First bras or bras for teenagers invariably tend to be soft cup (no wires). Many people believe that wires are not safe for young girls wearing their first bras, as they can trap breast tissue, glands or milk ducts, thus causing potential future problems. However the reality is that underwired bras are not dangerous for any bra wearers and the wire offers added support to the bra cup.

However, wire or no wire, you have to find what’s most comfortable for you.

Having a well-fitting bra is important. Most women wear the wrong bra size because they don’t get properly fitted and this equally applies to young girls. So although it may seem embarrassing, it is really important to be fitted properly, by a qualified fitter. (Try and steer clear of department stores offering fitting services as staff are not always experienced or properly trained.) You need to ensure that the bra is not only  comfortable, but that  it should offer plenty of support and be flattering too.

Most bras lose their fit and shape in six months, so it is important to change them regularly. 

For adults, if you lose or gain weight your bra size will change too – so it’s important to get fitted for a bra at least every 12 months. However for growing girls, their breast size can change more rapidly, as well as growing more generally and possibly needing a larger backsize. It is therefore really important that young girls are checked for size more frequently, especially if they are wearing under wired bras. It is for this reason that soft cup bras are favoured for young girls, as changes in size are more easily accommodated by a soft cup bra, whereas, an underwired bra is likely to start to become uncomfortable as the size changes.

So, although their may  not be medical reasons for young girls not wearing underwired bras, wearing soft cup bras will help ensure that the bra is comfier for longer and will not need changing every two minutes.