Unhealthy Fashion Trends: When Fashion Is Bad For You

If you’re into fashion, you may have a good idea what the hippest trends are. But what you may not know is some fashion trends could be bad for your health.

The Skinny On Skinny Jeans

Jeans seem always to be in style. Whether you dress them up with a nice top or wear them with your coolest t-shirt, jeans seem to be a fashion staple that stands the test of time. But one thing that does change is the style of jeans. From bell bottoms to mom jeans, there have been all kinds of denim trends. 

According to a report published in the June 2015 issue of Journal of Neurology, Neuroscience and Psychiatry, skinny jeans may lead to leg swelling and nerve damage in some circumstances.

The journal article goes on to tell the story of a woman who was wearing skinny jeans and later developed compartment syndrome. The woman reported she was wearing skinny jeans and spent a large part of her day squatting while she was helping a relative clean out cupboards. The woman’s legs became painful, and she had trouble feeling her feet. She required medical care including IV medications due to muscle damage.

So what is a fashionista supposed to do?  Should you ditch your skinny jeans for good? There does not appear to be a lot of skinny jean research and cases, such as the above are not too common. But it does seem to make sense that if your clothing is tight and restricts blood flow, it is probably not the best choice.

Corsets And Shapewear Undergarments  

Years ago, corsets were a fashion staple. A corset cinched your waistline and the smaller it made you look, the better. Although corsets are the not norm on a day to day basis for most people, there is another fashion trend that is somewhat similar.

Shapewear undergarments are becoming more and more popular with both men and women. Shapewear includes different types of compression garments that are worn to smooth out the lumps and bump you don’t want to be noticed. There is a big market for garments that flatten, squish and squeeze you to make you look slimmer.   

READ What Does Shapewear Really Do To Your Body?

While they may make you look good in your dress, these undergarments are not so good for your health. Wearing garments, such as corsets or shapewear may squeeze your nerves and internal organs. For example, shapewear that puts a lot of pressure on your abdominal area is also squeezing your internal organs, which can lead to stomach pain and may push stomach acid up and lead to reflux.