Underwear Does Not Cause Breast Cancer: What Medical Science Says About the Myth

Breast cancer is one of the leading health risks for women. It is often heard online or by word of mouth that wearing the wrong underwear raises the risk of breast cancer. According to international medical research, no direct scientific link or evidence has been found between wearing underwear and breast cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, there is no scientific basis for the idea that overly tight or wired underwear blocks lymphatic drainage and thereby causes cancer.

Because of various social taboos, many women avoid the subject of choosing underwear or maintain wrong habits. However, the report says that while the wrong underwear does not cause breast cancer, it can cause various health problems in breast tissue, skin and body structure.

Wearing overly tight or stiff underwear disrupts blood circulation in the breast and chest muscles. It can cause severe breast pain, marks on the skin and lasting discomfort.

Wearing stiff or uncomfortable underwear continuously for 24 hours can damage the natural elasticity of breast tissue. Sleeping in loose clothing or without underwear at night is said to be better for blood circulation.

Wearing the wrong size — too small or too large — can lead to sagging breasts, shoulder and back pain, and structural problems of the spine.

Underwear made of synthetic or non-breathable fabric traps a lot of sweat under the breast. If this continues for a long time, it can lead to fungal or bacterial infection and skin allergy.

Wearing unwashed or damp underwear regularly can cause various skin diseases, which, if left untreated, can create long-lasting wounds, the report also says.

As a correct habit, the report advises checking one's own size every six months and wearing the right size. It advises choosing cotton or comfortable, soft fabric for daily use, and removing underwear at night or wearing light cotton underwear while sleeping.

To avoid breast cancer, more important than underwear are controlling obesity, eating a balanced diet, quitting smoking and alcohol, and regularly examining one's own breasts. The report also notes that mistakes in wearing underwear do not directly cause breast cancer, so there is no need to panic unnecessarily about it.