One of our readers sent in this article and asked me to share it on the SWN to help other women. I chuckled as I read the first part because I am one of those who have never used a bra fitter…I just sort of estimated what size will work for me and went for it. But it makes sense to get properly fitted and in many shops, this service is free.
She wrote: I will be grateful if you would post this on your blog, Sexual Wellbeing Network. It was my personal experience but I will like to remain anonymous.
I am one of those women who get into the shops and buy a bra that just fits. I then stick to that size. Recently I had a really scary experience when I noticed a scar on my breast. It started with one of my bras being a bit tight, so the iron in the bra was pressing a bit to the sides of my breast.
I eventually changed my bra but after a couple of years, just recently this scar became a bit itchy and I had to go to the hospital. The first thing the male doctor said was ”We need to have further tests as this may just have developed into skin cancer. To cut a long story short I had my biopsies and got the all clear but I need to pass this one to our ladies so you can take better care of yourselves.
Always go for a bra fitting and ensure you are given the right bra size. The bra fitting assistance will help you to choose the right size. Your breasts should fit fully into your bra and the bra should not sit too tightly on your breast as this could potentially damage your breast cells.
Personally I had never had a bra fitting until after this experience.
Wash your bra atleast after every three days.
Include lots of white bras in your collection so you can easily spot dirt and avoid breast eczema which may prove difficult to heal.
Do not use a washing machine to wash your bras, hand wash is recommended.
The straps on your bra should not be used in supporting your breast. Your breast is supported by the right cups in the bra.
A finger should go smoothly in between your bra straps.
Many thanks to the lady who sent this in.
A few additional notes from Dr Adaeze;
Some studies say that poorly fitted bras contribute to breast cancer by blocking the lymph vessels that would normally carry toxic waste away from the breast area. But other studies dispute this.
In case you are wondering why you should hand wash rather than use a washing machine, hand washing helps to preserve the shape and life span of the bra so that it works more effectively.
Poorly fitted bras can also cause back pains, headaches and neck pain as the weight of the breasts is not evenly distributed.
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