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Each year, more than 250,000 women get breast cancer and 42,000 women die from the disease. It is the most common cancer among American women. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a good time for women to pause and take stock of overall breast health.
To lower your risk of breast cancer, the Centers for Disease Control recommends keeping a healthy weight, exercising, limiting alcohol and talking to your doctor about risk factors if you are taking hormone replacement therapy or birth control.
Mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer early, before you can feel or see symptoms. Most insurance companies cover the costs, but free screenings are available to women through the Maryland Department of Health’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Program.
But what about your general breast health? Is your bra causing harm? While the way your bra fits should not affect your breast cancer risk, it’s a very important part of your overall breast health, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Four out of five women are wearing the wrong size bra. That translates into more than just discomfort. If your bra doesn’t fit properly the weight of your chest is transferred to your neck and shoulders. An ill-fitting bra can cause shoulder, neck, and back pain, impact your posture and affect your breathing.
A woman’s bra size changes over the course of a lifetime due to pregnancies, aging, fluctuations in weight and many other factors. While there are many bra size guides online, these are only a general trend and not an exact science. Because there is no standard measure, one manufacturer’s 36D might be another’s 34B. At à la mode intimates, a lingerie boutique in the Annapolis Town Center, they employ specially trained fitters to help women find the right bra for their body and lifestyle, offering cup sizes A-M and band sizes from 28-44. We also provide fittings for sports bras and nursing bras.
Fittings are available every day by appointment or walk-in, but appointments are recommended to avoid waiting. You can schedule a fitting online at alamodeintimates.com or call 410.280.9771.
To celebrate healthy breasts during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, à la mode is sponsoring “Dead Bra Days.” Now through October 31, bring in an old, worn out bra for recycling and get $5 off the purchase of a new bra. For more information, see their website, visit the boutiques in Annapolis and Fells Point or email questions to info@alamodeintimates.com
{Photo Caption: 1. Patti Platt and Rebecca Ulrich-Dodson, certified bra fit specialists at à la mode intimates. Photo Credit: Fearless Girls Photography 2. à la mode intimates has boutiques at the Annapolis Town Center (shown) and Fells Point in Baltimore.}
