Many younger women gravitate towards getting swimsuits with padding because it makes their breasts look bigger and also hides any perky nipples. The result is that swimsuits with padding can give a nice confidence boost to women feeling a little insecure about how they look in a swimsuit, and this insecurity is very normal.
Despite these benefits, there are actually many reasons why you should take out the padding, or just wear a swimsuit without padding in the first place. For instance, many women argue that padding is uncomfortable to wear, doesn’t look that much better than without, makes it harder for them to do anything athletic, and can even damage their breasts.
If you are thinking about making the switch to a swimsuit without padding, how do you deal with the insecurity and perky nipples? I think when it comes to insecurity, the older you get, the more you’ll understand that your body is beautiful the way it is. Plus, the other benefits of comfort, athletic performance, as well as how gently it cradles your breasts might make you say “screw it, let’s get rid of the padding.”
Even without padding, you can wear waterproof nipple covers, wear a swimsuit with patterns that make them hard to see, wear a frillier top and let the extra fabric cover them, or just stop worrying about your nipples because it’s probably not very visible anyways.
In this article, we will go over how you can wear a swimsuit without padding, and why you ought to ditch the padding in the first place if you’re still on the fence about it.
How to deal with perky nipples without padding
Many women feel insecure and vulnerable when wearing a swimsuit without padding because their breasts don’t look as large and their nipples might be visible. There are a few ways to deal with these issues, which we discuss below.
Use waterproof nipple covers
When your nipples are warm, they are quite soft and not as prominent. The issue is when they are cold; they can stiffen up and become perky. It’s not really a problem if you’re just spending time on the beach, but what if you decide to take a dip in the water? That’s just asking for your nipples to become visible.
You might also naturally have prominent nipples, so even if you aren’t in the water, they might be visible depending on the kind of top you have. So what can you do about this?
The easy answer is waterproof nipple covers. You may have heard of marathon runners taping their nipples so that they don’t chafe against their shirt and also so they aren’t visible. Well waterproof nipple covers are somewhat similar and they will keep your nipples covered up.
There are a few variations, such as a specially designed paste to a simple band-aid type cover. Pick the style that you prefer the most to smooth out the nipple area so it’s not so prominent.
Find a bikini top with a design that obscures the nipples
If you’re not a fan of wearing something extra to cover your nipples, then look for a swimsuit design that obscures them without padding.
This tip can be accomplished in many ways. For instance, if the color or design of the swimsuit makes it hard to see your nipples, then the problem is solved.
The most straightforward solution is to wear darker, solid colors, especially black. That way, not only will your nips be covered, but any stains can be covered up as well.
As for patterns/graphics, look for anything that is busy and extravagant. The more complex the design, the more likely any perky nipples will be lost in the design.
You can also look for tops that are frillier or use more fabric. The extra layers will cover up your nipples kind of like how a nipple cover would. The downside of more fabric is that it creates additional drag and brings down your athletic performance.
Just don’t worry about it
Maybe you’re just overthinking things. Perhaps your nipples aren’t as prominent as you think they are, or maybe no one even notices or cares. It depends on one’s culture and upbringing, but it seems there is a substantial amount of women that don’t really care if their nipples are visible through their swimsuit.
I find that younger girls tend to care about this issue more, to the point that they would even try to wear a bra under their swimsuit, and older women are less likely to be bothered. If you are still at an age where you fear scrutiny from friends or strangers, go with the other suggestions mentioned above instead.
Why you shouldn’t wear padding
It’s uncomfortable
Women who take out the padding from their bikini top say that unpadded bikinis feel more more comfortable. They say the unpadded ones don’t slip and slide around into awkward positions, and that it just feels more natural to not have pads inserted.
It’s also a pain in the butt when the padding comes out while washing it or while swimming. Then you are left trying to awkwardly squeeze the pad back through the undersized slit on the side, fumbling with it with one hand while the other tries to smooth out the bikini. If you had to do it once, you’ll know how annoying it is.
Nothing is more frustrating than when you finally insert the pad and you think the ordeal is finally over, only for you to realize that the padding is lumpy in all the wrong places and it feels as bad to wear as it looks. Swimsuits without padding will never have this problem, so you can just skip straight to the having fun part of your beach day.
It looks better without padding
Some girls think that the padding can give their bosom that extra oomph, but there are other ways to accentuate your curves without resorting to padding.
You can try tying your bikini in a creative and appealing way, or wear one with a design that draws attention to your curves. Monokinis are a very sexy way to accomplish this.
Padding can actually accomplish the opposite effect if it isn’t a perfect fit for your boobs. Then it will be very obvious that you’re just trying to pad your chest instead of the padding naturally blending in. In that case, it would have been better without any padding at all.
It impairs athletic performance
If you’re going to the beach, you’re not just going to stand or sit around on the sidelines are you? Don’t you want to get in on the fun? Whether that’s beach volleyball, windsurfing, surfing, snorkeling, or just swimming in the water, you actually want to get in on the action, don’t you?
Bikinis already aren’t the best choice if you plan on doing any physical activity, and bikini tops with pads are an even worse choice. You don’t have to be a professional athlete to justify wanting more performance, and swimsuit padding will get in the way of some friendly recreation.
At the end of the day, bikinis without padding look better, feel better, and perform better. You won’t ever have to worry about them sliding around or sliding out. If you’re worried about your nipples being visible, there are ways to obscure it that don’t involve wearing padding. If you were on the fence about taking the padding out, give it a try, and I promise you won’t want to ever put them back in.
