A woman’s breasts are possibly the most distinctive feminine feature. The breasts add to her beauty and sex appeal. After a woman undergoes breast augmentation her breast are accentuated from what she is normally used to, so picking the right bra is very important for the support of the breasts as well as the way the newly augmented breast will enhance the look of the body.

According to one study, roughly 80 % of all women are wearing the wrong bra size. As strange as that may seem, it’s true. One of the most common issues that most women have when wearing a bra is that they choose a bra that lacks adequate support.  Improper bra support can affect a woman’s comfort, appearance and also lead to health issues down the line, including ptosis, stretch marks, chronic back pain and even headaches.

No two breasts are exactly the same so the concept of one size fits all is not applicable in bra choice, so when selecting a bra a woman needs to make sure the bra is properly fitted and is worn correctly.

Some of the visible signs of an improperly fitting bra include:

• Marks on the shoulders, sometimes red and irritated as a result of the bra straps.
• Protruding breast tissue over the top of the bra, this is also known as double bump syndrome or muffin top.
• The bra does not touch the sternum or breast bone.
• The breast are sagging and look tired.
• The bra strap in the back raises up which reduces the frontal support of the bra.
• The shoulders are slunching forward.
• The breast move around and swing side to side or up and down with minimal movement.
• Breast tissue is protruding over the sides of the bra

If a woman suffers any of these symptoms most likely she is wearing the wrong bra size or is improperly wearing her bra altogether.

How then is a bra supposed to be worn?

• A bra needs to provide lift, support and comfort.
• A bra needs to reduce or prevent neck back and shoulder pain.
• A bra needs to improve the posture of the wearer.
• A bra needs to provide healthier circulation around the breast.
• A bra needs to make your clothes fit properly.

When in doubt get fitted by a bra specialist.  This is especially important for women who have undergone recent breast augmentation.  An augmented breast presents itself to enhance the appearance of a woman’s body yet at the same time can be a cause of continual adjustment and discomfort if the bra cup is the wrong size or the bra itself does not adequately support the breast.

How do you know if a bra really fits you?

When a properly fitted bra is put on it will seem like you don’t even notice it – forgetting that it’s even on.  The support band at the bottom should wrap around the body without pulling on the back and the straps should not pull on the front of the breasts.  The bra straps should be snug but should not be carrying the weight of the breast themselves, the bra band should be supporting the breasts.  One easy way to check this is to slide the straps off the shoulders onto her arms and see if the bra continues to support the breasts.  The breasts may sag slightly but the overall support of the breast should remain steady and provide plenty of support to the breasts.

The bra cup should fit snugly against the breast without any gaps.  If gaps are present, then this is an indication that the cup size is too big for the breast.  There should also be no double bubble or breast protruding over the top of the bra or sides of the bra, this would indicate that the bra is too small.  The bra should also be touching the sternum and not gap.

If the bra uses an underwire support, it should not poke or protrude the wearer of the bra at any time.

An excellent example of how to properly measure yourself prior to choosing a bra was produced in this video from HerRoom.