I loved padding when I was a teenager: "I felt self-conscious about having small breasts. Now, at 35 and after over a decade without a bra, I feel completely free," says Lucía Ruiz. Marian Linares, from Generation Z, has also given up on discomfort: "I can't stand underwires or tightness, so I proudly show off my 'lemons,' even if they are sometimes visible through my shirt," she explains.
These are two examples of a growing trend: more and more women are questioning if a bra is really necessary. Many celebrities are the best example of the #FreeTheNipple movement, even with a more voluptuous chest, like Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, who defy Instagram's censorship. However, science does not have a clear answer, and scientific studies have not confirmed the benefits of wearing a bra for the bust. Breast sagging seems to be a phenomenon influenced mainly by genetic, hormonal, pregnancy, weight variations, and natural aging of tissues.
Although there is not much scientific literature on this topic, one of the most cited figures in this debate is Jean-Denis Rouillon, a sports doctor at the Regional University Hospital of Besançon and a professor at the University of Franche-Comté, who observed and measured the breasts of around 320 women over 15 years to study breast behavior without a bra.
His team observed, in this small group, that "without wearing the garment, the nipple lifted an average of seven millimeters in a year, in relation to the shoulder," as reported by AFP. The doctor noted that women become dependent when wearing it but actually do not tolerate it. He hypothesized that "if it is used from the onset of breast development, the suspensory apparatus (located in the upper part of the body) does not function properly, and its suspension tissues stretch." However, this small sample is not representative of the global population, and Rouillon himself acknowledged the study's limitations. For example, women who chose not to wear a bra may have had smaller and lighter breasts from the beginning.
Gynecologist Miriam Al Adib sheds light on the matter. The support of the mammary gland depends on two structures: the skin itself and Cooper's ligaments, which run through the entire gland from the pectoral fascia (the fibrous and resistant covering that surrounds the muscle behind the breast). "The bra, in reality, has not been shown to keep the breasts in place, except when you are wearing it. Once you take it off, the gland has the support it has. Those ligaments, if stretched too much, do not return to their original state. If you elongate them, the breast loses support."
Aesthetic concerns or simply wearing it or not "because I feel like it" are equally respectable, she asserts. "If someone likes to wear a bra purely for volume reasons, I don't get involved as a gynecologist. These are individual decisions. I strictly focus on health and comfort; the rest is part of personal preference and cultural reasons."
Alexandra Henríquez, a gynecologist specializing in breast cancer, also believes it depends on the person and the breast. "Women who benefit most from a bra for slight compression are those with premenstrual syndrome with mastodynia, cyclic breast pain that causes swelling, distension, and pain. And also those women with more ptotic, sagging, larger breasts, which then pull on the back and cause problems." She states that "there is no scientific evidence regarding breast sagging, nor is there any evidence of an increased cancer risk due to unnecessary compression of superficial lymphatics."
For the doctor, it is an important issue in certain cases: when there are large breasts or breasts that tend to hurt. She links an incorrect bra size to 70% of breast pains (that mastalgia, as it is called, unrelated to the cycle, nonspecific breast pain). That's why wearing the correct size is important, not just any size, she details, echoing Al Adib's opinion: "It's not about having tight and pretty-looking breasts in a dress. You have to know how to use the bra. It's so you don't have discomfort when you're engaging in an activity," she explains.
The right size and made of cotton
"The cup should be suitable for your mammary gland, and the band should not squeeze either the gland or the total circumference where the bra goes," Al Adib adds. She would also say that natural fabrics, like cotton, are always better because they are in direct contact with the skin. "I recommend it to be hypoallergenic because lately I am seeing more and more eczema at the areola-nipple complex in young girls. Fabrics that do not contain polyamides or plastic derivatives like polyester: just like with panties, something more natural, with fewer chemicals, is better," Henríquez points out.
And how you wash bras also matters: "Try to avoid chemicals or endocrine disruptors in substances that come into contact with more sensitive organs in women, whether external genitals, breasts, or nipples, which can become irritated," she adds.
From a medical standpoint, it is important to clarify immediately that there is no one-size-fits-all rule for all women, except in sports. "Here it is essential to have the breast well supported. Impacts elongate those Cooper's ligaments a lot, and then they do not return to their original state. In that sense, it could indeed be somewhat useful to prevent that supportive tissue from losing its effectiveness," comments Al Adib.
As a personal trainer, Ana Arrechea is well aware of the situation and highlights sports practice. "It's not the same to do running as strength training. If you run, jump, or do impact exercises, you need a bra that supports the chest well to reduce discomfort, bouncing, and discomfort during movement. The larger the breast volume, the more important that support usually is."
In strength training, where there is practically no impact, it may not be as crucial, she asserts, although it is still advisable to feel comfortable and have the chest well supported, "especially if there is a lot of volume or certain exercises cause friction or pressure."
Cosmetic surgery
Women who have had breast surgery should also be considered. "I am one of them, and depending on how recent the operation was and some movements, we must be careful: impacts against the floor, burpees, push-ups, or exercises that can generate too much pressure in a sensitive area," says Arrechea. The trainer points out that feeling light, comfortable, and secure is also part of a good workout session. "In the end, beyond myths, for me, the key is comfort, safety, and adapting the support to the body type and training."
Situations where it is not
And then there is comfort. Perhaps we are no longer strictly talking about health but also about quality of life. Does it make sense to sleep with a bra on? "I do not recommend it. Compression makes no sense when you are lying down. Its functions are mainly for when you are walking, cycling, or in motion, to prevent Cooper's ligaments from stretching and causing that tension or pain in the breast," emphasizes Henríquez.
Situations where it is
Patricia Martínez, in her thirties and with a large bust, has decided to always wear sports bras in everyday situations for one reason: "Small breasts are in fashion now. And stores make all their clothes for that trend, with impossible cutouts and necklines. So those of us with large breasts can practically never dress properly, because it looks excessive," she says. If you're discreet, as she is, to avoid drawing attention, choose a bra that gathers everything in—"and even flattens it a bit, because nothing moves."
A personal decision
That's why all the experts consulted agree: needs change throughout life, and what makes sense during sports, pregnancy, or breastfeeding doesn't necessarily apply to adolescence or menopause. In the end, the only rule that applies to everyone is that there are no rules. "I'm a big believer in every woman doing whatever she wants with her body," concludes gynecologist Al Adib.