How do body shapers work?
Body shapers are used to give the user the appearance of an hourglass shape, a curvaceous waist, and a flat stomach. With a lengthy history, shapewear and corsets have seen several alterations in everything from the fabric to the forms and sizes. Although shapewear is often favoured by women, guys are now wearing it more frequently.
Under the clothing, shapewear is worn to temporarily change the wearer’s body shape. It is intended to have a voluptuous form and a small waist to seem stylish. This is accomplished by compressing and stiffening flabby and bulgy body parts so that they resemble the desired body contour.
It is known that shapewear dates back to the Victorian era, when exquisite fabrics like satin and sometimes even silk were used in their production. Iron wires and other hard materials were also used to make the corsets, as they were called. Because these things would squeeze the ribs and sometimes the internal organs, the lungs couldn’t expand to let air in.
Modern bodyshapers are made of skin-friendly, breathable fabrics that are more comfortable to wear if you choose and use them right.
How Do You Choose the Best Body Shaper for You?
Shapewear, often known as “body shapers,” is now offered in a variety of sizes and forms. For people who are not overweight, shapewear is also an option to help them achieve the ideal shape for certain gowns. One must think about the area of the body that needs shaping before purchasing any shapewear. So, the different kinds of shapewear have different areas to shape, different ways to fit, and different sizes.
Shapewear Type: Shape-Up Area:
Minimizer Bra: This bra slims the upper back and breast.
Extended Brief: This is basically a brief that goes up to the waist or abdomen to help define the buttocks, hips, and waist.
Slip Shaper: To contour the thighs, use the slip shaper, which resembles a pair of shorts. The fabric continues upward through the waist and abdomen to the bra lining.
Shaping Top: Covers the waist, buttocks, belly, stomach, and bra to support the breast before moving on to the thighs.
Waist Chincher: Only the waist and the region around the abdomen are covered. If the flab on the belly expands or sags downward, this style is suggested.
Thigh Slimmer: This garment, which is worn like shorts but only reaches the hips and abdomen, helps to slim the thighs and buttocks.
Bodysuit: This gives the body a complete makeover. It contains a built-in bra and is worn from the thighs through the buttocks, tummy, hips, and waist. Sleeve length can range from straps to full sleeves.
Suitable Fitting:
For support purposes alone or to change the size of a body component, the user may need a tight fit. Compression clothing is marketed as anti-cellulite and micro-massage clothing that instantly shrinks the body to fit into one to three sizes smaller.But the effect doesn’t last long, and using it too much may be bad for the body.
The second kind of body shaper works by simply spreading out the fat into the proper contours, making the user seem more svelte.
How to Pick the Correct Shapewear Size
It is crucial to choose the correct shapewear size. Select a fit that enables easy walking and unrestricted motions for your body. Curves and bulges may be smoothed with medium constriction. Strong constriction is supposed to change the figure over time; however, this is not supported by science.
A shaping garment is really difficult to wear. The shapewear must be pulled up and down from the bottom. It is preferable to choose the next size if it is very constricting and does not rise after a point.
Try to tuck the bulges into the compression areas of the shapewear when wearing it. After wearing it, check for bulges and smooth them out if there are any.
Invented Materials for Body Shapers:
90% nylon and spandex is the optimal composition for body shapers. Spandex, commonly referred to as lycra or elastane, is a kind of synthetic fabric that is more resilient than rubber and has a high degree of elasticity.
To create body shapers, several companies employ neoprene. Neoprene is a synthetic rubber that not only warms the body but also acts as insulation. It is often used to create diving suits because it shields deep-water swimmers from severe cold. Body shapers made of neoprene are known to raise the body’s temperature and cause perspiration.
Cotton is often mixed with nylon and spandex in warm places to make shapewear that breathes better.
What Health Risks Do Body Shapers Pose?
When it comes down to it, shapewear is essentially compression clothing because it is tightly wrapped around the body.The long-term effects of this close cuddling might include a number of health issues.
Lung Function: Shapewear that hangs above the waist might constrict the lower lobes of the lungs, preventing them from fully inflating. This eventually results in less oxygen, a different breathing pattern, and reduced lung function.
Blood Circulation: When shapewear presses on the skin and muscles, the blood flow under the skin may be hampered. The heart may get quickly exhausted as a result of having to work harder to pump blood into the compressed regions of very tight shapewear. The blood may occasionally produce unnecessary blood clots.
Digestion: Shapewear has a tendency to increase pressure on the internal organs located there as well as the muscles in the abdomen. This may have an impact on how food travels through the colon, intestines, and stomach in the abdominal region. One of the most frequent issues seen by shapewear wearers is gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD).
Bowel: The large intestine and colon are squeezed, which slows the movement of food through the large intestine and makes it harder to go to the bathroom.
Bladder: Women who wear shapewear may find it difficult or uncomfortable to use the restroom, which may induce them to skip the trip. This may result in incontinence and leaking, infection of the leftover pee, or both.
Leg numbness: The tightness in the thighs may squeeze the nerves and restrict blood flow to the legs. This may result in a number of issues, including cramping, tingling, or numbness. Varicose veins are also more likely to develop as a result of the disorder.
Infections: Shapewear may trap perspiration and moisture in the regions, creating an ideal environment for fungus and bacteria to grow. Infections and rashes in the region might result from this.
Meralgia paresthetica: It is a condition that causes tingling, numbness, and pain in one leg. It is caused by a pinched nerve in the thighs.
Body Shapers’ Advantages and Disadvantages
Shapewear has been used since ancient times to fit into certain dresses or to make one seem voluptuous. However, wearing shapewear has both benefits and drawbacks.
The Advantages of Body Shapers
As the flabby muscles are kept tight and in the right place, the dress size goes down by one to three sizes right away.
- Those who are just a little bit overweight may have an hourglass body.
- Wearing a body shaper above the waist supports the back and improves posture.
- Because the shapewear keeps the back straight and gets rid of extra fat, the person who wears it feels more confident.
Negative Effects of Body Shapers
- Take your time and be patient when putting on shapewear. The key is to enter gradually. Tuck the flab and the relevant areas.
- Shapewear may compress the muscles, which might harm the blood vessels and nerves under the skin it covers.
- Planning ahead is also necessary for bathroom breaks.
- Depending on the kind of shapewear used, using body shapers poses health risks.
- Shapewear may be pricey, and purchasing many pieces is necessary for daily usage, making it an expensive endeavour.
Health Advice
- Pick a body shaper that is just right—not too tight or loose.
- Shapewear may help with weight reduction, but it has to be combined with a healthy diet and exercise.
- For short periods of time, use shapewear to prevent needless health issues.
- Make sure all the muscles are evenly and firmly held in position when using a bodyshaper. Do not “pinch” any muscles or skin areas.
- Gives the wearer a straight back.
