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Background/purpose: The skin overlying a woman's breast acts as an anatomical support structure to the breast. Although aging is known to affect the thickness and elasticity of human skin, limited research has examined age-related changes to skin covering the breast or related these changes to breast support requirements. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of age on female breast skin thickness and elasticity., Methods: The left breast of 339 women (18-84 years), classified into four age groups (18-24 years, 25-44 years, 45-64 years, and 65 + years), was divided into four quadrants. Skin thickness (dermal layer; 20 MHz ultrasound probe) and skin elasticity (Cutometer ® MPA 580) were measured for each breast quadrant and then compared to determine whether there was any significant (P < 0.05) effect of aging on breast skin., Results: Breast skin thickness significantly decreased from 45 years of age onwards. A significant decline in breast skin elasticity was evident from the mid 20's., Conclusion: Aging is associated with a significant decline in breast skin thickness and elasticity, which is likely to reduce anatomical breast support. Women might therefore benefit from increased external breast support (i.e. a more supportive bra) with increasing age., (© 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: To investigate the effects of respiratory state and measurement method on bra size calculation., Methods: The bra sizes of 16 large-breasted women were measured during two respiratory states, end voluntary inspiration and relaxed voluntary expiration, and using two sizing methods, which were compared against subject-reported bra sizes., Results: Both respiratory state and measurement method significantly affected bra size estimations, whereby measuring chest circumference during inspiration increased both band and decreased cup size. However, whereas bra size calculated using the standard method differed significantly from subject-reported bra size, cup size calculated using the breast hemi-circumference method did not differ significantly from subject-reported cup size., Conclusions: As respiratory state significantly affects bra sizes, it should be standardised during bra size measurements. A more valid and reliable bra sizing method should be developed, possibly using the breast hemi-circumference method for cup size estimations and raw under-bust chest circumference values for band size.