Studies have shown that up to, and perhaps even more than, 70% of women are wearing the wrong size bra. Some women have never been properly measured, others have been buying the same size bra for many years (and many dress sizes!) after their last measurement.

The size which suits you now is unlikely to be the size which suits you forever. It's no secret that a woman's bust size changes over time due to natural variations such as weight gain/loss, pregnancy, menstrual cycle etc. In addition, even the most expensive bras do not remain the same size and are to be expected to stretch by as much as 4 inches after a few washes and with wear.

In addition, the right size for you from one manufacturer may not be the same for all brands. You may be a 34D from brand A and a 32C from brand B...and somewhere inbetween for brand C!

Sounds complicated huh? Well, now you know why around 70% of women are getting it wrong right about now. Are you one of them? Let's find out...

Symptoms Of A Poorly Fitting Bra
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If any of the following symptoms sounds familiar then you just might just be wearing the wrong size bra.

1) Back, Neck and/or Shoulder Pain

Lack of support from a bra which is either too big or otherwise doesn't offer enough support can cause pain and muscle tension in the upper body area particularly amongst larger chested ladies. Badly fitting bras have even been attributed to being a cause of headache amongst women as well.

2) Chaffing and Scratching

A bra should fit snugly and not slip or ride up at the back. A bra which is too large can rub and cause chaffing and irritation to the skin.

3) Red Marks and 'Digging In'

The symptom of a bra which is too small are the ugly red marks and signs of digging in it leaves behind after you remove it.

4) Bumps and Bulges

If you are bulging out over the top, bottom or side of your bra than you probably need a larger cup size as this is a tell tale sign your bra is too small.

5) Prominent Center Panel

The section between the cups at the front of the bra should lay flat against your body. It it does not, then you've got the wrong size.

If the above sounds familiar then you should seriously consider being re-measured to ensure you buy the right size bras in future. You can get this done professionally at most lingerie stores, or you do it yourself from home if you have a tape measure and know where to measure (there are plenty of pictoral measuring guides online).

Either way, get a correctly fitted bra and you'll see the benefits immediately, not just in terms of comfort but in terms of your health and wellbeing too.
About the author:

Mark Falco is the webmaster and owner of the UK lingerie website Luv Lingerie found at http://www.luvlingerie.co.uk.