Dermatologist Urges Jamaican Women To Wash Bras More Often In Summer Heat

A well-loved black bra may feel like an easy everyday choice, but wearing it several times before laundry day could create trouble for the skin. Dermatologists say the practice can become riskier in summer, when heat and sweating are more intense.

Consultant dermatologist Dr Rodane Ruddock, who spoke with THE STAR, said he has seen the rewearing of bras come up repeatedly in his work with patients. He said the concern increases during the warmer season. “Especially now in the summer, I would tell patients to wash their bra after each use,” he said.

Ruddock said women who prefer black bras should consider owning more than one, rather than relying heavily on the same item between washes. “If you like a black bra, you can buy more than one, because then you are going to come to the dermatologist, and you don't need a visit if you can just wash the bra,” Ruddock said.

According to him, problems can build up slowly when a bra is used again and again without being cleaned. He explained that fabric can retain perspiration, bacteria and fungus. “So, when you wear your bra and you don't wash it very frequently, what happens is that your bra holds a lot of sweat, a lot of bacteria, a lot of fungus, just because of the material that is used,” he said.

That buildup, Ruddock said, may irritate the skin beneath the breasts and can contribute to rashes. He also warned that fungal infections, bacterial infections and other inflammatory reactions may develop. In his clinical practice, he said, patients often turn up with infections connected to this kind of hygiene issue.

With Jamaica moving toward the hottest part of the year in July and August, Ruddock said the conditions can make matters worse. “Jamaica is hot, so a lot of people are sweating every day, so I think persons in Jamaica should think about their bra as a sport bra,” he said. He added that regular bras should be treated like sports bras, which many women already wash after wearing once.

Ruddock said there may be rare situations where a woman who barely sweats can wear a bra twice before washing it. But he said heavy sweating changes the advice. “But, if you're sweating a lot, then you have to wash it … to reduce the risk of that bacteria buildup, the fungal buildup, and the other oils and dead skin that will be on it.”

He said the area beneath the breasts is more prone to trouble because skin folds can hold moisture. Once sweat is trapped there, irritation, bacterial growth and fungal infection become more likely. Ruddock said the matter should not be brushed off as a small concern, because hygiene remains important. “It's summer, so you should definitely wash your bra right after each use, especially in the summer,” he said.