It depends on the person, I guess. Yes, for me, going without a bra is painful after a few hours. Added to that, while I still have fairly perky breasts for my age, they just darn big, and the undersides do lay against my ribcage if not in a bra. This leads to sweat collection, prickly heat and chafing and (TMI alert) if it goes on too long, bacteria will collect there and start to do its bacterial thing and it smells bad - like stinky cheese. Even when wearing a bra, the same thing happens in the cleavage. It took me 20 years of wearing bras to think of putting a little antipersperant in the cleavage a couple of months ago, and it’s really helped with that problem.
OTOH, my best friend has itty bitty titties - so itty bitty that there’s absolutely no sag in them at all - a pencil placed under her breasts will indeed fall to the floor. They’re those little preadolescent swellings so popular in greek statuary. She never wears a bra and is quite comfortable that way.
For me, a C cup, I find not wearing a bra both physically and psychologically uncomfortable. I was thinking about this the other day (not because of this thread).
On the July Fourth, I decided it was too wet out to attend any local fireworks shows. So I got ready for bed–planning to read in bed for a while before sleeping. Then, I started hearing fireworks, so I got up, put my shorts and shoes on, and walked out back. I watched fireworks for a short half hour, then came back in and went to bed ( to read). Without a bra, my breasts sag more than they do in a bra, and I think they kind of spread out more, too. I didn’t really do anything which made them hurt–going down stairs can–but I was acutely aware that I was out in “public” in a nightshirt, a pair of shorts and a pair of sandals. (Public is in quotes because I didn’t see any people. So I don’t know that anyone saw me).
eta: I had my arms across my chest most of the time I was watching fireworks. This was partly because it was cold–I should have brought a jacket, partly because I tend to cross my arms when just standing around for a while, and partly because I was self-concious because of no bra.
I’ve been wearing deodorant and baby powder under the girls for ages, ever since I got a terrible case of heat rash.
Mine are pretty big, something like 42 DD, although from what I’m hearing on shows like Oprah, I’m probably a bigger cup than that. (I’ve never been fitted.) And they sag a lot, but I don’t care! I’m almost 49 and I despise bras! All bras. None of them are comfortable. So I go without pretty much all the time at home. I will put one on to go to the store, and of course work, but it comes off as soon as I get home. Even in winter I get sweaty under there! It’s always itchy, and moving around, and I have to pull at it all the time.
When I used to have periods, they would ache sometimes. Not any more, though.
