Remember when you were a pre-teen sitting in the school library one day, seeing a National Geographic for the first time while working on your Social Studies report? Well I do. And I remember that the sagging boobs in some of the images I saw made me think, gosh, when mine grow in, I hope they look different than that! It wasn’t until a couple years later that it dawned on me that the sagging isn’t a matter of how they “grow in”, but what happens over the years after they grow in. 

It stands to reason that in those tribal areas where the Wonder Bra hasn’t yet become a wardrobe staple, sagging might be exacerbated; hence the images in National Geographic, right? Well not so fast, girls. I’ve come across a couple of studies to the contrary, that seem to indicate that it’s not the lack of bra usage that causes sagging, but rather the wearing of bras that makes our little birdies fly South for the winter and never return. Hell, if that’s the case, then Britney Spears has pretty much ensured that hers will stay perky forever! (And we just thought she was acting trampy). My God, the girl’s a genius. Here’s the proof: 

A 1991 Japanese study conducted to determine the influence of bras on sagging of breasts seems to suggest that a bra can increase sagging. Yes, that’s right, ladies. Your bubbly baubles may be dangling a little lower over time if you wear bras! I know. I hear you, sister. If you’re like me, you are thinking, then why the hell, during my lifetime, have I spent the equivalent of a small country’s gross domestic product at Victoria’s Secret? 

Here is the abstract from the study:

“Eleven adult female subjects aged 22-39 years wore a certain brassiere for 3 months while anthropometry and moire fringe photographs on the anterior trunk were taken regularly once a week.  After the 3 months, the brassiere was not worn for another 3 months.  Then the measurements and photogrammetry were repeated for comparison using superimposed moire configurations.  The results are summarized as follows.  Regardless of slim or obese trunk, subjects with pendent breasts showed the highest degree of breast form “correction” from wearing the brassiere.  In all subjects, after 3 months of brassiere constraint, the underbust circumference was smaller but the chest circumference became enlarged, the distance between the right and left nipples became wider, and the breasts tended to hang down.  This change was more marked in obese subjects with pendent breasts.  And when this type of subject wore a “well-fitted” brassiere for a long time, her breast form became developed, that is, her breasts hung down more.“ 
Ashizawa K, Sugane A, Gunji T Institute of Human Living Sciences, Otsuma Women’s University, Tokyo, Japan: Breast Form Changes Resulting From  A Certain Brassiere Journal of Hum. Ergol.(Tokyo) 1990 Jun; 19(1):53-62.

A French study with similar results was conducted in 2003 by Laetitia Pierrot and Jean-Denis Rouillon. (The French know a little about bras, considering the word brassiere is a French word). In that study, 250 women who practiced sports stopped wearing a bra for one year. They were followed regularly with questionnaires and biometric measurements. At the 6-week checkup, the ladies experienced some discomfort from abandoning the bra, but this disappeared later, and by the end of the year 88% of the women reported improved comfort compared to before the study.

The measurements showed breasts to be firmer and more elevated, and yes, perkier. A measurement used in the study to make the assessment was the distance from the nipple to the shoulder bone. In the participants, this distance was reduced, meaning the breasts sagged less. Also, a better muscular development in the rotator muscles of the shoulders and pectoralis major, was evident. Stretch marks on breasts even became less visible!

Now, this all makes sense when you consider that what holds breasts up is the Coopers ligaments, and that there are many studies done on ligament atrophy due to lack of use. Use it or lose it, as they say. 

It’s worrisome. It’s almost like a cruel joke on all of us by the big lingerie makers. Sure, it all works out great for them. If bras make us saggier, then we certainly have no choice but to continue buying more and more to keep our girls propped up!

But part of me doesn’t want to believe it, because I keep coming back to my National Geographic evidence, which would seem to contradict these studies. Victoria’s Secret has not yet outfitted any of the Amazon tribes that I’m aware of, yet there is a droop-fest like no other going on there. So what to make of all this? Do we believe the studies and ditch our bras, or do we believe our photographic evidence and strap these babies up even tighter? 

Ligaments do atrophy with lack of use. It’s a medical fact. I say, listen to the studies. Am I saying everyone should run around with their cutie pies flying free, nipples poking through their blouses? Well, no. But we could go sans bra while we’re sitting around the house, just on the off chance it might give those Cooper’s Ligaments the exercise they need.  Let’s all try it!

Think of your living room as your own personal Amazon, and you, the National Geographic model. If anyone’s boobs get perkier, I want to hear about it! Or, on second thought, we can all just let Britney be our test case and see how hers look in a few more years, and we’ll have our answer!

If you are still curious, read more studies on bras’ effect on breasts.