Doctors Warn About The Dangers Of Spanx
By Hadas Kuznits
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Could your constrictive undergarments be causing ailments like acid reflux?
Dr. Margot Boigon, an internal medicine physician at Abington Memorial Hospital, says extended use of Spanx, shapewear and even too-tight belts and waistbands could cause digestive issues.
Dr. Boigon says, "If you put pressure on the stomach, the force exerted can exceed the force of the internal lower esophageal sphincter, causing acid to reflux up into the sensitive esophagus, resulting in the symptoms of heartburn."
She says the use of constrictive undergarments is nothing new; that practice goes back to corsets during the French Revolution. And while some people might not make the connection between their Spanx and acid reflux, she says if you're going to wear shapewear, you shouldn't wear it every day.
"Wearing shapewear just once for that special occasion is unlikely to result in any longstanding serious medical problem," Dr. Boigon says.
