So for whatever reason, it seems like everyone I know on Facebook has been getting a ton of ads about BODY SHAPERS recently. But do body shapers work?
And, my first thought was, are there any health hazards in using them??
After all, it’s pretty common knowledge that the corsets women used to wear, squishing their organs, were not exactly healthy…In fact I read an interesting article recently on how tightly-laced corsets that left some women barely able to breathe, squeezing in their lungs like a boa constrictor, also made lung conditions like tuberculosis worse.
To quote an article from a medical journal in the late 1800s, even a “novice in anatomy understands how by this process, almost every important organ is subjected to cramping pressure.”
But the old-timey tuberculosis thing, and the journal quote over a hundred years old, may have you thinking, “This isn’t Pride and Prejudice. I think I’ll be OK.”
Plus, most articles about the dangers of shapewear are talking about those corsets and girdles, the kind that the Kardashians were fans of a few years back.
And so before we get into the whole question of, “Do body shapers work?”
…What exactly does cramming your organs together DO?”
Well, it can hurt your spine, cause digestive issues, and even…by putting a lot of pressure on the abdominal cavity…cause incontinence, or a pinched nerve!
And so, as Dr. Keri Peterson from Lenox Hill Hospital in NY says, body shapers are dangerous in general, not just the corsets from the old days.
Putting pressure on your stomach (hello acid reflux) is generally not a good idea.
But when I heard someone on Facebook respond to “Do body shapers work?” by claiming that they restrict blood flow and thus increase blood pressure…
I really wanted to see the research for myself. The consensus, including Dr. Peterson’s input, seems to be that wearing shapewear occasionally should not be enough to actually cause blood circulation issues (and won’t cause blood clots either).
Overall, Dr. Peterson recommended that women (and men!) limit body shapers to special occasions.
Because no matter how high quality they are, and no matter how much you pay for your body shapers, the science still stands that Spanx isn’t quite safe. 😉
As for the question, do body shapers work for those special occasions…?
Well, even though one day won’t hurt your stomach, intestines, and colon, it’s honestly impossible to know what shapewear will WORK for you and look good, until you try it on.
Shapewear commercials show the models just standing straight on in a flattering pose, and not bending over…so you have no way of knowing how you look in THAT pose! So you should always, always try it on before you buy, if possible! Or at least make sure there’s a good return policy.
And you also want to consider whether you want a product like Spanx that works as control briefs — shaping the stomach, rear, hips, and thighs all in one — or if maybe a (cheaper!) thigh-slimming shaper is all you really care about.
One last tip…please don’t buy body shapers that are too tight!!
I know it seems like it could help keep everything “in” even more. But you just risk pinching yourself and cutting off circulation, and causing what could be permanent harm.
And if you’re struggling to lose weight…And find time, motivation, and a workout routine that WORKS…please contact me and I can help! 🙂
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