Pink Bra on Clothesline
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Several factors, including size, influence the appearance of your breasts as you get older. If you are well endowed, it’s imperative that you wear properly fitted bras so your breasts don’t begin to sag. Diva Bras emphasizes this point by saying that wearing a bra slows down the effects of gravity, helping you to maintain the youthful appearance of your breasts. Your breasts are made up mostly of fat, with ligaments holding up the tissue. The passage of time contributes to the softening of breast tissue, contributing to their sagging.

Insert your fingers under the band of your bra. If you are able to put more than two fingers between the band of your bra and your chest, your bra is too big, according to the Linda the Bra Lady site. The bra band should provide the majority of the support for your breasts, and a band that is too big contributes to the sagging issue. Move down one band size and up one cup size.

Get an assistant or a bra-fitting professional to measure you for the bra that will best fit you. Measure around your chest just under your breasts, making sure the tape measure is snug but not too tight. The tape measure should go straight across your back and rest flat on your skin, according to the 007 B site.

Add 2 to 3 inches to the measurement to get the most accurate band size. It is not necessary to add any more than this because the band is made of elasticized material and should provide approximately 80 to 90 percent of your breast support, writes the 007 B site. Obtain the most accurate band size by pulling up on your bra straps so you pull your breasts high enough for your assistant to get the measuring tape right under your breasts, according to the 007 B site.

Move up to the next even number if your measurement result is an odd number. Bras are manufactured in even numbers only, according to the 007 B site. Try a bra on in the new size. The back should not ride up. If it does, the band is too big and you need to move down one size.

Ask your assistant to measure across the fullest part of your breasts. Find the difference between this number and the band size. If there is less than 4 inches, you wear a D cup; 5 inches, a DD or E cup; 6 inches, a DDD or F cup; 7 inches, DDDD or G cup, writes the 007 B site.

Tip

Bras provide needed support to your breasts. Women with large breasts especially need the support of a well-fitted bra so they can minimize the risk of developing saggy breasts. Age, genetics, weight, pregnancy, breast size and breast feeding all contribute to the southward sag of “the girls.” To obtain a good fit to hold your breasts up, your bra should be constructed out of three sections and have support panels built into the cups. Look for bras with three or more hooks for additional strength; avoid single-layer bras with molded cups as these do not provide sufficient support.

Warning

Don't toss your bras in the dryer after washing them. The heat breaks down the elastic and material. Wear your bras only for nine months, then replace them.