Prominent / Erect Nipples

Many women have erect nipples all the time, and/or nipples that are very prominent when erect. This is quite a common occurrence. Women with breast implants could discover after surgery that their nipples are now in a constant state of erection. Several bra styles on the market can mask this and give you a smooth look.

BRA SUGGESTIONS

• Contour cup bras (bras with a light layer of foam in the cups).
• Padded bras.
• Bras with a seam that crosses over the apex of the breast. Placing a cup seam on top of your nipple will give a smoother look. Bras where multiple cup seams intersect at the breast apex are even more masking.
• Wearing an accessory known as nipple covers provides a shield so that you can wear seamless bras and look smooth. However, this accessory may not be very effective with extremely prominent erect nipples.

Large Areolas

An areola is the circular, darkened area around the nipple on each breast. Some areolas measure less than an inch in diameter, while others can measure over 3 inches wide. And, their color and contrast can vary to almost the same color as your skin. 

BRA SUGGESTIONS

• The only bra consideration with large areolas is the possibility that part of them could show while wearing demi or low-cut bras. Also, be aware that sheer bras will put your large areolas on display.

Oversized Upper Breast

It can be common for women to have more breast tissue in their upper breast than in their lower breast. This breast shape gives breasts a youthful full look. However, the breast apex (nipple) is positioned lower down the breast and can give the illusion of looking saggy. 

These breasts will have very high mounding in a bra, and the nipple will need to be positioned in the cup lower than where the apex of the cup has been designed by the manufacturer. The upper breast tissue will often not all fit into the cup. 

BRA SUGGESTIONS

• Bras without cup seams will mold and shape to fit this breast type.
• In cut & sew bras where the cups have seams, it will be important to position your breast apex lower than the manufacturer’s established seam-line for proper fit.
• Full coverage bras will fit more of the upper breast tissue.
• Demi cup bras and low neckline bras should be avoided because the upper edge of the bra cup will tend to press in on the upper breast tissue and create the dreaded "double boob" effect even though the bra size is correct.
• Strapless bras will be a difficult fit because of your bountiful upper breast. A bandeau bra will probably be a better choice.
• Minimizer bras will not be a good choice because they will not minimize the upper breast fullness that you want to minimize.
• A compression sports bra will only accentuate your lower apex profile.
• Nipple covers and contour bras (bras with a thin layer of foam in the cups) will provide modesty and help mask your lower apex.

Distended High Tummy

A distended high tummy is one where the upper crest of the tummy comes up between the breasts. This high tummy is common among overweight women, and its distention is most commonly a pillow of fatty tissue. Along with a distended high tummy can be outward pointing breasts. It is more unusual to have a distended high tummy if you are at your goal weight. 

Most petite and short-waisted women will have a distended high tummy if they’re over their goal weight. In all cases, the shape of a bra’s center panel will be key to a bra fitting and feeling comfortable. 

BRA SUGGESTIONS

• Bras with an inverted "V" or "U" arch shape along the bottom of the center panel, called an "arched center panel" does a great job in accommodating a high tummy. This bra feature has also been called a "Pared down," "Gothic arch," or "Floating wire" center panel.
• Center panels made of cord will be able to rest above the tummy area.
• Bandless bras (bras without a band under the cups) will fit better because there will be less fabric below the underwires.
• Avoid bras without a center panel and where the wires come close together in the center of the breasts.
• Longline/bustier styles can be problematic around the mid-section if the waist is larger than the ribcage measurement.

Non-traditional Under-bust Crease

Many women have an under-bust crease that follows the same circular shape as a bra’s underwire. However, women can have an under-bust crease that is not this circular shape – their crease stays horizontal rather than curving up under their arm, or sections of their crease are straight rather than curved. 

For many overweight women, a non-traditional shape is a common occurrence, and these women also tend to have a distended high tummy as well. For example, their crease may not curve up under their arm. So an underwire bra could rest on top of breast tissue, which is rather painful. 

This phenomenon is more unusual for women of average weight. Nothing has caused this; it simply occurred during breast development. Not sure what your breast crease looks like? Stand in front of a mirror and lift your arms up. This will give you your best view. 

BRA SUGGESTIONS

• Soft cup (wire-free) bras.
• Bras with less under-bust definition.
• Cami bras, and/or bras with a shelf-bra design (elastic along the bottom edge) will work if the breasts are also self-supporting or semi-supporting.

Skin Flap Under Arms

With arms at rest, there is a flap of skin along your sides that is parallel with the floor. Common among much older women and women who have had tremendous weight loss, this symptom is more unusual among younger, average weight women.

This skin flap is symptomatic of wearing the same ill-fitting or too tight bra band for many years. Having a variety of bra styles with varying bands that can be alternately worn throughout the week can prevent the creation of this skin flap on average weight women. 

BRA SUGGESTIONS

• Wear a collection of bras with varying band widths and alternate them each day.
• Bras with side slings or side panels designed into the cups are great for minimizing this skin flap.
• Re-evaluate your bra’s band size and consider a bigger band size.
• Re-evaluate your bra’s cup size. Many times a bigger cup size will contain this additional skin.
• Bras that come up higher under the arm.
• Bras with vertical boning along the sides.

Prominent Breast Bone

A prominent breast bone has the sternum between the breasts protruding outward, thus giving a bowed-like appearance to the front of the chest. Also called "pigeon chest," "barrel chest," or "pectus carinatum," this unusual chest bowing can range from slight to significant- with significant being rare. With a prominent breast bone, the breasts will probably have an outward pointing apex, and the breast separation will tend to be wide-set. This rather rare condition can also be the result of ribs spreading during pregnancy, or an over-developed diaphragm – common in swimmers and opera singers. 

Underwires will be uncomfortable because they will not wrap naturally around a bowed chest. The underwires coming together at the sternum will have a tendency to tilt away from the body due to the distended sternum. However, slightly bending each wire in its middle will create a more rounded shape and will allow the wires to rest against the chest. This subtle bend will also wrap the underwire around your sides instead of sticking out and poking your underarm every time it moves forward.

BRA SUGGESTIONS

• Underwire bras with short underwires like demi or balconette bras will feel more comfortable. Be sure to manipulate the shape of the underwires to follow the curvature of your chest.
• Soft cup bras (bras without underwires).
• Bras with side supports in the cups will help pull the breasts more towards the front and center.
• Bras with a wider center panel will accommodate the breasts being more wide-set.
• Bras without a center bridge such as cami bras can come up high enough on the chest to mask the breast bone prominence.
• Bras with vertical boning along the sides.
• Triangle bras.
• Bandless bras.

Hollow Breast Bone

The sternum between the breasts can be recessed, creating a hollow. This is known as a hollow breast bone. Also called pectus excavatum, this unusual hollow recess can vary from slight to significant - with a significant hollow being quite rare. A hollow chest of any magnitude will never see the center panel of a bra resting on the sternum – there will always be a slight gap. But other than this, most bras will fit. Cleavage is possible with C cup sizes or larger.

BRA SUGGESTIONS

• All bra styles will probably fit, but some styles will look better than others, and the center panel between the cups will rarely rest on the sternum.
• Bras where the underwires come up high between the breasts might not feel as comfortable. But they can also mask the hollow.
• Plunge bras where the center panel is shorter and lower on the sternum will fit better because the deepest part of the hollow tends to be higher - along the horizontal apex or nipple line.
• Cami and shelf-style bras will mask the hollow.
• Any bra that is designed to create cleavage will emphasize the hollow.

Spine Curvature

Spine curvature, also known a scoliosis, occurs with varying degrees of severity in 2% of all women. Any type of spine curvature will impact the way a bra fits. The most problematic issues occur when there is an outward spine curve on the back at or near the bra line.

This will increase a woman’s band size, and can cause the back of a woman’s bra to either creep/roll up or pull down her back. And, of course, this movement wreaks havoc on the bra straps; they are either falling off the shoulders or feeling too tight. 

BRA SUGGESTIONS

• Bras with a wide back (thus multi-hook) will give you better support, and will tend to stay in place. So, avoid bras with a thin back.
• Backless, longline or low-back bras are a great alternative if the band pressure along the middle of your back is uncomfortable.
• Bras designed to provide back support will feel great. Posture bras and longline bras can therefore be good choices.
• Front closure bras will probably feel more comfortable - you won’t have the fasteners resting on your spine and feeling uncomfortable when sitting back in a chair.
• Be sure your bras have adjustable straps. Many times one shoulder can be higher than the other, so adjustability will be very important to get a proper fit.
• Avoid wide-set straps. To keep your straps up on your shoulders and in place, straps that are close-set in back will do a better job.

Symmastia

Symmastia is a rare congenital condition where breast tissue has connected both breasts across the center sternum. The look of symmastia (also called "uniboob" or "breadloafing" and alternately spelled symnastia) can sometimes occur after implant surgery. The surgeon placed the implants too close to the midline of the chest and the breasts do not have clear separation. In both instances, this condition can be surgically corrected. 

The center panel of a bra needs to be considered carefully. The center panel of most bras will not rest correctly at the sternum. Try and find bras with a low center panel that rests just below the connective tissue for best fit. Most with symmastia will have cleavage but it will look non-traditional. 

BRA SUGGESTIONS

• Plunge bras or other bras with a low center front will fit best.
• Camisole bras
• Triangle top bras
• Soft cup bras
• Bras with wide or tall center panels should be avoided.