A supportive bra in the correct size can be helpful in preventing stretch marks — Karp told HuffPost that “going braless, as well as working out without a sports bra, for long periods of time only increases your risk for stretch marks.”
Just like a post-surgical bra protects your boobs after surgery, a traditional bra will help to support and protect them from more sagging and stretch marks.
"If you don't wear a bra, your breasts will sag," says Dr. Ross. "If there's a lack of proper, long-term support, breast tissue will stretch and become saggy, regardless of breast size." Still, both experts agree that multiple factors play into if and when sagging (technical term: "ptosis") occurs, bra-wearing aside.
Hormonal changes
Skin changes during puberty are the most common reason for stretch marks on the breasts. “They develop when your skin rapidly stretches as your breasts develop,” Dr. Akhtar says. “We also see breast stretch marks in pregnant people as their breasts enlarge.”
An ill-fitting bra that doesn't give the right support can also lead to breast skin damage – usually seen as stretch marks, caused by stretching the skin beyond its recovery point.
Women's breasts are made of fats and glands. Even though the ligaments provide the necessary support, breasts eventually sag in almost every woman. And to avoid this, girls should wear a bra. Wearing a bra lifts the breasts and helps prevent sagging up to some extent.
Stretch marks can appear overnight, but they can often disappear quickly. With a little extra care, deep, purple stretch marks can fade to white within months. “There's no special magic bullet,” says Walls.
Is it OK to sleep in my bra? There's nothing wrong with wearing a bra while you sleep if that's what you're comfortable with. Sleeping in a bra will not make a girl's breasts perkier or prevent them from getting saggy. And it will not stop breasts from growing or cause breast cancer.
Bras, especially the underwire ones impact the blood circulation. The wire also compresses the muscles around breast area and affects the nervous system. Other types of bras, which are too tight hurt the breast tissue. So, it's advisable to remove bra before you hit the bed.
How often you need to wash your bras isn't an exact science. But as a general rule, you should wash them after every two to three wears.
You might see stretch marks.
As with sagging, stretch marks can happen with weight gain and loss or pregnancy. Lotions and prescription treatments can help improve their appearance, but stretch marks aren't harmful.
In two large studies, applying hyaluronic acid to early stretch marks made the stretch marks less noticeable. Tretinoin is a retinoid, which may also make early stretch marks less noticeable. In one study, people who applied this prescription cream every night for 24 weeks had less noticeable stretch marks.
Will Bio-Oil help stretch marks? Bio-Oil helps to improve the appearance of existing stretch marks formed during pregnancy, teenage growth spurts or periods of rapid weight gain. Although it is more effective on newer stretch marks, older stretch marks will also show some improvement with regular use of Bio-Oil.
Underlying Health Conditions (Marfan Syndrome)
Marfan Syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects the body's connective tissue; causing the tissue in the body to not grow and develop properly, this can cause stretch marks to appear without any visible reason (i.e. weight gain/pregnancy).
Do stretch marks go away when you lose weight? Stretch marks from gaining too much weight are not likely to go away, even if you lose the weight. That said, stretch marks can heal if they're still red (indicating new stretch marks). Older stretch marks that are translucent are the most difficult to address.
It's common for stretch marks to appear during teen years when rapid growth of weight gain occurs. Other factors that make teens predisposed to stretch marks appearing include a genetic risk or family history of stretch marks, pregnancy, being overweight or obese, or topical or oral steroids, like prednisone.
The bottom line: "Generally speaking, wearing or not wearing a bra really won't have a significant impact on your overall health," Dr. Sahni said, adding that it's entirely a personal choice.
Beginning in March 2020, when offices shut down worldwide and remote work protocols were put into place, working in sweatpants, and often, braless, from one's living room (or bed) became the new normal for many.