We have long since been told that wearing a bra on a daily basis helps to keep our breasts supported and does much to reduce the sag factor associated with ageing, but it looks like recent research is about to turn that age-old assumption on its head.
According to a study which was conducted over a 15-year period, researchers established that forgoing bras allowed a woman's breasts to develop more muscle tone and tissue which in turns acts as a natural form of support for a woman's bust.
Sport science researcher Jean-Denis Rouillon studied 330 women aged between 18 and 35 - all of whom had varying bust sizes - over the course of his research and concluded that women who went bra-less had perkier breasts and higher-positioned nipples than those who didn't.
Suggesting that wearing a bra can hinder circulation, prevent the development of muscle tissue and ultimately reduce breast tone, Rouillion explained; "Medically, physiologically, anatomically breasts gain no benefit from being denied gravity. On the contrary, they get saggier with a bra."
Confirming the findings which were established over a decade and a half, plastic surgeon at Mount Sinai Medical Centre, Dr Stafford Broumand, asserted: "On the surface, this claim seems plausible."
"For younger women, not wearing a bra will lead to increased collagen production and elasticity, which improves lift in a developing breast."
So, will you be postponing your next underwear shopping spree?
