How Well Do You Treat Your Bras? And Your Boobs?

How to make your bra last longer.

• Learn to hook the bra from the back. Many ladies hook theirs from the front and then rotate them to bring the cups to the front where they belong. This every day unnecessary agitation of the elastic makes it wear out faster. It also damages delicate materials like lace. Unless the bra is designed to hook from the front, take time to learn the right way to hook it. In three simple steps, wear the straps, ease your boobs in to the cups while leaning slightly forward, reach back with your hands and hook the bra. It takes some getting used to but is a good habit for the longevity of your bra.

• Use the outermost hook when the bra is new. As time goes by and it loses elasticity, use the middle hook for a tighter fit and eventually the innermost, by which time you should start getting ready for some shopping.

• Buy many bras – Experts recommend that a bra be worn for a maximum of two days in a row. Any more than that means that your bra is on continuous stretch mode for too long without a break, thus straining the elastic and affecting the longevity. Having many bras at a time will ensure that each takes enough breaks to shrink back to normal. Sports bras are exempt from this tip and should be washed after every use.

• Wear the right size – If a bra is undersize then it is strained all round – at the cups, band and straps. An undersize bra can cause serious health problems like cutting crucial circulation to the breast tissue and surrounding lymphatic areas. It can pinch crucial nerves and cause headaches, backaches and other health issues. As for longevity, the strain exerted on an ill fitting bra will wear it out much faster. How do you know you have the right fit? Your bra should not cut into your boobs, shoulders or back at any one time. It should therefore not leave angry lines on the shoulders or at the back when you take it out, and your boobs should never spill out to create that double boob effect. There are bras meant to lift and leave the front part of the breast exposed but these are specially designed that way and deliberately fitted so.

• Invest in sports bras. The regular bra is not designed for the rigorous nature of sports, aerobics, jumping jacks and all that. Neither are your girls. Boobs in themselves do not have structural support, relying mainly on ligaments and skin to stay put. A sports bra is specially designed as a shock absorber and without it, you run the risk of stretching and damaging the breast ligaments. Ouch.

• Handwash your bras gently in mild soap and never use bleach because it is too harsh. Follow the all time biggest laundry rule and wash colours separately. Clasp delicate bras before washing especially if they’re of delicate fabric like lace. This prevents hooks from ripping into the bra. If you’re machine washing, never put the bras in a drier as the heat used in mechanical driers will ruin the elastic properties.

• Buy quality – Cheap is expensive. For the one part of you that cements your femininity, invest in good quality bras. This may cost more on the face of it but eventually it will save you money.

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