UNDERWIRE BRAS aren't as dangerous as you think they are
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Sometimes they lift. Sometimes they separate. But do underwire bras cause cancer? Could it be that the very garment designed to offer women support is actually killing them? That's the rumor that has been circulating for decades.
It all began in 1995 with a book called Dressed to Kill, in which Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer, a husband and wife medical anthropologist team, claimed that women who wore tight-fitting bras all day, every day, had a much higher risk of developing breast cancer than those who went au naturel. The authors claimed that by inhibiting lymphatic drainage, bras trapped toxins in the breast tissue, which caused cancer.
According to critics, however, the bra-caused breast cancer theory is not supported by sufficient evidence. Scientists say the research of Singer and Grismaijer failed to exclude confounding variables such as the presence in some women of known risk factors for breast cancer. Thus, the notion of a correlation between wearing a bra and breast cancer does not appear to hold up.
"It just really is not logical in terms of what would increase your risk of breast cancer," says Louise Brinton, chief of the hormonal and reproductive epidemiology branch of the National Cancer Institute. Brinton, who has been doing research in the field for 30 years, says commonly accepted breast cancer risk factors are generally things that affect endogenous hormone levels.
These risk factors include how old a woman is and the age at which she had her first child. (The risk increases for women who have not had children, or who have given birth after the age of 30.) Breast-feeding and exercise are thought to lower risk, whereas a family history of the disease increases it. Scientists also know that 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are linked to BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations.
Marisa Weiss attributes some of the persistence of this urban legend to how frightening the reality of breast cancer can be. As president and founder of the Narberth, Pa.-based nonprofit Web site breastcancer.org, Weiss, who has been in the field for two decades, sees women trying to figure out what in their everyday lives could cause the disease.
Weiss says that although the idea of having one's breasts in cages with metal wires "impeding fluid and marinating breast tissue in toxic liquid" sounds like a reasonable explanation for cancer, it is not. In fact, as she points out, far from being trapped, bodily fluid actually travels up and out of the armpits, not down toward the underwire.
Susan Love is president and medical director of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation in Pacific Palisades, Calif., and a former breast cancer surgeon as well as author of Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book, now in its fourth edition. Love agrees that the bra myth comes from the frustration of not knowing what causes the disease, coupled with a desire that the disease should come from the outside, from something a woman can control.
"You find people less wanting to think about birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy and fertility drugs," she says, "and more about pesticides, bras and deodorant. We don't know what causes breast cancer, and the majority of the risk factors that we know about do not explain it. However," she adds, "I don't think bras—or the lack thereof—are the secret answer."
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22 Comments
Add CommentYour article provides a disappointing, unscientific response to the very important bra/cancer controversy. There was a study that came out of Harvard in 1991 showing bra-free women had a much lower rate of breast cancer. (Eur J Cancer. 1991;27(2):131-5). Then there was Dressed to Kill and the 1991-93 Bra and Breast Cancer Study by medical anthropologists Singer and Grismaijer. There are innumerable doctors now informing their patients to stop wearing tight bras, especially 24/7. And even the American Cancer Society is telling post-mastectomy women to avoid tight bras since they cause lymphedema. There is still no research that has been done to refute this theory, only off the cuff rejection by experts whose personal theories and practices are now under question. More research into the bra/cancer link is clearly needed. But it challenges the treatment-focused cancer industry, and the lawsuit-fearing bra industry. Fortunately, women don't need a prescription to stop wearing bras.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMr. Singer of course doesn't explain why some doctors might advise their patients to avoid wearing tight bras all the time. There are many reasons that do not include their claim that bras cause cancer. Note how he carefully side-steps the core issue of whether or not it's for breast cancer prevention. This is thematic of his approach -- he finds correlation, but does not prove causation. This is good for selling books, but not good science.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI agree with the first poster. The two people quoted here as saying "urban legend" and "myth" have done no studies on the subject. "30 years of research in the field" is just a fancy way of saying "This is based on my life experience, not on science. Quick to point out flaws in the study such as pre-existing risk factors, yet why have they not run their own studies, taking such factors into account. "I don't think brasor the lack thereofare the secret answer." You don't THINK so? That's not science. The study concluded that women who wear bras 24 hours a day have a 75% risk of developing breast cancer, while braless women saw breast cancer rates comparable to men. Even if pre-existing conditions accounted for 75% of the occurrences in the study, which I'd say is a more than generous estimate, That's still nearly a 28% chance of developing breast cancer from bras, vs a 0 percent chance of developing breast cancer from wearing bras if you do not wear bras. The person who says fluid flows up from the breasts to the arms (always? or just when they're wearing bras, and it has no where else to go? Let me see your statistics when you conclude the study you will never start.) and is basing their opinion on that is ridiculous. bodily fluids travel in all directions, and who is to say what effect that even partially inhibiting that could have. Oh wait, the the scientists who have actually done the research, not people trying to discredit based on what they "think." Some people to this day "think" the earth is flat.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFor many years the tobaco companys yelled that their cigarettes are not known to cause cancer but the truth finally came out. I suspect that some day the same thing will happen to the bra companys. I wonder if the bra companys somehow paid for the studys that said bras do not cause cancer. There was a study in England that showed that the longer a woman wears a bra the more likely she is to get breast cancer. There is no practical reason for a woman to wear a bra it is only something the fashion industry pushes off on women so why do so many women take unnessary risk? If a person would wear something that would twist their hand or arm into a position that was not natural all day long would it do any harm? Yes and the same with a bra.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFor many years the tobaco companys yelled that their cigarettes are not known to cause cancer but the truth finally came out. I suspect that some day the same thing will happen to the bra companys. I wonder if the bra companys somehow paid for the studys that said bras do not cause cancer. There was a study in England that showed that the longer a woman wears a bra the more likely she is to get breast cancer. There is no practical reason for a woman to wear a bra it is only something the fashion industry pushes off on women so why do so many women take unnessary risk? If a person would wear something that would twist their hand or arm into a position that was not natural all day long would it do any harm? Yes and the same with a bra.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFor many years the tobaco companys yelled that their cigarettes are not known to cause cancer but the truth finally came out. I suspect that some day the same thing will happen to the bra companys. I wonder if the bra companys somehow paid for the studys that said bras do not cause cancer. There was a study in England that showed that the longer a woman wears a bra the more likely she is to get breast cancer. There is no practical reason for a woman to wear a bra it is only something the fashion industry pushes off on women so why do so many women take unnessary risk? If a person would wear something that would twist their hand or arm into a position that was not natural all day long would it do any harm? Yes and the same with a bra.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAlso, what about the effect of metal on the body, for example, the metal in an underwire bra? Has there been any scientific research on this aspect?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAlso, what about the effect of metal on the body, for example, the metal in an underwire bra? Has there been any scientific research on this aspect?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWould it happened to be that they overlooked the possiblity that women who did not wear bras did so because they had smaller breasts? Perhaps there needs to be a study done to see if breast size offers a correlation between the two. Interesting subject to be sure....
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiswhen my doctor told me i had atypical ductal hyperplasia in October 2009, the next words out if his mouth "ditch the bra"
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiswhen my doctor told me i had atypical ductal hyperplasia in October 2009, the next words out if his mouth "ditch the bra"
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTo answer Ladylark811, there is limited to no correlation between breast size and cancer risk once obesity (a known risk factor) is ruled out. One study that I'm aware of also indicated that very lean women with larger breasts have higher cancer risk than women with same body type and smaller breasts. This study was limited to 2,000 women but was seen as well controlled. Related comments is that more study is needed on this point.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisbras are not just fashon i have large breast that hurt if not supported. My mum has had breast cancer. and this is a real issue of concern for me so far non of this has helped me fined an answer.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWomen have been wearing bras for years & my late mom said they used to strap their breasts down to help dry up breast milk.In the flapper era some women strapped them down to get a flatter look. Not a whole lot of breast cancer back then.HOWEVER !! There seems to be a rise in it with the advent of processed chemical filled foods,GROWTH HORMONES in animal food( also linked to early puberty in kids,esp girls),pesticides,chemicals in the home & environment, smoking, drugs, excess drinking,etc. When I was a kid, I never heard of allergies to peanuts,wheat,& shellfish. There was no autism,altho it might've been classified as retardation back then so you didn't know the real deal. Now there are allergies EVERYWHERE.You can't give out peanuts at schools,because some people can't even be near them without severe reactions. I teach & back in the 70s there was one page of kids with asthma,now there are PAGES & PAGES! I know a lot of adults who have DEVELOPED allergies they never had as kids. Could it be that we're POISONING ourselves & the planet we live on? Another thing about this bra business is that they say not to wear TIGHT FITTING BRAS. That should be a matter of common sense. Wear bras that are comfortable & fit well!!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI happen to HATE underwire bras & refuse to wear them even tho I'm small breasted. I can't imagine wearing how the top heavy ladies can stand those things. They're very uncomfortable but it's very hard to find the old fashioned kind. Every bra you see tries to push your breasts up to your chin with a lot of padding & underwires that are miserable in hot weather.Maybe you ought to address the stupidity of our big boob crazy,implant obsessed society ( are you listening ,POP CULTURE PUNDITS ?),and emphasize good health & a healthy body image.
Women have been wearing bras for years & my late mom said they used to strap their breasts down to help dry up breast milk.In the flapper era some women strapped them down to get a flatter look. Not a whole lot of breast cancer back then.HOWEVER !! There seems to be a rise in it with the advent of processed chemical filled foods,GROWTH HORMONES in animal food( also linked to early puberty in kids,esp girls),pesticides,chemicals in the home & environment, smoking, drugs, excess drinking,etc. When I was a kid, I never heard of allergies to peanuts,wheat,& shellfish. There was no autism,altho it might've been classified as retardation back then so you didn't know the real deal. Now there are allergies EVERYWHERE.You can't give out peanuts at schools,because some people can't even be near them without severe reactions. I teach & back in the 70s there was one page of kids with asthma,now there are PAGES & PAGES! I know a lot of adults who have DEVELOPED allergies they never had as kids. Could it be that we're POISONING ourselves & the planet we live on? Another thing about this bra business is that they say not to wear TIGHT FITTING BRAS. That should be a matter of common sense. Wear bras that are comfortable & fit well!!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI happen to HATE underwire bras & refuse to wear them even tho I'm small breasted. I can't imagine wearing how the top heavy ladies can stand those things. They're very uncomfortable but it's very hard to find the old fashioned kind. Every bra you see tries to push your breasts up to your chin with a lot of padding & underwires that are miserable in hot weather.Maybe you ought to address the stupidity of our big boob crazy,implant obsessed society ( are you listening ,POP CULTURE PUNDITS ?),and emphasize good health & a healthy body image.
BTW, I had some atypical ductal hyperplasia & a had a fibroadenoma removed in a biopsy in the late 90s. I took part in the STAR clinical trial comparing tamoxifen to raloxifene
to prevent breast cancer from 2000-2005. I was on raloxifene.Since then all my mammos have been CLEAR. I also eliminated processed foods, white starches,excess sugar & sodium, & other junk from my diet & eat like I did in the late 50's & 60s.
I was wearing push-up underwire bras and having problems with painful cysts and had ultrasound and mamagram and told they were common. When I changed the style of my bra to a support bra with a bandrin made by Jeunique all my pain and cysts quickly vanished. Why? The bras had nothing to do with it? Over the years I've tried going back to the others and the pain and the cysts return!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis article is a little misleading. If there are two studies that show a high correlation, and no studies that show no correlation, at the very least this needs more research.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis article is a little misleading. If there are two studies that show a high correlation, and no studies that show no correlation, it seems to me that at the very least this needs more research.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSorry, ignore that^^
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am Sydney Ross Singer, medical anthropologist, breast cancer researcher, and the co-author of Dressed To Kill.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat's particularly sad about this unscientific Scientific American article, which opposes the bra/cancer link because of personal opinion and not fact, is that it is being used by cancer industry propagandists as "proof" that the link has been "debunked as unscientific". All the article presents is opinions opposing the bra/cancer link. To date, there are still no refuting studies. The only studies on this show a significant link.
Further research is clearly needed, but is being prevented by the ACS and Komen Fdtn which insist the link is too ridiculous for research, while at the same time telling women to continue to wear bras. They have partnered with the bra industry, which now also funds cancer research, and which is intent on opposing any consideration of this issue for fear of lawsuits. No research, no lawsuits, they hope.
Also keeping this issue suppressed is the problem of how the medical industry is going to admit overlooking, and actually suppressing, this information. After billions of dollars going into high tech detection and treatment research for this disease, and after thousands upon thousands of studies ignoring this most obvious lifestyle factor that impairs breast health, and after promoting bra wearing and calling the bra/cancer link a myth without having any evidence to support their claim, how are they going to ever admit this link is real?
It took 30 years for cigarettes to be accepted as a cause of lung cancer following the first research showing the link. During those 30 years doctors promoted cigarettes. Doctors are part of the culture, like everyone else, and are also victims of culturogenic disease. They feel bra-free is somehow culturally unacceptable, and many women, doctors included, find the bra/cancer link a personal threat, since they feel they must wear bras. (This probably includes the female critics quoted in this story.)
The culture is in denial about the iconic bra causing disease. The breast disease epidemic will not end until the denial ends.
Bottom Line: We live in a culture where women are programmed and conditioned by a multi-billion dollar bra industry into believing they need artificially shaped breasts; changing breast shape requires pressure which impairs lymphatic circulation, leading to breast disease; however, the medical industry profits from treating this disease, so it looks the other way.
For more see my website killerculture dot com.
Mr. Singer, you keep bringing up the conspiracy theory that doctors and the fashion industry are aligned in an unholy deal to make money off of bra sales that drive medical profits.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat you have not done is conduct a properly designed study to support your hypothesis. My guess is that you don't want to do that because a new study won't find any link between bras and cancer or help you sell your book.
If you disagree with my point, please explain then why haven't you done more work to address concerns raised by epidemiologists about your shoddy statistical methods? Instead, you have decided it's more important to write about benefits defecating copiously and the dangers of sleeping on flat surface.
"Weiss says that although the idea of having one's breasts in cages with metal wires "impeding fluid and marinating breast tissue in toxic liquid" sounds like a reasonable explanation for cancer, it is not. In fact, as she points out, far from being trapped, bodily fluid actually travels up and out of the armpits, not down toward the underwire."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSO WEISS HAS OBVIOUSLY FORGOT THAT A FLOW OF FLUIDS HAS TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE, THE FLOW OF FLUIDS DOES NOT ONLY COME FROM THE ARMPITS AND THEN BACK TOWARDS THE ARMPITS!!! There are many fluids flowing around the body in all directions, some of these fluids we can not claim to understand (we are not even able to explain certain antibodies that are within our own bodies). a tight wire will restrict flow in any direction. if you were to siphon water from one tank to another tank, a kink in the hose before the uphill section of tube would slow down the flow of water on the final downhill section!! Also the continuous pressing of the uncomfortable wire could possibly trigger an alarm in the body and result in some type of white blood cell attack, over time (years) this could possibly lead to problems that we can't understand (possibly cancer). I am not claiming to understand this or be trying to prove anything but i do think that we shouldn't rule out the possibility. Anyway, why put yourself through such an uncomfortable life wearing wired bras, i believe there is a more comfortable and more natural compromise.