5 signs you're wearing the wrong size bra - Think Healthy

Shape, April, 2003 by Susanne Persaud

A whopping 80 percent of women wear the wrong bra size, estimates Tracy M. Pfeifer, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City. "Most women mistakenly believe they're a size they're not," she says. "Over time, this can cause big problems, and the larger the breasts, the bigger the concerns." Besides being uncomfortable, ill-fitting bras can contribute to chronic headaches, back pain, tingling in the arms, restricted breathing, abrasions, rashes and breast pain, especially during exercise. Here are five signs that the bra you're wearing isn't your size, and tips for a better fit:

1. Spillage If your breasts spill over the top or sides of your bra, increase the band and/or cup size.

2. Puckering If cups wrinkle or pucker, choose a smaller size.

3. Riding up A bra should fit snugly. If it creeps up in the back, trade it in for one with a tighter band.

4. Jutting The underwire isn't flush against your rib cage; it should be.

5. Grooves If straps dig into your flesh, try a style with wider straps or a different cup size -- either bigger or smaller.

The best way to ensure a perfect fit is to go to a specialty bra shop. Or get someone else to measure you. Liz Smith, director of retail services for Wacoal America, provides these instructions: To determine band size, measure around the rib cage, just below your breasts. Then add 4 inches if the measurement is even and 5 if the measurement is odd. To determine cup size, measure around the fullest part of the breasts(over the nipples). Deduct the rib-cage measurement from this figure. A 1-inch difference between the measurements equals an A cup, 2 inches a B and so on.