Slimming girdle : beware of the risks

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Extract from the article: Having a slim waistline is one of the fashions imposed on today's society, to the point of giving rise to a proliferation of accessories and practices that are highly prized by women and some men. These accessories come from the West, including the s

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Having a slim waistline is one of the fashions imposed on today's society, to the point of giving rise to a proliferation of accessories and practices that are highly prized by women and some men. These accessories come from the West, including the slimming girdle. Highly fashionable these days, the slimming girdle has become a must-have in the wardrobe of women who want the perfect figure. While compressing your body in a girdle may seem harmless, doctors have explained that this practice can be dangerous in the long term.

On the market, slimming girdles are snapped up like hotcakes. Tassi Emilie, a seller at the Adidigomé Assiyéyé market, explains: «I sell a bit of everything, what women need to have a more beautiful figure, girdles and corsets. All categories of women buy here, but there are more women who have already had children».  Martine, the mother of a daughter she met in the Zanguera district, is a fan of girdles. «The girdle doesn't just help you to have a beautiful figure. It also helps you lose weight. The girdle is my everyday ally for shaping my figure and getting a flat stomach effect », she assures us.

The benefits of a slimming girdle

A woman's worst nightmare is having small rolls of fat around the stomach or waist. A slimming girdle is a rectangular latex accessory, usually fitted with a clip, used to shape the figure.Proponents say it's ideal for slimming the waist, burning fat and shaping the figure.

In fact, pregnancy can cause a woman to put on a lot of weight. Even after giving birth, the volume of the belly can increase.This is because the uterus has not yet returned to its original shape and size.Wearing a slimming girdle would therefore be a way of returning the tummy to its almost initial state.

However, using a girdle without the advice of a doctor can be dangerous. Dr Pamela Allavo Attiogbe, general practitioner and head physician at the Agoè-Demakpoè polyclinic, points out: « You need to know that the girdle is an accessory used in medicine.It can be prescribed after certain abdominal surgeries to help the viscera to grow back in the abdomen, and it is used for a given period of time », she explains. 

Risks and dangers

Wearing a slimming girdle can help you shape your figure, enhance your curves and create a flat tummy, but it can also be dangerous to your health if used for too long, warns Dr Pamela Allavo Attiogbe, Head Physician at the Agoè-Demakpoè polyclinic.Dr Lionel Choukroun, Plastic Surgeon at the Clinique du Grand-Paris, also reveals this: « We compress a part of the body evenly, so it drives out the liquid, which goes back where it belongs: into the blood vessels.Tightening the body so much can also displace the organs, which will no longer function normally ».

This is because the girdle squeezes the stomach, putting pressure on the stomach, intestines and colon. This can lead to worsening acid reflux, heartburn, the risk of urinary tract infection, pinched nerves and respiratory problems.

General practitioner Dr Pamela Allavo Attiogbe sounds the alarm: « The risks are of deforming the body, particularly by pressing too hard on the rib bones. Blood circulation can be slowed down, and organ function can be seriously damaged. In extreme cases, back muscles can become atrophied. Cases of heartburn, acute oesophagitis and even incontinence have been observed when it is used too frequently ».

Some women are not really comfortable with the girdle. « It gives me stomach pains », explains Awa, a food trader at the Adidgomé Assiyéyé market in Lomé.  Solim, aged 27, has bad memories of wearing a girdle. « I used the girdle because I thought my belly was too big. But I was disappointed. The accessory doesn't retract the tummy other than to camouflage it. Once you take it off, your tummy returns to its original shape », she regrets.

Patience, sport and a good diet

In the quest for the slimmest waistline, it is possible to expose yourself to severe pathologies. That's why, as a preventive measure, there are sports coaches available to help those who want to lose weight.As for diet, there's nothing better than the advice of a nutritionist. Whatever the size of your belly, the most important thing is your health and that of your baby.

William O.