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Bodysuits are everywhere this season–on celebrities like Kendall Jenner, on the racks at our favorite shops and boutiques, and in our closets. And bodysuits that work overtime as compression garments have been hot ticket items for years now. Many women refuse to leave home without wearing a compression bodysuit beneath their clothes because they love how they nip and tuck in areas like the abdomen and waist and allow for a trimmer, but also more curvaceous, figure to take centerstage.
But before you shop around for a compression garment to flatter all of those holiday dresses, there’s one thing you need to know about bodysuits: they can actually be a danger to your health.
“The pressure that comes with wearing a bodysuit can lead to GERD (acid reflux) or can exacerbate symptoms in someone who has GERD by pushing stomach acid into the esophagus,” says Dr. Lisa Ashe medical director of Be Well Medical Group. “It can also lead to stress incontinence by putting pressure on your bladder. Additionally, women are more likely to not go to the bathroom, which leads to water retention.”
To be safe, Ashe says women should limit their bodysuit wear to no more than 4 to 6 hours at a time and ensure regular bathroom breaks. Although it is unlikely that bodysuits and compression garments will cause longterm health problems, it’s always important to listen when your body is trying to tell you something and respond to it–even if that means doing away with bodysuits and embracing your body just the way it is.
“If someone begins to experience symptoms of abdominal pain, acid reflux, or urinary symptoms, they should avoid tight clothing,” Ashe says.
For more health tips, check out the one mistake you’re making on a diet that’s preventing you from losing weight and the one ingredient in shampoo that’s ruining your hair.
[Photo: Mind Body Swag]
