Sources: PlungeSeaside.org; BlackDoctor.org
Waist training has become more popular than ever. With more entertainers being so candidly open about their body transformations and fashionably doting their waist-cinching garments, one must sit back and wonder, “Is it really worth it for me?”
Now, there are levels to this! There are different types of waist trainers on the market and they have different purposes.
There are waist trainers that can be worn during workouts. These typically help to generate heat in the midsection and can promote loss of water weight.
Some girdles are also considered to be waist trainers. These pose limited risks because they tend to be more flimsy in structure, are worn for shorter periods of time, and simply help to smooth lines underneath clothing.
There are other trainers that are made with more structure and boning. The boning in these can be made from plastic or metal.
The right kind of waist trainers can help promote good posture. The wrong kind can pose serious health risks, especially when worn too tightly.
Wearing a waist trainer for a long period of time can harm your organs, misplace them, and cause permanent damage. It will also limit blood and oxygen flow to your vital organs which can lead to dizzy spells and difficulty breathing.
Waist trainers will heat up your core temperature and can cause excessive sweating. That means you’ll lose water weight, but at risk for dehydration.
The waist trainer may also press on your chest area, which can increase your chance of heartburn and indigestion. Not only can it cause pain, but recurring acid reflux can cause long-term damage by eroding the walls of your esophagus.
Having a waist trainer wrapped tightly around your waist for hours can cause skin irritation, chafing and rashes.
In worst cases, bruising will occur on parts of your core. This depends on the type of trainer worn and the adjusted tightness.
In most recent cases, people have gravitated to using these corsets, waist trainers, and girdles to accentuate the hips and waist purely for cosmetic reasons. Now that you know the risks, is it still worth it to you?