How old is the bra you’re wearing right now? If you’re like a lot of women, new research reveals that it’s probably older than you care to admit. British lingerie brand Pour Moi surveyed more than a thousand women and found that 91% of them aren’t getting proper bra fittings. And 10% of them are wearing bras that are between six and 10 years old, which means they’re probably stretched out and don’t fit well.
The research shows that beyond the imperfect fit, badly-fitting bras can cause other health concerns including bad posture, back pain and chafing.
- The most common issue women reported with their poorly-fitting bra is rubbing or chafing (37%), which can cause skin irritations, acne and even fungal infections.
- The second and third most common “brablems” were marks on shoulders (33%) and indentations on shoulders (26%) from straps digging in.
- The survey also finds that 37% of women have never even had a proper bra fitting once and nearly half haven’t been fitted in more than three years.
- Experts recommend getting a fitting every year because even as little as five pounds gained or lost can change your bra size. They also advise replacing bras every nine to 12 months since bodies change regularly.
- So how do you know if you’re wearing the wrong bra size? Signs include gapping in the cups, which could mean it’s too big; the band is riding up in the back, another sign it may be too big; straps sliding down, which could indicate it’s too big or has been stretched out and needs to be replaced.
Source: Hello Giggles
Photo: Getty Images