today Tuesday March 1, 2011 T 14 today Tuesday March 1, 2011 T 15

Health Health

Are you wearing Eveline Gan

eveline@mediacorp.com.sg

HEADACHE
In 1913, exasperated by the whalebone
corsets women wore in those days, a
19-year-old New Yorker fashioned a bra
pain, lumps and skin problems that women
usually attribute to other causes.
Research by the University of
to defy the effects of gravity.
“If your bra straps are too loose or if
the cups are too big for your breast size,
Am I wearing the wrong bra?
“Your breasts are obviously sagging, and looking a tad floppy lately. After taking my

the right bra?

out of two silk hankies held together with Portsmouth in the United Kingdom, which then your breasts will sag prematurely,”
Research has you’re wearing the wrong type of bra,” was bust measurements, Mercer told me that I am
shown that pink ribbon and cord. looked at 50 bra designs tested on over said Ms Low. the candid remark professional bra fitter wearing the wrong bra cup size. Technically
The wrong fit overly tight, Mary Phelps Jacob’s invention of the 100 women for almost three years, has Dr Kevin Teh, medical director of Mercer Low, 39, made as she cast her expert speaking, I am at least one or even two cup
can lead to thin bra straps first modern bra changed the way women found that a bad-fitting bra can stretch the Singapore Lipo, Body and Face Centre, a eye at my chest. sizes – that’s a C or a D – larger!
could cause
health problems headaches held up their bosom buddies. What Phelps ligaments and damage the breast. It was subsidiary of Singapore Medical Group, Embarrassingly (for me), she was spot on. “You need to wear a bigger cup size and
by putting did not anticipate, however, was that her reported that 70 per cent of women wear said there may be some medical basis to I was fully-clothed but Mercer’s decade-long get that excess flesh to ‘go home’ to the front
downward experience as a bra fitter means no saggy, out of your chest,” Mercer told me firmly. She
ingenious idea has its pitfalls. ill-fitting bras. this, although there have been no proper of shape boobs will escape her sharp eyes. added that I was also in dire need of bras with
pressure on the
spinal nerve. While a bra isn’t as constrictive as “The chief complaint is usually pain. studies to support Ms Low’s claims. “It’s very obvious to me when someone a broader back band and shoulder straps, to
rib-crushing corsets, an ill-fitting one can Sometimes, poorly-fitting straps or an “The proper fittings of a bra will is wearing the wrong bra. I see it all the time slow down the nasty effects of gravity.
be potentially hazardous to health. This is ill-fitting bra circumference can cause lessen the gravitational forces acting on while on the MRT. One telling sign is excess I was speechless. To think I’ve been
BACKACHE
AND why a group of four Nanyang Technological backache or pain around the boobs,” said the skin. This in turn can reduce skin laxity, armpit and back flesh – it means the bra size mistreating my bosom buddies all this time.
SHOULDER is too small,” she said. The fitting session was an eye opener. Now I
University (NTU) final year students and Dr Bertha Woon, a general surgeon who avoid aggravating stretch marks and help Having gone through pregnancy and know what to look out for the next time I go
ACHE
Poor-fitting Pierre Cardin Lingerie have launched a specialises in breast surgery at Gleneagles delay some sagging,” he said. breastfeeding, my chest has indeed been bra-shopping. Eveline Gan
bra straps or campaign to educate women in Singapore Medical Centre. The older you are, the greater the
circumference on the perils of wearing the wrong bra. As no two breasts are symmetrical, effects of gravity, said Dr Teh. Saggy
can lead to
shoulder aches
and backaches.
Named Benefit with a Better Fit
(BWBF), the campaign aims to encourage
women may also experience pain when a
too-small bra cup compresses the slightly
breasts, unfortunately, can occur at any age
although most ladies will have “noticeable
a stabilised hyaluronic acid gel. In severe
cases, only major surgery can help.
Men’s health
at least 2,000 women aged 19 to 25 years larger breast, she added. breast sag” by the time menopause hits. Too embarrassed to talk about men’s
sexual health issues? This public forum will
to find their perfect bra fit. From March “When an ill-fitting wire keeps Breast sagging can be further accentuated WEAR THE RIGHT BRA address common men’s health issues such as
5 to 13, lingerie retailer Pierre Cardin pressing on the breast tissue, it can cause by pregnancy and breastfeeding. Dr Woon advised women to get bras fitted Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome, erectile
Lingerie will donate $1 to The Breast pain as well as trauma to the breast which Other factors that contribute to to their body shape, and the curvature of dysfunction, premature ejaculation and sexually-
Cancer Foundation for every woman who can sometimes reflect a thickening of premature sagging include smoking, sun the breasts when buying underwire bras. transmitted infections. Free optional testosterone
gets fitted at its participating outlets (visit breast tissue that women mistake for a damage, sudden weight gain and loss and Dr Teh added: “If you are sporty and screening and faecal occult blood testing are also
available for the first 200 participants. Results are
www.gettherightfit.sg). lump,” said Dr Woon. doing active sports without wearing a active, a well-fitting sports bra helps prevent confidential and will be mailed to participants.
Unsurprisingly, the all-girls NTU team sports bra. the excessive ‘up and down’ motions that
behind the BWBF campaign have had their fair DEFYING GRAVITY “Once sagging occurs, there is little can stretch out the breasts ligaments.” Date: March 5
SAGGING share of unpleasant experiences with bras. Health aside, professional bra fitters like one can do to reverse the loss in ligament As a general rule, women with fuller Time: Noon to 4pm
The wrong fit Venue: Venue Auditorium, Learning Centre,
may accentuate Said team member, Beatrice Lau: Ms Low believe that wearing the right bra strength”, warned Dr Teh. He added that the breasts — C cup and above — should wear Khoo Teck Puat Hospital
the effects The rationale and motivations behind can help retain the breasts “perkiness”. ways to perk up the breasts would be to bras with softer padding, and broader straps Fee/Registration: $10.
of gravity. our campaign are driven by our personal A loose bra lacks the support breasts need undergo treatments involving injections of and back panel for support, said Ms Low. Call 6588 1776 or 6250 5998 to register.
concerns with ill-fitting bras and the belief
that every woman should be able to enjoy
wearing bras.”
Mercer Low, a professional bra fitter
at Pierre Cardin Lingerie, said most
Singapore women are “clueless” when it
comes to choosing the right bra. Out of
every 10 customers she sees, eight will end
SKIN
LESIONS up trying the wrong bra size.
OR LUMPS “Many Singaporean women have the
This can occur mindset that it’s okay to wear any bra as
when the
bra cups are long as it covers up the breasts. Some
too small. women share bras which are passed down
from mums or sisters, and others who
are too embarrassed to seek help from
Yen Yok
professional bra fitters,” said Ms Low.
Numerous studies have shown that ill-
fitting bras can lead to detrimental health
effects such as chronic backache, shoulder