I am a plastic surgeon who does a lot of breast surgery. I make them bigger, smaller, and lift them. The breast and the skin of the breast is NOT A MUSCLE. You cannot tone it up later. Once you sag, you will stay sagging. So the key is to avoid sagging.
So why is a bra important?
Think of your breast skin as being like a bathing suit. You do not want to stretch out your bathing suit. If you do, you would need your breast skin to bounce back into shape. Sadly, this bounce back falters as we age.
Things which hurt your skin elasticity and bounce back:
- Aging
- Menopause
- Breast feeding
- Pregnancy
- Genetics
- Weight Changes
- Poor breast support, particularly while doing bouncy activities like running.
Things which cause your skin to stretch out:
- All of the above- pregnancy, weight changes, breast feeding, aging, perimenopause, menopause.
- Gravity
- Big breast size or weight
- Bad genetic skin tone
- Bouncy exercise activities
- Standing up
- Wearing cute but non-supportive bras
- Going braless
- Cute sundresses with no support
- Cute halter tops with no support
- Those tank tops with the shelf bra (which really isn’t very bra like)
- Wearing no bra when you are running around the house at night and on weekends in your PJs.
- Yes–think everything in general– living, breathing, standing up. It all is causing your skin to stretch.
The key to all of this is DO NOT STRETCH OUT YOUR BATHING SUIT (ie skin). We are all born with a different quality of bathing suit. Some get high end, tight lycra bathing suits which bounce back year after year. Others get bathing suits which stretch out after one season.
BRAS HELP KEEP YOUR BATHING SUIT SUPPORTED. It’s like wearing a layer over your bathing suit which helps it not stretch out.
So don’t skimp on the bra. Particularly if you are a C, D, DD, or more, gravity is trying to pull your breasts down. Keep your breasts pretty as long as possible by supporting them. Read my blogs on how to see if you are getting a good supportive bra.
And if you have breast implants, THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN GO BRALESS. Unless you have a hard capsular contracture, gravity is acting on your breasts too.
If you have had a breast lift or reduction, YOU MUST WEAR A BRA TOO. Just because we lifted and tightened you once, does not mean aging does not continue to happen. Particularly for my patients who are droopy before their time (think: my 21 year old with super droopy breasts even though she hasn’t had big weight changes, pregnancy, or breast feeding- she has poor genetic skin tone.) your bathing suit is bad. You need support.