UGLY TRUTH: RISKS OF WEARING AN UNDER SIZE BRA OR "Magic Bra"

Headaches

Believe it or not, an ill-fitting bra can cause some seriously annoying headaches. If your bra is too tight, it causes tension on your shoulders, neck and back and that in turn can cause headaches.

You Can Stretch Your Boobs Out

According to research, a bra that is the wrong size can cause the ligaments to stretch, which can ultimately result in saggy boobs. Make sure your girls are getting enough support!

Back Pain

If your bra is too big, that means that you're not getting enough support. And if you're not getting enough support, your boobs (especially if they're large) are going to start giving you back pain.

Too-Tight Straps

If your bra is too big, you'll probably start tightening the straps so that your boobs get lifted up more. All this does is creating ugly marks in your shoulder that don't need to be there.

Your Boobs Bulge Out

You know when your bra is too tight and your boobs start to bulge out and it looks really terrible and annoying? Yeah. Hate that.

Back Bulge

If your bra is too tight, the back strap is going to be tight, which is going to cause some nice annoying bulge back there. If it's too loose, you're probably going to try to fix that by tightening in the straps. That means your bra strap rides up your back until it's seriously uncomfortable. Either way, you lose.

Indigestion

I know this sounds weird, but it's true - the wrong size bra can cause stomach pain and indigestion. If the bra is too tight, it will dig into your ribs and upper stomach area, causing problems inside your body that you don't even realize.

Bra Gaps

Gaps in between your bra and your boobs mean that your cup size is too big. This is more annoying than anything else and it just looks weird.

Shoulder Pain

Remember how I said your straps being too tight result in red marks? Well, they also result in shoulder pain. It's so uncomfortable and so not worth it.

Rib/Stomach Bulge

Again, a bra that's too tight only results in bulges. If the band is too tight, it's going to dig into your ribs and make your skin bulge out. Not comfortable and not fun.

Below are signs that show you are wearing the wrong size bra….

The band cuts into your skin.

If the band digs into you and creates back-fat bulges or red marks on your torso, it’s too tight and you need to move up a band size.


You can pull the band more than a couple of inches away from your back.

If you can pull the band back that far, it’s too loose and you need to move down a band size.

The bra straps are cutting into your shoulders. 

This is perhaps the most misunderstood sign of an improperly-fitting bra.  The bra band’s responsible for providing 80% of the support for your bust.  The straps should only be doing 20% of the work.  If the straps are digging into you, they’re shouldering too much of the burden.  Your band is likely too large and you need to move down a band size.  Making this change will allow the band to do its fair share of the “heavy lifting.”

 The band doesn’t lie parallel to the ground.

If it’s curved or riding up on your back, it’s too loose.  You need to move down a band size.

 You don’t have two fingers of space between your bra band and your back.

If you can fit more than two fingers between your band and your back, your band’s too loose and you need to move down a band size; if you can’t fit two fingers back there, your band’s too tight and you need to move up a band size.

The band doesn’t rest flatly against your back.

If there’s space between the band and your back when it’s fastened, the band’s too loose and you need to move down a band size.
The bra band’s perhaps the most important, functional component of your bra.  Making sure it’s the right size is critical.  But, keep in mind, if you move up or down in band size you may need to make an opposite move in cup size in order to maintain an overall correct fit.

The under wires rest on your breast tissue.

The cups, including the wires, should completely contain your breasts.  The wires should rest on your rib cage.  If the wires rest on your breast tissue, your cups are too small and you should move up a cup size.


The under wires poke you under your arms.

If you’re being poked in the sides, where the cups meet the wings, your cups are too small and you should move up a cup size.

The under wires lift your rib cage.

If the under wires don’t lie flatly against you, the cups are again too small and you need to move up a cup size.

Your cups are wrinkling.

If you’re wearing non-molded cups, and there seems to be extra fabric at their tops, the cups are too large and you should move down a cup size.

Breast tissue is bulging from the edges of the cups.

If part of your bust appears to be jumping from the top of the cups, or spilling out from the sides of them under your arms, the cups are too small and you need to move up a cup size.  Again, the cups should completely contain all of the breast tissue; wearing cups that are a size too small to enhance cleavage only produces an uncomfortable fit.

The center gore, or the fabric connecting the bra’s two cups, doesn’t rest flatly against your sternum.

If you can put your finger between the fabric and your skin, your cups are too small causing your breasts to exert too much tension on the center gore.  Again, try moving up a cup size.
When evaluating the fit of your bra cups, keep a couple of things in mind.  First, few women have two breasts that are exactly the same size.  When determining the right cup size for you, always judge the fit according to your larger side.  Second, a great way to judge “spillage” out of the cups is to put on a tight T-shirt over your bra.  You’ll be able to see any excess tissue more clearly than by just wearing a bra alone.  If bulges are apparent, you’ll need to move up a cup size.

The straps slide off of your shoulders.

Bra straps shouldn’t slide off of your shoulders.  If this occurs, they’re too loose.  Increase their tension if they’re adjustable.

You don’t have two fingers of space between your bra straps and your shoulders.

If you have adjustable straps, increase their tension if more than two fingers fit underneath them; decrease their tension if two fingers can’t fit underneath them.
Bras that fit correctly are comfortable, improve posture, create a thinner appearance, and bolster confidence and self-esteem by creating an overall better silhouette.  They can be the most important items in any woman’s wardrobe.