Dangerous Underwear – Part 2
Written By: Rhonda Keagy
February 2023
After reading “Dangerous Underwear” (Dangerous Underwear: Is Your Bra Creating Breast Cancer 2022) many of my clients confessed to how eye-opening the information was to them from that writing regarding their breast health. Specifically, some of the following bullet point directives and concerns as excerpted below from the book No Ma’am Ograms by Dr. Ben Johnson:
Consider the chances of developing breast cancer based on how long each day you wear your bra:
Rarely or Never: 1 in 168
Less than 12 hours: 1 in 152
More than 12 hours: 1 in 7
Non-stop (and especially to bed): 3 in 4!!!
What to do to eliminate your risk of breast cancer where your bra is concerned:
Avoid underwires – They reduce lymph flow to the breasts
Avoid padding so that heat is not trapped
Consider a bra consult for a better-fitting bra
Try a loose-fitting camisole or thin crop top for concealment
Pick a time of day to “rest” your breasts without your bra
Never sleep in your bra!
Consider adding lymph brushing to your daily regime
Since the writing, and in accordance with always striving to find a positive “pro-action” rather than a “re-action” to a negative, I have conducted further research into how to achieve safer underwear options – specific to the bra.
There is much to be said for reducing or eliminating the wearing of any bra consisting of constricting material, padding, straps, snaps, and other closures. Consider that Joy from Oklahoma reported that “6-8 months of not wearing a bra, my breasts were more shapely. They did seem to firm up a bit when left free and I am a size DD.” It has long been my belief that what Joy experienced was a lack of atrophy in the chest muscles that allowed her chest muscles to actually do the work of supporting the breasts and not rely on the “shelf” that had been provided by the bra.
Simply put, if you were to raise your arm and have it perpetually supported by a shelf with no need to have your arm muscles engage to keep it in that raised position, the muscles in your arm would eventually atrophy or become too weak to raise your arm once the shelf was removed. It is the same with bra usage – especially bras with underwires or heavy padding. Over time, by use of the underwire or padding, your chest muscles are not needed to provide support for the breast, and they become weak (or lazy) leading to the inability to hold your breasts up on your chest as they should, providing you with a shapely bosom. It is a lie to believe that an underwire or heavily padded bra will give you that “uplifting support naturally” – it does not. In the long run with extended daily use, your breasts sag and lose their shape even more than they should prematurely to your age. Combined with the damage these bras do to your breast health, this is not welcome news to many.
What’s a gal to do?
Our society is not always accepting of the “let them go free” philosophy that erupted in the 1960’s. Many of today’s fashions still call for shape-altering (and modest) foundations to make them look right and be worn attractively. Many gals are hard-pressed to find clothing that does not make them look oversized, baggy, and outdated just to be able to go bra-free.
A compromise is in order, and it takes some creativity to work around these issues and still maintain good breast health. I subscribe to the fact that “any change is still a change in the right direction” where breast health is concerned. It is easy to follow many of the suggestions above and still see positive results in your breast health. But, in the event that you are in the market now for a better bra selection, below are just a few companies that may provide what you are looking for more suitably and in line with your new way of thinking about your bra where your breast health is concerned.
So, here’s to your good breast health and happy shopping!
True & Company – Many of their styles incorporate the wider band under the breasts for a more comfortable fit without the underwire. This brand is available at Target.
PACT Bras – This line is all-organic in material and offers bralettes and camisole styles as well. You can find them at wearpact.com. Their prices are very reasonable.
The “Unbra” by Decent Exposures – A completely custom bra without the custom price tag! The Decent Exposure website gives specific directions on how to provide your measurements for your bra and they offer many different options, accents, and features that can be added to truly make this bra your own. But – just in case you have an issue – this company will accept your purchase back for a refund or adjustment to your satisfaction!
Note: Should you choose any of the options above or find worthy contenders on your own that can be added to this article, I would be very willing to hear your feedback at rhonda@insight-holistic.com