Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the world, and it is the third most fatal type of cancer in the Philippines right now. So empower yourself with more knowledge about this dire disease with the help of Wacoal’s breast cancer awareness bra guide today.
Debunk myths, discover facts, and learn tips about this condition when you check out this handy guide. Answer questions like “Is there a comfy sports bra for breast cancer patients or survivors?” and dispel misconceptions like “Can wearing a tight bra cause breast cancer?” to support yourself and your community this Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Take control of your health when you conduct your own self-checks for earlier detection and prevention. Discover all these practices and more when you take a look at this guide for better awareness of your better health today. Read on to celebrate this incredibly important month with Wacoal right now.
Photo courtesy of Thirdman via Pexels
Dispelling common myths for this dire disease
Think your collection of Wacoal bras is causing breast cancer? Think again.
You can run into a ton of myths and misconceptions about this dire disease throughout the span of your awareness journey. Here are some of the top myths that you should dispel as you get started with this timely and crucial awareness campaign this month:
- MYTH: Underwire bras increase the risk of this illness.
TRUTH: There aren’t any credible sources that prove that underwire bras increase the risk of this disease. However, if underwire bras irritate your skin, you can always try switching to better-fitting bras without wires to prevent skin breakdown and infection.
- MYTH: A healthy lifestyle eliminates the risk of this condition.
TRUTH: The unfortunate fact is that a healthy lifestyle does not eliminate the risk for this condition, even in the fittest of people. But of course, it's still important to practice habits like eating well and exercising regularly to improve all other aspects of your lifestyle.
- MYTH: If no one in your family had it, you’ll never get it.
TRUTH: According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, up to 95% of cases for this condition are sporadic, and have no specific hereditary cause. So whether your family has a history of this condition or not, you're still statistically at risk of getting it regardless.
- MYTH: This condition only happens to older adults.
TRUTH: While it’s true that the risk for this disease increases as you get older, around five percent of new breast cancer diagnoses can actually happen to people under the age of 40. If any of your older relatives suffered from this condition, then you might even qualify for genetic testing and early screening as early as 25 years old.
- MYTH: It always shows up as a lump.
TRUTH: While lumps are an incredibly common symptom, it does not always present itself as such to people with this illness. This is why it’s important to regularly monitor yourself and to perform self-checks for any unusual or worrisome changes to your body.
Now that you’ve set aside these myths, it’s time to equip yourself with the real tips, practices, and symptoms to watch out for when combating this illness for yourself and your community.
How to practice a self-check for breast cancer for bra wearers
As mentioned before, it’s important that you regularly monitor your breasts and chest area to track any alarming changes in your body. Here is a simple but necessary guide to conducting a self-check once a month for all bra wearers:
With this guide in mind, make sure to watch out for the real signs and symptoms of this condition, which you’ll find in the next section.
Breast Cancer Awareness Day: The real signs and symptoms
Lumps aren’t the only thing you should be looking out for when it comes to this illness. Here is a comprehensive rundown of the basic symptoms to track when monitoring for signs of this cancer type:
- Thickening, swelling, or presence of a new lump in the breast or armpit areas.
- Heaviness, burning, aching, or dimpling of the breast area.
- Any drastic change in the size or the shape of the breast.
- Retraction, pulling in, or inversion of the nipple.
- Nipple discharge other than milk, like blood.
- Red, swollen, itchy, scaly, or flaky skin in the nipple or breast area.
Support and resources for breast cancer patients and bra wearers
Check out this list of reputable organizations that are dedicated to supporting patients, survivors, and people at risk for this condition today:
- Philippine Cancer Society, Inc (PCSI) - This independent nonprofit organization supports patients and survivors coping with the illness by sharing information and giving access to diagnosis and treatment, especially for disadvantaged Filipinos. For more information on their advocacy and services, you can check out the official PCSI website.
- Gift2Life Foundation - A non-profit organization dedicated to address challenges of breast cancer through empowerment. You can check out their official facebook page Gift2Llife Inc.
- Chatmosidoc - Gift2Life Inc also organizes FREE consultations for you and your loved ones. From October 1-31, 2023 you can message Chatmosi Doc via Facebook messenger and get 1-on-1 consultation with a Breast Specialist.
Stay up-to-date with the latest announcements from Wacoal by following our official Facebook, X, and Instagram accounts today. Stay comfy, healthy, and confident, inside and out!
