How often you should really wash bras as women ‘disgusted with themselves’

A dermatologist has shared how often you should be your bras after use – and it has left many women feeling ashamed of themselves.

While skincare expert Alok Vij admits it all comes down to what you’re doing when wearing a bra, he says the general rule is to wash them after every two or three wears.

However, this increases if your day includes a lot of physical activity that makes you sweat more than someone who would spend most of their time sitting at a desk. Speaking to , he said: “A few hours with a bra on with minimal sweating might not count as a full wear – but a few hours with heavy sweating could count as a double or triple wear.

“You can wear the same bra two days in a row, as long as you take it off for several hours in between to allow the bra to relax. But wearing a ‘lucky’ bra day in and day out will make it lose its shape more quickly.” He shared the risks of wearing a dirty bra for too long, saying it can cause skin irritation, rashes or local skin infections from yeast or bacteria.

It can also lead to stains and persistent odours on the bra. The topic has sparked a discussion on social media, with some women proudly stating they wash their bras after every use, while others admit to going months between washes.

One user said: “I own four bras that I actually regularly wear and I don’t really recall the last time I washed them, maybe three to four months ago? I work from home and am fairly flat chested so often don’t even wear a bra, so I really only wear one maybe three to four hours a day, unless I have some kind of activity planned.

“The flesh coloured ones especially are admittedly a little dirtier around the edges than they should be, but no one really sees it, and I doubt I stink through my clothes and self and other scents.”

Another user added: “Two months – that’s if they get washed.” A third user said: “I wear mine for seven days and then it goes into the laundry. In summer or when super sweaty, I usually wear two bras in a week so then it’s every three to four days.”

One more user admitted: “Really maybe once a month after lets say 10 wears. Sports bras every one or two wears.” Another user added: “Back when I used to wear bras regularly, I‘d wash them like once a month. Now I wear them a handful of times a year and I can’t recall when I last washed a bra.”

Disgusted by people’s answers, another woman said: “To be honest washing once every three months sounds gross to me. Even if you’re flat chested and wearing it for like three to four hours, its still an undergarment, not a coat. It’s collecting your sweat. People can smell it if it hasn’t been washed. Wash them on the most delicate setting and hang [to] dry, they won’t get ruined that way.”