Yin Yin
Ever wondered how the stars of the style department would fare in the health department? Dorcas Ng counts the cost of beauty.
SKIMPY UNDERWEAR
Though we don’t wear granny underwear, most undies can be seen under skintight fabric. In escaping the curse of the visible panty line, thongs and g-strings have emerged as the popular choice. Similarly for men, briefs complement fitted pants.
Warning Label:
Dr Tey Hong Liang, a dermatologist with the National Skin Centre, held that as a general rule, underwear should be absorbent in order to cope with prolonged sweatiness, which can cause fungus infections. Friction from the outerwear may also result in skin rash and inflammation of the sensitive areas. As for males, the issue of decreasing fertility with tight underwear is still not proven scientifically.
Customer Advisory:
Switch back to the traditional, looser alternative whenever possible and consider your purchases more carefully.
OVERSIZED BAGS
For an industry obsessed with all things small and thin, bags seem to live in an alternate universe, illustrating how big is beautiful. Since an empty bag is forever begging to be fi lled, the danger of over packing a heavyload is proportionate to the carrier’s dimensions.
Warning Label:
“One tends to bend over to the other side to balance the weight of the oversized bag, either bending sideways or leaning forward. This places stress on the neck, shoulder and back muscles and ligaments,” says Dr Sabrina Wong, a family physician at the National Health Group Polyclinics.
Customer Advisory:
It’s commonsense actually – keep the bag light, opt for short, wide straps and alternate shoulders diligently. If it’s too heavy, try splitting its contents into two bags and balance each other out on both shoulders.
TIGHT CLOTHING
It’s hard to avoid the “skintight” trend with virtually every retailer hawking lycra and spandex season after season. And chances are you would have to be of mannequinbuild to prevent these stretchy materials from squeezing your fats at one unsightly spot while gently skimming the skin at another. Skinny jeans are a prime example of this skinclinging obsession.
Warning Label:
Dr Sabrina Wong reveals that having clothes wrap around your skin will undoubtedly attract a whole barrage of dermatologic problems. Apart from blisters and hives caused by friction, one also becomes susceptible to the threat of fungus infections. Tight-fitting clothes from the waist down are also known to cause heartburn and worsen varicose veins in the legs. A more serious condition borne exclusively from hiphugging bottoms is meralgia paraesthetica, where the sufferer experiences a burning sensation on the thighs. This is because of a prolonged pinching of a sensory nerve under the hipbone.
Customer Advisory:
Well, there’s no band-aid solution for this particular menace but at least you’ll be a smarter shopper from now on, and buy looser and more comfortable clothings.
“FASHION” SUNGLASSES
We often forget that shades serve a greater purpose beyond that of a fashion statement, that is, to shield our eyes from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet(UV) rays. Be it a $20 pair from Forever 21 or a $200 pair from Christian Dior, neither price nor brand is indicative of the amount of protection offered. And no, the darkest lenses do not provide the most protection. The surest way to know whether a pair of sunglasses offers complete UV ray protection is if it is labeled so or verified by an optician.
Warning Label:
The main concern about UV rays is how they can cause cataracts,” says Mr David Chong, an optician from Mei Teck Optical House. Rarer consequences include photokeratitis – the sunburn of the eye and retina damage.
Customer Advisory:
If the shades do not provide sufficient UV protection, wearing them will only damage your eyes. The dark environment created by the lens causes pupil dilation, which allows more light to enter the eye, and this light may still contain UV rays depending on the lens’ ability to filter them. So prescribe or buy a pair that guarantees complete UV protection. According to Mr Chong, grey, green or brown coloured lenses offer better protection outdoors.
INAPPROPRIATE FOOTWEAR
When it comes to shoes, we are besotted with two extremes: the towering high-heel and the flat flip-fl ops. With documentation of the former’s ill effects, you probably thought that Singapore’s national footwear is the healthier choice.
Warning Label:
Apart from an increased chance of sprains, high-heels can cause soft tissue injuries as well. For example, walking on flat surfaces will be painful on the heels after a prolonged period. Meanwhile, muscles and ligaments work overtime to control the unsupported foot in flat shoes, thus causing unnecessary pains in the back. Dr Matthew Herd, a podiatrist from the Osteopathic & Podiatry Centre, defined unsupported as allowing the heel and forefoot to move about freely and the arch to collapse excessively. The effort to keep the flip-fl ops on also adds pressure on the toes. This causes deformities such as hammertoes and claw toes.
Customer Advisory:
Minimise the time spent on high heels by wearing them only on special occasions and adopting the practice of switching to sports shoes whenever transiting about settings that call for dress shoes. If you have to wear them, opt for heels lower than 2.5cm. Meanwhile, save your flip-flops for the beach.
FROM THE STREETS
hype polled 300 readers, aged 18 – 25, to find out how much of a fashion martyr they were.
35%
I would never wear the same thing twice if it gave me trouble before.
29%
I try not to, but I usually end up in the darkside.
21%
Sore backs, blisters, and bloodied toes. That’s my regular sacrifice.
15%
No pain, no gain. At least I’ll die looking good!
HYPE’S ADVISORY PANEL
DR SABRINA WONG
Family Physician, National Health Group Polyclinics
DR TEY HONG LIANG
Dermatologist, National Skin Centre
DR MATTHEW HERD
Podiatrist, Osteopathic & Podiatry Centre
MR DAVID CHONG
Optician, Mei Teck Optical House
Illustrations by Goh Wei Choon