Body shapers 'may cause health problems and even death'

London, August 19 (ANI): Women who wear body shaping innerwear to look slimmer are risking their health as the tight garments can do nerve damage, create gastrointestinal problems and deadly blood clots, doctors have warned.

Even teenagers have needed medical treatment after wearing the popular garments.

A number of celebrities including Beyonce, Adele, Oprah Winfrey, Kimberley Walsh, Kim Kardashian and Alexandra Burke have boasted of wearing the body shaping garment.

It helps women achieve a smooth, flat stomach.

The problem arises if the body shapers are too tight and restrict blood flow from the pelvic area to the heart and lungs.

"When women wear really tightly configured clothing it can decrease the blood flow," the Daily Express quoted Dr Farzaneh Sabi, American obstetrics specialist, as saying.

"This can lead to blood clots which can travel to the lungs, heart and the brain and even lead to death," Dr Sabi said.

According to Dr Sabi, women should be careful not to choose body shapers that are too small, and shapewear is not a good substitute for losing weight.

"You are just squeezing the body too much so you are placing either direct pressure on to a nerve or squeezing internal organs," Dr Orly Avitzur, a neurologist and medical adviser to the US Consumer Association, said.

"The tighter the fabric, or the more uncomfortable it is, the more likely you are to suffer damage," Dr Avitzur added. (ANI)