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Gwyneth Paltrow Angers Doctors And Women With Claim That Wearing Bras Cause Breast Cancer

By Val Powell
Published on: 18:02 PST, Oct 26, 2015

Award-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow is currently under fire after an article on her lifestyle website Goop claimed that wearing bras that are too tight can cause breast cancer.

Written by Dr. Habib Sadeghi, the article said that the female undergarments could lead to breast cancer if they are too tight for the person wearing them. This, however, is a long-time myth that has not been proven scientifically.

Medical experts and health groups were outraged, considering that the spread of the false detail was, in part, allowed by Paltrow.

“Gwyneth Paltrow continues to give unsafe medical advice,” said Dr. Alexandra Sowa, a medicine clinical instructor at Weill Cornell Medical College. Meanwhile, the American Cancer Society said in a statement that, “there are no scientifically valid studies that show wearing bras of any type causes breast cancer.”

Two people particularly shared their experiences concerning breast cancer, saying that the “inflammatory” article contains information that is not supported by any scientific research.

The first is Diane Mapes, a public health writer who was diagnosed with the disease, and had already undergone a double mastectomy. She shared that there are a lot of trusted sources where people can get information about cancer.

In addition, she also said that getting advice from Paltrow is not a good idea, and that people are not serving themselves well.

Freelance writer Adrienne Santos-Longhurst also shared her experience with her mother, who now has stage IV breast cancer. After being diagnosed at an early stage and undergoing treatment, her mother was given the “all clear.”

However, a few years later, the cancer metastasized, and it is now considered “incurable.” She shared her frustration and anger towards the wrong information that is currently being spread on the Internet, referring to Goop.

Meanwhile, Dr. Monique Gary, a Breast Surgical Oncologist at Grand View Health, and Director of the center’s Cancer Risk Assessment Program, said that the fact that Paltrow highlighted the article “fosters shame” among women fighting a disease that is caused by “unavoidable” and “unpreventable” risk factors.

However, this is not the first time that Paltrow’s website sparked controversy when it comes to adopting a healthy lifestyle and taking preventive health measures.

Aside from the bra-causing-breast-cancer issue, the website has also showed that people should “detoxify” in order to get rid of toxins inside their bodies. This includes steering away from alcohol, caffeine, added sugar, gluten, dairy, and other types of foods.

The report also mentioned that the actress even brings her staff to a group detox every January, one in which they reportedly drink lots of lemon water, and make use of “infrared saunas.” Another scientific myth that has enraged medical practitioners is that vaginal herbal medicine that will allegedly balance female hormonal levels. The person would sit on a mini-throne where mugwort steam is produced. It is said to cleanse the uterus, as well as other parts of the female reproductive system.

Unfortunately, both “health tips” from Goop have been disproven by experts. Body detoxification isn’t needed because the body already has its own agents that perform that function – the liver and kidneys.

On the other hand, the vaginal steam may potentially cause burns and even bacterial infections, as explained by OB-GYN Dr. Draion Burch.

Other reported claims from Paltrow’s website include trampoline jumping as a better form of exercise than running, using mineral-based sunscreens instead of chemical ones, and colon cleansing to flush out toxins from the body.

If people really wish to know more about the conditions of their health and body, they should not go to actresses like Gwyneth Paltrow, said Dr. Sowa. She also said that the negative reactions that Paltrow is receiving hopefully will lead to fewer people believing and following her.

[Image by Jason Kempin, Getty Images]

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