The Huffington Post recently published an article about the dangers of shapewear. Dr. Kuemmerle and Dr. Erickson both say that the too tight fabric can be responsible for many medical issues you may not even realize you have. By wearing shapewear you are compressing your colon, intestines, and stomach. This can lead to the erosion of your esophagus and a disruption to the flow of digestion which can lead to bloating and abdominal discomfort. You are also restricting the movement of your diaphragm – without the sufficient amount of room to move, you are more likely to have shallow breathing. If you sit in shape wear for long period of time, you can develop a reversible condition know as Meralgia Paresthetica. This medical condition is caused when the peripheral nerve in your thigh is compressed. Symptoms include numbness, tingling, and pain in your legs. It can also effect your circulatory system and increase your chances of developing blood clots and swollen ankles. spanx-organs “It’s like putting these giant rubber bands around your upper thighs and tightening them when you sit.” Dr. Erickson says. Another part of your body that is affected by the modern day corset is your muscles. Shapewear shouldn’t be used as a posture aligner. It’s important to strengthen the muscles in your body instead of relying on the shapewear to hold you together, it is not a back brace. You are also more prone to getting a yeast or bacterial infection because the shapewear traps moisture under it. A common infection from shapewear known as Folliculitis is when bacteria gets trapped in your hair follicles and causes red puss-filled bumps. It can be treated with a topical antibiotic but if you have reoccurring infections your body will build up a tolerance to the treatment. Listen, we’ve all either worn shapewear or wear shapewear on a regular basis because of the pressures to look physically perfect or to hide all those unwanted lines. I get it, I’ve worn shapewear myself and it was horrible. Having to stuff yourself into something that feels as tight as a second skin to only achieve a slight difference and the difficulty of breathing doesn’t seem worth it to me. Now hearing the medical facts behind this damaging piece of fabric should only give all of us a bigger reason to throw them out. Love the skin you’re in exactly the way it is. Don’t waste your time and money on a piece of fabric that is a danger to your health and a pain in the ass to get into!

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