Every woman wants to look and feel their best. It’s what gives them the confidence to face their fears and the grace to run their empires. One of the products on the market that offers a whiff of this confidence is shapewear. And what’s not to love about it? It hides a decade’s worth of lousy dieting in just a second. It’s a billion-dollar market, and women all around the world are keying into it.

From Spanx to Waist Trainers and even corsets, its impact on today’s women is undeniable. However, there’s been a lot of medical speculations about shapewear. While some believe it could potentially harm the integrity and functionality of one’s organs, others say it has no health side effects. This piece is highlighting the truth and clearing speculations in the single question that millions of women have asked, can shapewear seriously harm your body?

No! Shapewear cannot cause any permanent or irrevocable harm to your body. However, as a disclaimer, shapewear indeed comes with some side effects, which include:

  • Acid reflux caused by the stomach’s contents spilling into the esophagus due to the pressure of the shapewear.
  • Skin reactions because they are, after all, made of synthetic fibers.
  • Bloat or blood circulation deprivation when the shapewear is too tight.
  • Pelvic organ prolapse for women above 50.

However, these are all side effects, and even as they’re not life-threatening in any way, it’s still important to use your intuition. Do not use shapewear if it irritates your skin or causes any skin reactions; neither should you wear them for long hours. Also, with shapewear, size is everything! Get the rights size, so you don’t feel too suffocated or claustrophobic.

In summary, shapewear is mostly designed to be flexible, and there’s no permanent or body-changing damage it could possibly do to one’s physical anatomy. However, it does have some side effects which could be managed appropriately. In short, get the size right, the hours to a minimum, and take note of any skin irritations to fully get your money’s worth because we all know they can be pricy.