Big boobs bother: How to resolve double trouble woes

There's something that's been weighing heavy on my heart for quite some time now, literally. And now I'm struggling to find a perfect Christmas party dress, it's time to face facts – my bust is beginning to take over my life.

And not in a good way. I can't wear a blazer unless it's three times the size of my trousers, and blouses just gape around the chest. It's costing me a fortune in bras and dictating what clothes I can and can't wear, making party season a headache.

The Anita Rosa Faia Scarlett bra is £49, but with its supportive fit and comfortable straps, it's worth investing. The matching pants are £21. Available from www.chantillyonline.co.uk

Pepperberry clothes are available in sizes 8-18 in curvy, really curvy or super curvy chest sizes, to accommodate your bust. This sequin chiffon dress is £79. Visit www.bravissimo.com/pepperberry

Scantilly by Curvy Kate is a sexy range for bust sizes DD-HH. It's available from ASOS and Figleaves. This All Wrapped Up bra, with extra halter neck support, is £42.

And it's not just me. A study by underwear brand Scantilly showed that women in the UK now have an average bra size of 34G and the sale of bras of an F cup and above have risen by 66 per cent.

Boob tubes? Cute, but you can forget it. Backless tops? Not unless I want an industrial-strength bra on show, or pains in my lumber region for the next month.

And it's not just a fashion problem – those pains are real. My posture is terrible and I'm starting to become more round-shouldered. When I sit up straight and put my shoulders back, everything clicks and cracks like a mummy rising from a tomb after millennia.

So I went on a mission to find the best solutions for my problem.

TEMPORARY SUPPORT

Finding the right bra can make all the difference to how you look in your clothes and how well supported you are beneath them.

The thing I've found with buying bras offline is that sizes vary. Ann Summers has a very attractive and feminine range of options for big boobs, but they can run a little small in comparison to the same size from another shop, so bear that in mind when ordering.

There are balconette, plunge and padded bras to choose from, and these all differ slightly with the fit too. Fortunately with Ann Summers, you can take any ill-fitting bras back to the shop, rather than messing about with return post, and they can order the right size in for you.

Underwear company Bravissimo boasts a great clothing brand, Pepperberry, which caters for curves. Lucy Hewitt, the creative director, tells me: "Generally speaking, the high street doesn't really offer anything for girls with big boobs.

"Many women have to deal with the frustration of having to go up two or three dress sizes just to avoid gaping buttons and pulling seams to accommodate their chest. The Pepperberry clothing collection has been carefully designed with boobs in mind to offer properly fitting clothes, without the need for upsizing."

A great option for Christmas party wear – I opted for a sparkling black dress and it fits beautifully. But what should I wear underneath?

Anita and Rosa Faia specialise in large cup bras and swimwear. They have styles for sports, every day wear and more attractive, lacy options.

But it's about substance as well as style. The straps are wide to prevent cutting-in when carrying the weight of bigger breasts.

They also have a good band around the back and sides, which is strong enough to be the main bra support – it should come from there and not the straps.

Of all the bras I opted to try, this was by far the best, even though it was expensive at £49. It seems when it comes to comfort, I found you get what you pay for.

A PERMANENT FIX

Dr Surinder Sandu, a chiropractor down at the Bedford Chiropractic Clinic, told me: "I see a lot of women with neck, shoulder problems, back pain and headaches. In many circumstances, poor posture and breast size is a significant contributing factor to these symptoms. The most common postural change large breasts can cause are an increased kyphosis (curve in the upper back) and rounded shoulders."

With this in mind, I went to MYA, a cosmetic surgery clinic on Birmingham's Hagley Road where I met with clinic manager Amanda Donnelly. She understood the problems I faced immediately. It was clear she'd heard them all before, many times, but despite this, she didn't suggest surgery straight away. She recommended I meet with leading surgeon Mr Riccardo Frati to discuss my body. There he'd take my body mass index, to see whether he felt surgery was appropriate or whether losing weight and maintaining it would make a difference.

The surgery to take away breast tissue, Amanda told me, is quite a big undertaking – similar to a tummy tuck. It'd take two to three hours to cut away the excess tissue and reposition the nipple. There are risks, she outlined clearly, as with any surgery. But the outcome has changed other women's lives forever. She recalls women who have wept with happiness to finally feel confident to take their clothes off in front of their husbands. The surgery has changed lives. I'd never seen big boobs as being able to chip away at body confidence – it was sad to hear.

It's food for thought. The surgery costs £6,450 and can be paid in instalments. Whether it's an option for me, I'm not sure. I think I'll get children out of the way first. There's only so much my back will take!

For more information on MYA Cosmetic Surgery, visit www.mya.co.uk. Dr Surinder Sandu can be found at www.bedford-chiropractor.co.uk