An Orthorpaedic Surgeon, Akintayo Akindele, on Friday in Lagos, cautioned women against wearing tight body shapers to guard against gastrointestinal problems, nerve damage and even deadly blood clots.
Akindele of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that body shaping underwear, popularly called “girdles’’ among women, were used to achieve a slimmer look.
He said that the undergarments which also help women achieve a smooth, flat stomach could pose serious health risk as they may restrict blood flow around the body.
“When women wear really tight body shapers, it can decrease and restrict the blood flow.
“This can lead to blood clots which can travel to the lungs, heart, the brain and even lead to death.
“Tight shape wear can be restrictive; you may have trouble breathing properly. Some women have even fainted in extreme cases.
“Such extremely tight garment squeezes the lungs, causing your lungs to have difficulty expanding enough to take in a proper amount of oxygen,’’ he said.
Akindele said that body shapers gave the illusion of a smaller figure, flattening the stomach and bringing in the waist line.
He, however, urged women to ensure that they wear body shapers that fit comfortably to prevent health problems.
Muhyi Abubakar, an Orhorpaedic Surgeon at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, said women should be careful not to choose tight body shapers.
Abubakar said that most women wear tight body shapers as substitute for losing weight.
“Tight body shapers are not good substitute for losing weight which is the major reason most women wears them.
“You are just squeezing the body too much and you are placing either direct pressure on to a nerve or squeezing internal organs,’’ he said.
Abubakar advised women to eat right and engage in regular physical exercise for weight loss rather than resort to body shapers.
“If you must wear body shapers, ensure you are very comfortable in it. If you notice that your curves are not smoothed out, this means that you need a larger size, not a smaller one.
“The fact is you have to listen to your body.
“If you are uncomfortable, it suggests that you are not wearing the right type or size of body shapers and this could lead to health risks,’’ said the expert.
