“BEAUTY is pain” is an old saying – but we may be suffering more than we know for the sake of style.
It’s hardly surprising that shoes such as stilettos don’t favour our feet.
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But items we wear daily could also be taking their toll on our health, from our bras to our favourite pair of jeans.
GP Dr Philippa Kaye regularly fields questions about how clothing affects health. “I talk about bras a lot, because I see a lot of women with breast pain and ill-fitting bras,” she tells Sun on Sunday Health.
Meanwhile, podiatrist Heather Smart gives the lowdown on the shoes that might be doing you a disfavour this summer — from flip flops to trendy ballet flats.
She says: “Shoes are a critical part of our wardrobe that play a major role in our foot health and mobility, so choosing the wrong ones can be detrimental to our feet.”
Here’s more fashion faux pas we should watch out for . . .
SKINNY JEANS
WRIGGLING into these can make you feel extra slinky.
But the tight band of denim around your middle can make bloating worse.
And if you layer your snug jeans on top of tight knickers or bodysuits, it can get hot and sweaty in the creases of your groin, increasing your risk of fungal skin infections.
Dr Kaye says: “We all have bacteria and fungi on our skin, but they love a warm, moist environment.”
The solution? Opt for a looser style of jean if you suffer from bloating and keep tight layering to a minimum, especially in hotter weather. Dr Kaye adds: “Your clothes are supposed to fit you, not you fit the clothes. You don’t need to change yourself for a pair of skinny jeans.”
BAD BRAS
EIGHTY per cent of women wear poorly fitting bras, says Dr Kaye, author of Breasts: An Owner’s Guide.
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In most cases, the band size is too big and the cup size is too small. Unsupported boobs can lead to neck, shoulder and breast pain.
Your posture might slope as your weight is dragged forward. And underwiring can also cause pressure sores if it digs in.
Dr Kaye reminds us: “The breasts aren’t held up by very much other than skin.”
She adds that if your bra fits correctly, it shouldn’t hurt all day, and you shouldn’t feel the need to whip it off as soon as you get home (unless for general comfort).
The GP advises getting a bra measurement in a shop or online. She says: “It should fit and be parallel all the way around. It shouldn’t go up like a sad face or sag at the back.
“If it’s gaping on the cups, then it’s too big and, if you’ve got four breasts because it’s digging in, that’s too small.
“You shouldn’t be able to put more than a finger under the band, otherwise it’s too loose.”
SWIMWEAR
IT’S worth ensuring your bikini top is supportive, especially if you’re running about on the beach.
Make sure to bring a dry bikini to change into.
“The crotch and under the breasts often don’t dry quickly,” Dr Kaye notes.
Sitting in wet swimwear can create the hot, moist environment bacteria and fungi thrive in, putting you at risk of fungal infections such as thrush, bacterial ones including UTIs, and skin irritation.
SHAPEWEAR
FIGURE-sculpting shapewear that sucks in your stomach can worsen indigestion and acid reflux and make you feel full quicker, because your body can’t bloat and expand as normal.
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If it’s restrictive and compresses your ribcage, you might feel short of breath like women in the 19th century in corsets.
Dr Kaye warns: “You’re more susceptible to overheating when wearing anything tight underneath your clothing.”
Heat exhaustion is potentially serious. It can lead to heat stroke, which is a medical emergency.
And if shapewear or corsets compress nerves in your pelvis, you could be left with numbness or tingling in your thighs — a condition known as meralgia peresthetica.
Save shapewear for special occasions and be mindful of why you are wearing it.
“Are you trying to change your shape because you have body dysmorphia?”, Dr Kaye asks, adding this may need to be assessed and treated.
THONGS
SKIMPY thongs may be discreet, but the gusset of some knickers can sometimes be so thin that your labia might not fit inside, leading to irritation there and around the anus.
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Dr Kaye adds: “We recommend you have a cotton gusset because cotton is a natural fibre so you’re less likely to sweat.”
That means less irritation. It also prevents a moist environment that those bacteria and fungus like to hang around in.
Dr Kaye says that, for men, boxers can lend little support, leading to pain in the testes.
BALLET FLATS
THE “it” shoe of the mid-2000s, ballet flats have made a comeback — much to the dismay of podiatrists.
Aside from offering little sole support, abnormal pressure distribution is the top reason why they might harm our feet.
Heather explains: “Ballet flats have a much narrower, tighter fit compared to other shoes, which is what keeps them on our feet when we walk.
“This increases pressure on the tops and sides of our toes and the balls of our feet, which can cause painful corns and calluses to form.”
Trainers are the top choice of shoe for Heather, who is the co-creator of footcare brand ZeroSole.
She says: “Running-style trainers with thick, curved, cushioned soles are the ideal choice and will support the foot, absorb shock and protect your feet from overuse injuries.”
HIGH HEELS
CONSIDERING how much high heels make your feet throb, it’s no surprise they are a fashion faux pas.
The shoes force the foot into an arch which, aside from causing corns and calluses, can increase risk of musculoskeletal conditions such as metatarsalgia, which causes pain in the ball of the foot.
Conditions affecting the nerves between your toes (Morton’s neuroma) or joints (capsulitis) may also occur. Dr Kaye says: “The more you wear them and the higher the heel, the worse that’s likely to be.”
FLIP FLOPS
A BEACH and pool staple, the summer slip-on offers little support, putting you at greater risk of corns, calluses and painful cracked heels.
Heather says: “The absence of support around the heel means it moves around in excess with walking. This causes the skin to pull apart and painful cracks in the skin to form.”
If you’re wearing flip flops this summer, make sure you’re moisturising your feet.
