What Are The Side Effects Of Wearing Tight Bras?
We all know that when a bra is too small it's extremely uncomfortable. It's tight, it digs in, it leaves those pesky red marks on your skin and quite frankly you just cannot wait to take that thing off at the end of the day. No one should have to deal with that. A bra should feel like you're wearing nothing. So if that isn't the case then we recommend giving yourself a fitting. Use our guide linked here, on how to double-check your size. So we all know not to wear bras that are too small but did you know all the other reasons we shouldn't? Well, we're here to spill the beans and enlighten you today. You know what they say! 'You learn something new every day.' Well, ladies, you're welcome!
Top Tip: It's recommended you do this every 6 months. The human body is a unique and wonderful thing that likes to change when it feels like it from numerous factors. So just make sure you keep up to date on quickly checking your size!
1. The Look
So starting with the most obvious. The look. Wearing a bra too tight can feel very claustrophobic, but not only that, it doesn't look great either. Have you ever noticed red marks when you move the straps or the back band? Or even red marks from the underwiring? That's a sign the straps and back band need loosening. Ever noticed your breast tissue spilling out from the cups? Or under your arms? A bra should look seamless under your clothes. It should give you everlasting confidence and support, not cause issues that make you uncomfortable.
2. Your Posture
Let's not beat around the bush here, bras that are too small can lead to bad posture. They can cause your shoulders to pull forward, making them almost rounded. This is down to the straps being too tight, and your shoulders pulling forward in an attempt to alleviate the pain from them. If a strap, let's say the right side, is tighter than the left then this could cause neck pain in some cases and even back pain. So let's stop that slouching ladies, loosen those straps and pull our shoulders back!
3. Skin Irritation
Here's something you might not have known. An ill-fitting bra can cause skin irritation and breast pain. Have you ever felt a sharp pain where the underwire sits? And once you move it the pain subsides? This is due to the underwire not being able to sit flush to the skin like it is supposed to. Meaning it's sitting on the breast tissue and causing discomfort.
Constant rubbing of the skin will cause rashes and in extreme cases, it can also cause infection. Inflammatory conditions can be activated by a mixture of friction, heat and moisture being trapped near the skin where there’s only a small amount of air circulation, which often happens with a bra that’s too small.
4. Drooping
There is no nice way to phrase this one, but let's face it, it's something we all would like to avoid for as long as possible. Bras are great for giving us that lift we all like but when we take them off, we'd like the shape to be as similar as possible. Did you know that wearing a bra that's too tight can potentially worsen premature sagging? Keep that one in mind ladies! Anyway moving swiftly on!
5. Health Issues
When a bra's too small it can put pressure on your diaphragm, lower oesophagus, and stomach. You may even experience digestive problems such as indigestion and heartburn. Also if you suffer from IBS, this extra pressure can potentially aggravate the condition. In extreme cases, this can cause a hiatus hernia.
There is also a risk, in extreme cases, of breathing issues due to the pressure on your chest and bones. Also, bras that are too tight can cause pressure on your blood vessels and nerves near the shoulders and rib cage to build. This can also restrict blood supply to your breast tissue. This can result in constant pins and needles feeling which can spread down your arms.
What Have You Realised?
Don't worry if any of the points relate to you. Every problem has a solution. It's just finding out which solution is the best for you. Make sure you measure yourself every 6 months. That way you can keep up to date with how your body is. Everyone deserves to feel happy, confident and quite literally secure. So let's start with the fit of your bras. And always remember a great fitting bra can make you feel like you can conquer the world. And who wouldn't want to feel that?