7 Popular Pieces Of Clothing That Can Be Hazardous To Your Health
Expertise: Beauty, Health, & Wellness
Experience: 2 years
Indrani is a writer and artist who likes to add a dash of humor to everything she does. She has two years of experience in writing articles across beauty, health, and lifestyle genres. After graduatin... more
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This article will probably change the way you look at your wardrobe, and all for good reasons! Who would have imagined that the bodycon dress you bought after saving for a month would restrict your blood circulation? Or the shoes that made you feel like a diva could damage your hip bone. As wonderful as some fashion trends are, not everything should be worn without keeping comfort and health in mind. Even though you could feel beautiful in a piece of clothing, it could harm you in ways you wouldn’t have comprehended. Here in this article, we have noted some popular clothing trends and how they affect your health. Read on to know them all.
1. Fitted Clothes
Some people prefer clothes that hug their bodies closely. Bodycon dresses, jeans, shirts, and even fitted undergarments can be a source of discomfort, but it’s essential to consider the long-term consequences of the clothing. Meralgia paresthetica is a nerve entrapment that manifests as pain, tingling, and numbness along the outer thighs due to wearing restrictive garments (1). So even if you like wearing fitted clothes, make sure you change into loose, comfortable clothing in the comfort of your own home.
2. Body Shaper
Even though body shapers are gaining popularity because of the perfect silhouette they give you under your clothes, they are not suitable for your health in the long run. They affect your blood circulation and may even restrict blood flow, making you feel dizzy and uncomfortable (2). It also puts pressure on your bladder and makes you more susceptible to UTIs and other malicious diseases (3). Not to mention that they can restrict digestion and cause pain if you continue wearing them for long hours(4).
3. Yellow Garments
The color yellow connotes joy, warmth, and sunlight, and it has been increasingly popular in recent years as a fashion staple. But unfortunately, there is concern that yellow dye used in textiles may contain a harmful substance. Polychlorinated biphenyl 11 (PCB11) is a kind of PCB linked to various cancers, including skin, liver, gallbladder, biliary tract, digestive system, and brain (5). It’s best to research what chemicals are used to dye your clothes before wearing them to your skin.
4. Skinny Jeans
Although skinny jeans are still a popular fashion statement, they pose serious health risks, especially to the private parts. For example, researchers found that tight jeans increased the risk of vulvodynia, a disorder characterized by persistent vaginal discomfort in women (6). However, if you limit yourself to wearing jeans not more than four days a week, you should be safe from health problems.
5. Donning Footwear Without Socks
Even though several fashion trends now advocate for sockless footwear, it is recommended that socks be worn at all times with covered shoes. This is because they function as a wicking barrier between the foot and the shoe, preventing moisture buildup and keeping feet dry. In addition, athlete’s foot, an infection of the skin caused by bacterial contact with wet or damp surfaces, can be prevented by wearing socks and shoes that reduce friction between the ankle and the surface.
6. High Heels
We know how much you want to own all the stilettoes you can find in the store. However, they might be a bane to your health. The higher the inches of the heel goes, the higher the risk of knee issues, lower back, and hip problems. With regular wear, the calf muscles and Achilles tendon can change shape because of the increasing pressure on them (7).
7. Wrinkle-Free Garments
The convenience of wrinkle-free clothing is especially appreciated by people who like their garments to retain their shape immediately after being removed from the dryer. But there’s always a catch, and this time it’s formaldehyde. The research discovered that this substance is commonly present in wrinkle-resistant clothing. Findings from this study suggest that exposure at these levels is unlikely to cause irritation in most persons. However, those susceptible to it may develop dermatitis, characterized by skin changes, including rashes, blisters, and dry, flaky, itchy skin (8).
Who would have guessed that clothes we spend a fortune on could threaten our health? While fashion keeps changing through the season, not every trend is ideal or safe for your body. We must keep comfort above everything else and stick to breathable fabric that lets you relax through the day. So which of these clothing hazards could you relate to? Let us know in the comments section. Keep cozy and fashionable!
