How to fix a bra with underwire sticking out

The white and green parts are tips to protect you from the metal.

Forget being stabbed in the back; there’s no worse betrayal than being stabbed in the boob. And if you’ve ever had your underwire pop out, you know this can be a real risk! But, thank heavens, this risk can be managed. Underwire pokes out for lots of reasons. Here’s what you need to know.

How does it happen?

There are generally two ways underwire attacks. The first is when the underwire actually snaps into separate pieces and jabs through a random spot in the fabric casing. In the more common scenario, the underwire remains intact, but pokes through the casing either under the arm or between your boobs.

Most underwires are made of metal, although some lower-end or small bust brands do use plastic ones. Plastic wires are more likely to snap into pieces, since they’re not as sturdy as the metal ones. Another thing to be aware of is wire tipping. Most brands add a little cap to the ends of their wires, so that if they do poke through the casing, they won’t injure you. But, again, some lower-end brands do not tip their wires. Ouch!

Bad idea!

What makes it happen?

Sure, sometimes underwire pokes through or snaps because the bra is of poor quality. But underwire health is also impacted by less-than-ideal bra washing practices, the age of the bra, how you put on your bra, and even changes in your body. This sounds overwhelming at first, I know. But the good news is that a lot of this is stuff you can control.

Only YOU can prevent underwire accidents.

Wash your bra gently and carefully. Yes, that means by hand. It’s also important to wash your bra frequently, after about every 1-3 wears. A lax bra washing schedule allows sweat, body oils, and skin cells (I’m sorry) to build up, and makes the materials degrade more quickly. Degraded materials = weakened fabric = an easy escape for wily underwires.

But even with the best care, every bra has a lifespan. As your bra gets on in age, get in the habit of doing a quick inspection on wash day. Catching worn spots before they give out gives you the chance to replace your bra – without the reminder of a pokey wire.

Good idea!

I’ve covered all the do’s and don’ts of putting on a bra before. The relevant bit today is this: do not flip your bra. If you do your bra up at the front and then spin it around, make sure you keep the cups the right way up. Flipping warps the wires and puts unnecessary stress on the bra, making an underwire mishap much more likely to occur.

Make sure your bra fits. It’s tempting, when your body changes, to just suck it up and wear a bra that fit your old body. But that’s probably not going to feel great for you, and it’s definitely bad for your bra. This is especially true if your bust size has gone up. There’s more weight being carried by wires that weren’t designed to carry it, which means greater risk of underwires poking out or snapping. Get bras for the body you have now, not the body you had a year ago or hope to have a year from now.

Go forth and poke no more.

Now that you know why your underwire pokes out, you can do something about it! Sometimes it seems like these kinds of problems are just part of being busty, but they don’t have to be. Protect your boobs! Take care of your underwires.

I've been living with only two bras for a bit because they're expensive. I finally bought myself a third bra last week and now my underwire has popped out one of my other two 😕 I can't afford to keep buying bras especially because I wear a slightly rarer size so I can't find them for cheap in normal shops. In the past I've pushed the underwire back in and sowed the gap up but end up having to throw the bra out because the underwire kept popping back out.

Is there a way to more permanently fix underwire bras? Does anyone have any tips? I don't care if it looks pretty as long as it gets the job done.

Update: doubt anyone will see this edit as it's been a while. But the 2nd underwire popped out so I binned it and bought a new bra.

A perfectly snug, supportive bra is hard to find—especially when said bra is the only undergarment that really *gets* you among a drawer littered with ill-fitting options. But with regular use comes regular wear, and it's only a matter of time before your everyday bra begins to bear the mark of a doomed undergarment—the broken underwire.

Fabric breakdown is inevitable, but that doesn't make dealing with the pain of a broken underwire bra any easier. "Fabric has a lifespan depending on your wearing and washing cycle," says Laetitia Lecigne, creative director at Jockey. Fortunately, a quick, at-home fix exists to eliminate the discomfort of an underwire poking out and digging into sensitive skin.

If the underwire is snapped and simply beyond repair, it's time to upgrade your undergarments. But if you're not yet ready to part with your tried-and-true bra, follow this step-by-step guide to repairing broken underwires for extended wear.

• Needle and upholstery thread ($7 for 2 spools, amazon.com)
• 1-inch piece of duct tape
• Clear nail polish

1. Begin by pulling out the protruding underwire slightly, so that 2-3 inches of the wire is visible beyond the broken seam.
2. Cover the end of the wire by wrapping a one-inch piece of duct tape around the metal tip. This will prevent the wire from tearing through the fabric once more after repair.
3. Gently thread the wire back through the hole in the fabric until the wire is back in its original position.
4. Thread the needle using a 6-8 inch length of upholstery thread (the heavy-duty alternative to traditional string) and stitch gap in the fabric closed. Form a knot to tie off the thread once the seam is sewn shut.
5. Prevent the stitch from coming undone by lightly painting on a layer of clear nail polish over the seam. Allow the polish to dry before wear.

Thanks for your feedback!