AS women try to find a magic bullet to cure their weight issues, more and more are turning to fads, some of which can be dangerous. One of these fads is the waist trainer, which some women are touting as the new way to melt away fat from the midriff.

However, CEO of Mahogany Health and Fitness, Dr Winston Dawes, said not only does this not work, but it is also dangerous.

“It may restrict your breathing and deform your internal organs. The premise of the waist trainer is that it will increase sweating in that area and you will be burning off the fat; as well as the tightness in that area itself will mould the fat,” he said.

But Dr Dawes warned that it is wrong for a number of reasons, as people in general lose weight not by compression, but by exercise and decreasing the number of calories consumed.

“We have to burn off more calories than we consume daily so that there is a deficit of calories per day. The body responds to this by going into its stores, much as how we would dip into our savings account in emergencies, and it burns the fat,” he said.

Moreover, Dr Dawes said genetics determine where fat is stored,

“Some people store fat around the belly, the organs, others store it underneath the skin — this may be around the belly, the buttocks, thighs, and only rigorous activity and careful dieting will cause you to lose weight to a point where you are comfortable if you have excess fat stored in those areas,” he said.

He pointed out that targeted exercises and butt exercises such as crunches with abdominal machines will not lose fat in those areas, nor will wearing a waist trainer.

With regard to the dangers of the practice, internist to Dr Jomo James said the latex corset material is tightly woven around the chest and as such it causes excessive heat, perspiration and moisture, which can lead to fungal skin infections.

According to Dr James, what’s worse is that wearing the corset for hours and days on end will constrict chest movements and by extension restrict the lungs.

“This has the potential of causing lung collapse, mucus plugging and lung infection, particularly in those who are vulnerable,” he said. “The shallow breathing has been known to cause fainting spells.”

The internist pointed out that the internal organs of the abdomen are also confined and shifted around in long-term corset wearers, which is not healthy.

“There is a tendency as well for these organs to assume an elongated shape. The increase in abdominal pressure can worsen pre-existing conditions like haemorrhoids or piles and vaginal prolapse,” Dr James said.

Dr James said the corsets may also result in damaged nerves from constriction in the groin which causes a condition called meralgia paresthetica, which is a painful burning and tingling of the thigh.

He warned that the practice of waist training is not permanent, and like Dr Dawes, said it will not promote weight loss.

“It’s essentially compressing the stomach and putting the fat elsewhere. There is no evidence it causes weight loss on its own,” Dr James said.

He added that to maintain the hourglass figure you have to wear it for an extensive period. “After disuse the body will return to its usual shape,” he said.