once teenage girls reach sixteen or seventeen years old, they can use a soft measuring tape to measure the distance from the top of their breast, over the nipple, to the bottom of their breast. If it is greater than 16 centimeters, they can start wearing a bra. However, wearing a bra too early is unnecessary.
A teenage girl's bra should not be too tight or too loose. Some girls are more developed, but their breasts are still small. These girls often make the mistake of choosing a very loose bra or not wearing a bra at all. This will cause the breasts to lose support, making them prone to sagging or even deformation.
According to experts, a tank top is a more suitable choice for teenage girls. It's understood that a regular tank top has a flat design that can suppress breast development. However, a tank top adds a raised band, creating a stretchable, curved space that is well-suited to the needs of developing breasts during puberty. During exercise, girls should choose a more supportive bra designed for younger women, as it provides better breast support.
In terms of fabric, young girls should choose high-quality, elastic synthetic fibers. Natural fibers have poor resilience and will gradually stiffen after washing. As for color, pink and white are more suitable for young girls, as they won't visually accentuate the chest when wearing school uniforms, thus avoiding any awkwardness.
Choose a pure cotton bra during breastfeeding.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding are unique periods in a woman's life. After five months of pregnancy, due to rapid hormonal changes, the pregnant woman's abdomen and breasts continue to enlarge. At this time, if an inappropriate bra is chosen, it can compress the pregnant woman's abdomen and breasts, affecting her health. During breastfeeding, an inappropriate bra can not only cause sagging breasts but also directly affect breastfeeding.
Bras worn during breastfeeding should be made of breathable, absorbent pure cotton. Because pregnant and postpartum women have higher body temperatures, are more prone to heat and sweating, choosing a pure cotton bra can help maintain hygiene to some extent.
During pregnancy and lactation, a woman's breasts become larger and heavier, and mammary gland tissue develops more. Therefore, the shoulder straps of nursing bras should be wider to strengthen the support and provide sufficient support to the breasts, preventing sagging.
As breasts enlarge during pregnancy and breastfeeding, some pregnant or postpartum women choose underwire bras to prevent sagging. However, rigid underwire nursing bras can compress the underbust area and breasts, affecting breast tissue development and potentially milk production. On the other hand, wire-free nursing bras don't provide adequate support. Therefore, it's recommended that pregnant and postpartum women with larger breasts choose soft underwire nursing bras. This reduces the pressure of regular underwire on the breasts while still providing good support.
We would also like to remind new mothers not to refuse to wear a bra because breastfeeding is inconvenient, as this may cause sagging breasts. Women should wear a bra during both pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Sports bras for older women
Some women experience sagging breasts and a loss of their former allure as they reach middle and old age, leading them to believe that wearing a bra is no longer necessary. However, in reality, wearing a properly fitting bra can better protect the breasts of middle-aged and older women.
New research has found that middle-aged and older women need to wear specially designed sports bras because their breasts are significantly less elastic than those of younger women. The study shows that the breasts of middle-aged and older women actually move less during exercise than those of younger women. Experts point out that the breasts of middle-aged and older women are like "old elastic bands," losing much of their elasticity when stretched. Therefore, wearing sports bras can help middle-aged and older women more effectively protect their breasts. At the same time, appropriate daily exercise also contributes to breast health.
(Editor: Ruan Wenling)
