Most women in America wear a bra on a regular basis - even on October 13th, National No Bra Day, fellow ladies have expressed to me their concerns about not wearing a bra: pointy nipples in cold rooms, boobs jiggling up and down stairs, criticism over the natural shape of their breasts. Some believe that bras are good and even vital to our health. For women with very large busts, this may hold true as extra weight requires additional support. On the other hand, studies around the world have linked the wearing of bras to a variety of health issues.

1. Link to Breast Cancer

According to British studies led by a professor at Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales, there are lower rates of breast cancer in cultures where women go braless; women who wear a bra 24 hours a day have a 75% chance of developing breast cancer, whereas those who rarely or never wear a bra hold a 1/168 risk. Bras, especially tight-fitting ones, cause congestion in the lymph nodes (a major part of the immune system and first defense against the spread of cancer) and a buildup of toxic fluids, resulting in the development of lumps, cysts, and fibroids. Additionally, bras have been proven to increase the temperature of breast tissue and the levels of prolactin present, both of which are linked to breast cancer. These factors have caused the correlation between bra-wearing and breast cancer to exceed that between cigarette-smoking and lung cancer by 400%.

2. Pain

Also discussed in Cardiff's study is breast pain, which subsides by 7% each day without a bra and in severe cases can be debilitating. Furthermore, the use of bras has been directly linked to chronic pain in the neck, shoulders, and back; tight or wired bras may cause heartburn or lesions and rashes on the skin.

3. Sagging

As proven by a large study in France, regular wearing of bras causes a decrease in collagen production; thus, less breast tone, elasticity, and supportive tissue. As a result, breasts are conditioned to require constant support and sag much more and earlier than those of women who do not wear bras. The damage inflicted by bras on mammary gland tissue can be drastic and irreversible.

4. Internal Issues

One of the most dangerous parts of a bra is the underwire, a plastic-coated piece of metal that subsequently overstimulates neurolymphatic reflexes in the region - this results in decreased liver, gall bladder, and stomach function. Tight bras can also lead to inhibited digestion and breathing problems caused by stress on bones and muscles. This physical stress can deplete melatonin and dangerously lower core temperature.

Since there is no proven medical benefit of wearing a bra, why do we do it? In our society women are confined, spiritually and physically, and it is expected that parts of our bodies that distinguish us, that "weaken" us must be shut away, misshapen and imprisoned. Corsets crushed our organs, high heels hurt our feet, wax burns us and razors cut us, all in the name of fashion and beauty. Perhaps it would benefit us all to just burn our bras after all.