I sleep with a bra on every single night. No, I don't think they're the most comfortable things in the world, but Tyra Banks once said it's the secret to perky boobs (and when Tyra speaks, I listen). There's also a legend that it was one of Marilyn Monroe's best-kept secrets. But I decided to go directly to the experts to decipher the fiction from the facts.
Sagging is caused by a combination of things. The loss of elasticity from aging plays a major role. Similar to the skin on the face, the skin around the breasts will also start to age. "Even small breasts can become saggy because with time all of our skin loses elasticity," Elliott Heller, M.D. of Associates in Plastic Surgery tells SELF. "The skin cannot bounce or spring back as easily, and it will just start descending."
Fat also plays a major role in how perky your breasts are. "With aging, especially around the time leading up to and through menopause, you get an increase in the amount of fat content of the breast," Jamil Abdur-Rahman, M.D., chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Vista East Medical Center in Illinois, tells SELF. Also larger boobs usually contain higher amounts of fat. This adds more weight to the suspensory ligaments of Cooper (those are the connective tissues that hold breasts up).
Lastly, the glandular tissues also play a major role in keeping boobs perky. These tissues are found in different areas of your body, and they are responsible for fluid discharge—things like saliva, vaginal lubrication, and milk in the breast region. Glandular tissues are very thin, but they are also dense. "When you have a lot of glandular tissue, that tends to make the breast a little firmer and a little less saggy," says Abdur-Rahman. It's tough to tell if your breasts have a large amount of glandular tissue from traditional examinations. But if the size of your breasts fluctuates with your weight, then your breasts are probably composed of more fatty tissue and less glandular tissue, meaning they're more likely to droop (fluctuating weight can also contribute to sagging).
Related: What Does It Mean To Have 'Dense' Breasts?
While some celebs may swear by sleeping in a bra, there’s no real evidence that it actually prevents sagging. "Bras are designed to help with vertical positioning," Mia Talmor, M.D., full-time faculty member of the Division of Plastic Surgery at the New York Presbyterian Hospital, tells SELF, meaning they keep boobs from hanging down by pushing them up. "But when you’re lying in bed, you need more horizontal support," says Talmor, because the breasts are typically dangling from side to side. She believes that wearing a bra at night won't help much since it is made to push the breasts up instead of inward. But other experts say that some support is better than no support. "Wearing a bra will reduce the strain and stretch on the breast tissue," Matthew Schulman, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon, tells SELF.
Bottom line: There may not be compelling evidence that sleeping in a bra will help prevent sagging, but experts agree that doing so isn’t harmful. So if it feels right to have a little extra support at night, keep doing you. Just make sure you choose a comfortable style. "I recommend a supporting bra made of breathable fabric that does not have padding or underwire," says Schulman. "A well-fitting sports bra works very well for sleeping." But be sure to choose a sports bra that isn't causing discomfort. "Wearing a bra that is too tight can inhibit flow of lymphatic fluid," says Abdur-Rahman. "This can cause lymphedema (swelling) of the breasts, which can lead to pain and some temporary skin discoloration.” Underwires that rub you the wrong way at night can also lead to skin irritation. So, your best bet is to wear something loose and comfortable, like a bralette.
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When it comes to strengthening the muscles underneath the breast tissue for perkier breasts, it turns out that's just a myth. "Of course, there are a lot of exercises you can do to work out the pectoral muscles, but that's not necessarily going to make the breasts perkier," says Abdur-Rahman. One way to minimize sagging is to wear a supportive bra while exercising, especially during high-impact activities. And if you like sleeping in a bra, there's definitely no harm. It's more about your personal preference. I feel better when my boobs aren't flying around, so I’ll be wearing my favorite styles to bed.
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