Worried about underwires...

But are there other ways bras can harm our health?

"I've read a myth on the Internet that underwire bras can give you
cancer," says Brooke. So she heads to the Cancer Council to find out if
there's any truth in that.

The helpline's director Doreen Akkerman says it's a common question. The
theory behind it is that the wire squashes the lymph nodes at the side
of your breast causing a build-up of toxins that lead to breast cancer.

"I think when people are concerned about breast cancer they want to look for reasons why it happens and certainly myths like this do crop up,
but there's really no evidence to suggest that wearing a tight bra, or a
bra, will actually cause breast cancer," says Doreen.

Whatever your style of bra, it won't give you breast cancer. No-one
really knows what does — 12,000 Aussie women are diagnosed with it every year.

Risk factors include:

• A family history with a mother or sister diagnosed
  
• Age — most cancers happen in women over 50
  
• Lifestyle issues, like being overweight.
  

But as Kylie Minogue's recent experience shows, it can strike any woman at any age. So we should all be breast aware.

"The sorts of changes to look for would be: any changes in the nipple;
any discharge from the nipple; any sort of extra lumps in the breast
that aren't normally there for you; a change in shape in the breast,
particularly in one breast and not the other; any pain in one and not
the other that doesn't go away," says Doreen.

Conclusion
Your bra is not a cancer risk. But an ill-fitting one can cause
discomfort and pain and lead to saggier breasts. If you want to feel
uplifted, then an underwire style is probably best. Though any bra is
better than none.

Mssaprl9 wrote:Thanks cookie! You're awesome! I know I am only one week out, but I just want them to be "pushed up" more if you know what I mean. And the thought of no underwires just kills me! But this is a little reassuring! :)))

Myth 2. An ill-fitting bra can cause breast cancer
There is no evidence to show that tight or underwired bras cause breast cancer.