Too hot for a bra? Dr Amir says women should ditch them as part of his heatwave comfort tips

With Brits facing yet another heatwave, the days of dreary, rainy summers suddenly seem a lot more enticing. Fortunately, Dr Amir Khan has offered a handful of tips for managing the heat.

While the hot weather can prove difficult for everyone, Dr Amir knows that women have to contend with other hurdles when trying to keep cool in summer - such as certain clothes not being designed to be as breathable or comfortable, and what to do with longer hair.

Breaking it down into a handful of specific tips, Dr Amir’s overarching advice is that “comfort wins over everything”. This extends to what we wear in the heat, how we wear it and what can be done with longer hair.

A big part of feeling more comfortable in the heat might be ditching the bra. Doctor’s orders. In a video shared on his social media, Dr Amir - preaching to the choir for many women, no doubt - said, “Let's just talk about bras, right? An entire extra layer of fabric strapped tightly around one of the warmest, sweatiest parts of your body.

“And if you've got larger breasts, you've also got skin on skin contact underneath, which increases sweat, friction, plus a bra sitting on top of all of that.

“That isn't just uncomfortable. That combination of heat, moisture and friction are exactly the conditions that can cause soreness and intertrigo under the breasts, that horrible, red, itchy, sometimes cracked rash that can happen.”

So, in the words of a healthcare professional, the first tip is to ditch the bra. “If your bra comes off, I'm not judging you. In fact, medically speaking, I'm recommending you do”.

Thinking about women’s clothes more generally, Dr Amir notes that a lot of the popular styles - “Fitted tops, shapewear, synthetic fabrics, tight waistbands” - aren’t the best for high temperatures. “Tight, heavy or poorly breathable clothing can make an already uncomfortable situation feel even worse.”

So, his second piece of advice, "comfort wins over everything… [Wear] loose, lightweight, breathable clothes wherever you can”.

His third tip: avoid as much friction as you can. He explained, "Keep the areas under your boobs and other skinfolds as cool and dry as possible."

Finally, for women with longer hair, he explains that "you're actually wearing a small blanket around your neck and shoulders. And I know I'm sounding light-hearted, but it's a serious point.

"When it's extremely hot, our bodies need to be able to lose heat. Sweating and the evaporation of that sweat from our skin is one of the main ways that we do it.”

So make sure to "get that hair off your neck if it helps".