is there any reason a 12 nearly 13 year old can't wear an underwired bra?

[carriemumsnet]

My friend's daughter wants one and her mum had an inkling she probably shouldn't get one while she was still growing... but then couldn't remember if that was just for pregnancy/breastfeeding...

Can anyone help?

I would think the breast tissue is prone to damage and would be restrictive. Go to a decent lingerie shop independent or marks and spencer, the trained fitters there would know.

m&s do these they are a special soft wiring but do say only suitable after 2 years of wearing a non wired bra, so not straight away.

wow thanks for speedy response - will pass these comments on and anything anyone else can add!

Have been given same advice - just use a non-wired bra for the first couple of years while breast tissue still tender. Have found M&S the best and with the biggest range.

Yes yes yes!!! I have had a series of breast lumps removed and my surgeon has a real horror of underwired bras for women of all ages. He says that during a single month women's breast sizes change and tissue alters so that the wires can rub or press into the flesh causing irritation. he is TOTALLY anti and I have huge respect for his very public expertise. His view is that we should all be pushing for more and more choice in non-wired bras, and wear underwired bras for short periods of time only, such as a party or sapecial occasion. definately a no no for a young teen. My local lingerie specialist (Femme Fatale, in Kent) will not sell underwired bras to teenagers without the parent present so that they can discuss the issues.

The wire in a well-fitting underwired bra acutally rests against the ribcage not the breast tissue though! If the bra is the correct chest size there should be no rubbing or pressing of flesh as it should fit very snugly next to the skin on the ribs, just under the bust.

I am a 32E and there is absolutely no way I could save underwired bras for special occasions only, because my boobs are heavy and they are completely unsupported in non-wired bras.

I do have non-wired bras which I change into for relaxing as they are indeed less restrictive, but equally they are less supportive.

If I didn't wear an underwired bra my bust would probably be swinging lower than they already do as the weight stretches both the skin and the ligaments.

I personally only get balconette-shaped underwired bras, as if there is any slight variation on size (and I can't actually say I notice) the shape is very forgiving and generally avoids the "double boob" look.

Can only say that with greatest respect to your surgeon, he has no idea what it feels like to have great big heavy boobs swinging around which look and feel like a sack of spuds heading for your knees in anything less than underwired scaffolding.

Oh and I am pg and I am thinking of inventing underwired maternity bras

Another one who disagrees with your surgeon, I'm afraid. (Am 36F.) Bless him, he's like those dermatologists who grumble that we should all save our money and put vaseline on our faces. Yes, it might well moisturise your skin, but...

I have one 1950s stylie non-underwired bra that does actually hold me up BUT the material is so strong, and the stitching so firm, that it is far more restrictive. Sort of thing I can see my Granny wearing when she was young, IYKWIM.

Don't really want to get into a debate tbh as it's a personal choice for everyone, but my surgeon is one of the most up to date there is. My lumps were all in the tongue of breast tissue that extends from the breast up towards the lymph tissue under the arm - which is exactly where the point of the wire presses in if not fitting perfectly. Check it and see. The tissue there is sensitive to damage. That's his advice, anyway. As I said, each to his own.

Isn't that an argument for getting bras properly fitted, though?

Totally is, motherinferior, you're right! Problem is that many of us never get fitted, and even those that do, don't get checked regulkarly enough, or allow for breast size fluctuations over our cycle. The OP was asking about teens though, and that's the group that should never wear underwired bras, because their breasts are growing.

oh dear
I have just got dd some. I find the non underwear bra's slip up(she has sn so can't sort them)
so what can I do??

2shoes - don't know if this is any help at all, so apologies if not, but Calvin Klein do some great cotton bras with a broad elastic sports band at the bottom which teens love - and they don't slip! I get mine at the outlet centre near us in Kent: don't know where you could find them but maybe on line? Apologies again if I am talking out of turn.

can someone explain what is all this fitting service in shops about? cant a woman just choose herself a bra that fits her well? i havent come across this anywhere else than the uk.

12 & 13 year old girls can wear underwired bras, but at that age their breasts are growing. Non underwired bras are best for growing girls.

please let her wear properly fitted underwired bras or make her wear supportive non-wired. My mum was lax about encouraging me to do so - I think she thought I would have small boobs like her, but I'm a 32G and they're much saggier than they should be because they were too often unsupported at the growing stage of 12-14. Widh I'd known better...!

As others have said, a properly fitted wired bra won't let the wire touch breast tissue anyway.

The wire in a well-fitting underwired bra acutally rests against the ribcage not the breast tissue though

This is what I was thinking.

But then when people complain about their bras hurting I am generally confused.

Ironic lols about growing breasts being best in non underworked bras. Yeah. That only works if they make non wired bras in the right size.

Youngest was a bravissimo gal at 11. The idiot fitter in m&s ( yep my idiocy going there ) could have really upset her by saying " well you shouldn't be in a wired bra at your age anyway"....she was a 28dd. We went through a palaver ov " try this in a bugger band and smaller cup it'll be the same ( it wasn't funnily enough) till she admitted they actually didn't, at that time make anything to fit !

Having this trouble with DD looking for non underworked bras,she is a 30 dd and m&s and all other shops do not have much in this size.She has tried wired but yes they fit the rib cage at the front but dig in at the sides by the arm pits.She gets very frustrated as her friends have pretty bras and she has anything that we can find that fits.
We hang on in there as her ribcage will broaden at some stage and the range for 32-34 is better but there are very few pretty non wired bras out there and if you want one without the current trend of padded foam cups then tough!

No wires are all well and good for the 28AA that manufacturers seem to think all 12year old girls are. DD1 was 28E by the time she turned 13.

If she wants a really good bra that's not underwired but still gives her shape and support try Playtex. They do some fab bras for support without wires. I miss having smaller boobs, I'm now a 36F and wear over the shoulder boulder holders 😂and yes I need wires.