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Summary
A video of a doctor shared by media personality Chude on X (formerly Twitter) suggests that wearing bras, particularly underwire or tight-fitting ones, causes breast cancer. This claim has circulated widely on social media for years and continues to fuel fear and misinformation about women’s health. However, medical research has consistently shown that bras do not cause breast cancer.
Claim:
On September 26, 2024, X user @chude__ posted: “These bras cause breast Cancer?” This question reflects a widespread online video of a doctor stating that wearing bras, especially underwire or tight-fitting ones, may lead to breast cancer. In the video, the doctor suggests that sports or a bra is more suitable, as other bras, such as an underwire bra or a tight bra, will cause breast cancer because bras block lymphatic flow, causing a buildup of toxins that lead to breast cancer. He also mentioned that wearing a bra for 12 hours a day increases a 60% chance of breast cancer. The post has 774.4k views, 177 comments, 1.9k reports, and 2.9k likes.
In reaction to the video, a medical health professional, Dr. Fryrekins, countered, “This is pure misinformation. There’s no medical evidence or research to back this viewpoint.”
Thus, NFM seeks to fact-check this to guide decisions on women’s health.
NFM checks
So, is the claim true? False, bras do not cause breast cancer. A bra (brassiere) is an undergarment designed primarily to support, shape, and cover the breasts. Bras are designed to support and meet specific needs at different stages of a woman’s life. The major types of bras: Nursing bras help breastfeeding mothers with easy access, mastectomy bras support women after breast surgery, often holding prosthetics; training bras offer light support for girls starting puberty, and minimiser bras reduce the appearance of large breasts for comfort.
However, there is no proven health risk to going braless. It’s a personal choice; some people go braless for comfort, health, or lifestyle reasons.
There is no connection between wearing a tight bra or an underwire bra and breast cancer risk. While the exact cause of breast cancer isn’t known, it can develop due to genetic mutations and hormonal influences, not clothing. Known risk factors include aging, family history or BRCA1/BRCA2 gene mutations, obesity, alcohol use, prolonged exposure to estrogen (e.g., early menstruation, late menopause) previous exposure to chest radiation (e.g., for lymphoma treatment) long-term use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or certain birth control pills), and smoking.
The body naturally eliminates toxins through the liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system, so wearing a bra, even a tight one, does not block the lymphatic flow enough to create any harmful buildup. The lymph nodes under the arm and around the chest still function normally. While tight bras or underwires may cause skin irritation, pressure marks, minor pain, or restricted movement, they do not cause or increase cancer risk.
NFM further consulted a medical expert, Ms. Angela Iwendi, who disagrees that a tight and underwired bra causes breast cancer; it has other effects, she says, but it is not proven as a cause of breast cancer. However, “women should create space on the bra to allow free passage of blood around the breast region.”
Reacting to this claim, a women’s rights advocate and media personnel, Abah Divine, opined that it is misogynistic by perpetuating unnecessary fears about women’s health and emphasised the need for evidence-based information to avoid misleading women about their health.
What research says
A major 2014 study in cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention found no link between bra-wearing and breast cancer risk, not by underwire use, hours worn, or age.
Similarly, another study by the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute has affirmed: There is no scientific evidence that wearing a bra increases breast cancer risk. This includes bras with underwires.
Conclusion
Wearing bras, including underwire or tight styles, does not cause breast cancer. There is no need to avoid bras out of fear of cancer. However, you have the freedom to wear or not to wear a bra.
Naija Feminists Media is committed to combating misinformation in the digital space for a gender-equal world.
