Your Spanx are squeezing you sick

Ladies, we’re making ourselves sick in the name of style, and it has to stop. Whether we’re squeezing into SPANX and other breath-stealing shapewear or trying to rock the skinny jeans look, we’re putting ourselves at risk for … Skinny Pants Syndrome. According to Consumer Reports Health, doctors are seeing more and more young women coming in complaining of nerve symptoms like leg pain, numbness, and tingling. The symptoms are usually indicative of a compressed nerve condition, called meralgia paresthetica, which occurs in pregnant and obese women. But now thanks to overwear of skinny jeans, Spanx, and other constrictive clothing, young, athletic women are contending with it! What’s more, docs warn that they’ve seen the tight garments cause tons of other problems like bladder and yeast infections and even blood clots!

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Now, okay, obviously these health concerns don’t develop overnight or after one wear of Spanx or a couple of days a week of wearing skin-tight leggings. But some women wear the hell out of either — day in, day out — and that’s when worrisome nerve conditions develop. That’s because the clothing pinches the femoral cutaneous nerve that runs along the thigh and pelvic area. And then when it comes to the yeastie beasties or bacterial infections, tight pants are often the culprit, because layers of lycra or camel toe-inducing pants suffocate your lady parts. Wearing Spanx or other constrictive garments around the belly can cause painful acid reflux, cramping and abdominal issues, especially in people with IBS or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Sadly, it seems that there are two underlying problems here: a.) We’re so desperate to look skinny and muffintop-less that we squeeze ourselves into shapewear that — although quite helpful when you’re attempting to wear some sexy, form-fitting number — can be really freakin’ uncomfortable! And b.) we want so desperately to be “on trend” that we go for jeans that do nothing really but impinge on our physical well-being! No matter what Rachel Zoe says, no one should put her health at risk for fashion. Article by Yahoo! Shine

About The Author

Patricia Colli, Editor of Beutiful Magazine, is a human rights activist, equality advocate, and promoter of health, acceptance and wellbeing. Having experienced disordered eating, unhealthy exercise patterns and poor body image, she is especially passionate about shedding light on eating disorders and the power of body acceptance.