When picking out our outfit for the day, few of us think of the health risks that a certain item of clothing could have. By and large, most clothes are safe – they wouldn’t be allowed in the stores if they weren’t. However, in the long term, several clothing choices can be bad for our bodies. There’s also risks of allergies and infections from uncleanliness to consider. Here are some tips to stop wearing stuff regularly that could be wearing you down.
Image Source
Kick your unhealthy footwear habit
You may feel more confident and attractive rocking a pair of 4 inch heels, but these shoes could be damaging your health if you’re wearing them on a regular basis. High heels put pressure on the ankles, knees, hips and on the spine. Over time, this can lead to all manner of muscular and skeletal joint problems. Pointed toes can further contribute to the problem by crushing the toes. If you wear these regularly to work, try swapping out for flats and limiting heels to special occasions (or that very important meeting where you want to appear tall). You could also consider swapping them out when behind a desk so that you’re not wearing them for such long periods of time.
Those that are regularly active meanwhile should take special care of their feet. Runners should always invest in a pair of running shoes that are less likely to put stress on joints. Whilst jogging is great for cardiovascular health, it’s not good for our feet – although giving our soles extra comfort with a good pair of shoes can lower the health risks.
In a working environment where you may always be on your feet, it’s worth also protecting your feet. Whilst too much sitting can be bad for us, too much standing can be equally as bad for our backs and joints. Looking for specialist shoes such as these Top 5 Comfiest Shoes For Nurses could limit the effect that your job is having on your feet. Be aware that even in manual labor jobs that require steel capped boots, you can still buy footwear that priorities comfort whilst also providing the safety that you need.
Loosen up
Tight clothing such as skinny jeans, tight leggings and control top tights can also be unhealthy for us if regularly worn. They can restrict blood flow causing varicose veins, crush organs causing digestive problems (particularly the likes of Spanx) and making bending limbs more difficult putting more pressure on joints. This is just a handful of health risks as these 9 Dangers of Wearing Tight Clothing show.
Taking a break from tight clothing every so often in exchange for loose and free-flowing fabrics could help prevent these health problems from setting in. You should certainly consider your purpose when wearing such clothes. If you’re going to be doing something active or eating a big meal, do you really want to be wearing skinny denim jeans or a tight miniskirt? Embrace your inner bohemian and opt for something baggy in these instances.
Keep it clean
Unclean clothing can carry bacteria that results in possible infections. There are obvious types of clothing that we know to wash regularly such as underwear and t-shirts, but other clothing choices can get neglected. Wearing the same pajamas every night is now thought to be just as unhygienic as wearing the same underwear. Meanwhile, regular gym-goers should be careful of wearing the same leggings or sweatband for a couple days in a row. The bacteria in sweat can cause scaly skin, acne or fungal infections – so wash these items of clothing regularly.
Beware of your bra
It’s important to have a good bra, not just for your breasts’ health but also your back and neck. Wearing the wrong size is the worst thing you can do – these 8 Dangerous Health Effects of Wearing A Wrong Sized Bra go into detail on the damage. However, you should also be careful about dodgy under-wiring that could be causing nasty abrasions.
As for wearing a bra at night, there are a lot of myths with some claiming it will make your breasts sag whilst others claim it will stop them from sagging. According to medical professionals however it really makes no difference – the harsh reality is your boobs will sag eventually regardless (although large weight loss and having children are thought to contribute).
Stay safe in the sun
Clothing is the best protector against the sun, but that isn’t to say you should cover up at all times in summer. So long as you’re not letting you skin burn by wearing sun cream or staying in the shade, it’s unlikely you’ll be do damage.
Too much sun can be bad for your eyes however so make sure you’re wearing a cap or shades. This will also stop you developing crows feet, which are those wrinkles around the eyes caused by excessive squinting. Beware that some sunglasses may only be aesthetic and may not actually be effectively tinted to help protect your eyes.
Don’t make rash decisions
Certain clothing materials could result in allergic reactions from some wearers. Nickel is a common example of this with many people getting rashes on their bellies below their navel due to the nickel button on many jeans. Underwire bras can also contain nickel, causing a similar reaction.
Certain formaldehyde dyes and glues are meanwhile thought to cause dermatitis for some people. Such a condition can cause itchy rashes and blotches all over the body.
At first sight of a rash, it’s worth getting rid of clothing triggers from your wardrobe. As pretty as these clothing items may be, they could be causing constant sores resulting in permanent skin damage. Such sores could also become prone to infection. Nickel is an easier trigger to spot, but dyes could be a little trickier to diagnose.
