For reasons which elude us, Dear Reader, the irony of a bunch of women burning their bras while, er, wearing bras, was lost on this group of 1970s women. Oh, the humanity of it all.
A study involving 330 women aged 18 to 35 has concluded that, “medically, physiologically, and anatomically,” breasts are not benefiting from the near-constant wearing of bras. That’s to say that, according to this study, women who didn’t wear a bra regularly actually experienced less “sagging” over time, greater comfort, and less back pain. Wait, what?
Jennifer Lopez takes the campaign to the streets, suitably protected.
As you’ve probably noticed, this story is causing quite a stir on the internet, with many people not buying the research.
Here to add to the debate is Dr. Stafford Broumand, a plastic surgeon at Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Says Broumand: “On the surface, this claim seems plausible. For younger women, not wearing a bra will lead to increased collagen production and elasticity, which improves lift in a developing breast.
Also, tension on the connective tissue and ligaments supporting the breast can be beneficial to prevent sagging.”
But, according to Dr. Broumand, the same is not true of older or pregnant women because that collagen and supportive tissue is going away no matter what — a bra provides the necessary support that your bust has lost with age.
As blog Refinery 29 notes: “We all love our bras — and while you might have originally signed on because your mom politely suggested things were getting, er, out of hand, chances are now you’re in it for the lace, the frills, the fancy patterns, and colors that look great under your favorite sheer blouse. But did you ever consider what your lovely lingerie is doing to your health? No? Well, that’s what science is for.
Lindsay Lohan demonstrates that contrary to scurrilous assertions to the contrary, she cares very much about her health.
A study involving 330 women aged 18 to 35 has concluded that, “medically, physiologically, and anatomically,” breasts are not benefiting from the near-constant wearing of bras. That’s to say that, according to this study, women who didn’t wear a bra regularly actually experienced less “sagging” over time, greater comfort, and less back pain. Wait, what?
“If a woman begins wearing a bra from the moment breasts appear, the suspension muscles don’t work correctly, and tissues slacken,” explains a Mr. Rouillon, who oversaw the study.
So, it’s essentially an issue of dependence, in his view.
But, he notes, this is still a very preliminary study and not representative of women in general.
Women have ditched their bras in the past in the name of liberation, (see above), but will the trend now come back around under the guise of health and beauty? Frankly, we’re not so sure a bra is going to make a huge difference either way when it comes to your aged bosom, and certainly many women start wearing bras specifically to avoid back pain.“
Well, for now, Refinery 29 is healthily sceptical. But I suspect, especially for young women, there may be some wise knowledge in this.
After all, if breasts are supported daily from the moment of their appearance, then it makes sense that the body doesn’t bother holding the breasts up for itself.
What Wellthisiswhatithink wants now is a study to see if women who discarded their bras (at least for a while) in the 70s have, er, less gravitational impact than women who wore them all the way through. They wouldn’t have been involved in this study, and frankly, we think the people should be told.
Meanwhile, we stress that our interest in seeing young women spending periods not wearing a bra is, er, purely out of an unselfish interest in their long-term health outcomes. Honest.
And don’t shoot the messenger. Our role is merely to report fearlessly.
Meanwhile, in related news, apparently smoking can make your nipples fall off – this is the astonishing claim by Dr Anthony Youn, one of American’s top plastic surgeons.
The practitioner from Detroit, Michigan, was quick to point out this applied to patients who underwent breast lifts to perk up their chests. He said the nicotine and carbon monoxide taken in during smoking can disrupt blood flow to different parts of the body and so disrupts the healing process following surgery.
The toxins can act as a ‘virtual tourniquet’ and effectively kill a body part by stopping blood from reaching it.
The perfect solution if you smoked after your breast implant. Sadly the product came and went in the 70s. In those days, presumably, it was so you could join your sistahs in demonstrating bra-less freedom while, er, still wearing a bra. Honestly, who knows? Anyone remember?
Speaking to CNN Health, Dr Youn said: ‘I cringe every time I see a patient for a breast lift who is a smoker.
‘I’m deathly afraid that despite my warnings, she will smoke before or after surgery and cause her nipples to turn black and fall off.
‘I’ve seen it before,’ he claimed.
Dr Youn said he treated one female smoker whose nipples had turned purple after smoking caused the tiny veins in the breast to fail, leading to a backup of old blood. Left untreated they could have turned black and fallen off.
He had to resort to using leeches over several days to suck out the old blood and so restore the woman’s nipples to a healthy pink.
He told CNN he now made sure all of his patients understood the dire outcomes that could result from smoking following a cosmetic operation.
‘If you are having a breast lift or reduction and you smoke, your nipples could turn black and fall off. If you are having a tummy tuck and you smoke, you may get an infection resulting in a big gross open wound that will take three months to heal.”
Crikey. Ladies, you have been warned.
Meanwhile, Wellthisiswhatithink has a courteous word of advice for all women.
Remember, 99% of men (or women so inclined) will love your breasts whether they are big, small, somewhere in between, pointy, point-less, looking up, looking down, sideways, inwards, outwards, one bigger than another … etc. etc.
It’s always a privilege if we get to see them, and we will be happy. There’s a reason that in moments of brazen cheeriness people have been known to call them “fun bags”. Please, relax. Just do what works for you. We are content.
But don’t smoke. That’s horrid.
Well, This Is What I Think 
So, why are Lohan’s tits circled? Do they think no one would notice them with the circle? Took me awhile to notice the circle.
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*chuckles* Your guess is as good as mine.
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I recall reading somewhere in a retrospective about the ’70’s that there were far fewer actual incidents of bra burning than there were news articles about the supposed phenomenon. I can say for a fact that I never knew anyone personally who had burned one.
On the other hand, there was this: (and alas, I have no photographic proof, just a vivid memory) The college I attended constructed a new state-of-the-art chapel/auditorium during my junior year. In design, as seen from above, it was rather like a figure eight with the bottom segment much larger than the top. The larger portion held the seating; the smaller contained a turntable stage with altar, choir stalls, pipe organ, raredos, etc. on one side, and a fully equipped theater stage on the other. Each segment had a shallow conical roof, and the crowning touch of construction was to be a white steeple placed in the center of the larger roof.
The steeple arrived on campus in five pieces ~ two sections of steel framework, two sections of aluminum sheathing to be slipped over the framework, and the “topper” complete with a cross. A large crane was brought in, the first section of framework was attached to the boom, and the operator began to swing it toward the center of the roof. Halfway through the operation, the laws of physics asserted themselves: too much weight on the end of the boom, too little weight in the vehicle, and the crane began to tip over. Worked stopped for the day. The next morning a larger crane appeared and a second attempt was made, with the same result. There were now two cranes parked near the construction site, their booms raised high in the air.
That evening word went around all the women’s dorms. The fellows of Theta Chi were collecting bras. If you had an old one to spare, please donate to the cause. (This was in the days when the women were locked in our dorms by 10 pm, while the men had free run of the campus all night if they liked.) The following morning we emerged to admire Theta Chi’s handiwork. A long banner of bras, hooked one to the next, floated gently in the breeze. It was attached to the very top of the boom on the larger crane, and it ended a good 12 to 15 feet off of the ground ~ too high simply to be grabbed and yanked down. It was nearly noon before a crane operator could be summoned to lower the boom sufficiently to allow the removal of the colorful display.
Oh, and they finally ended up bringing in a helicopter and flying the pieces of the steeple into place. Classrooms emptied, of course, every time the roar of the motor and blades signaled that another piece was going up. Professors and students alike stood in the roadway and watched the procedure. That I did get a chance to photograph.
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Wonderful story! Thanks so much for taking the time to share it with us!
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