Fashion Trends and Their Health Risks - Slideshow

Introduction

Fashion is donning the latest trends and styles in clothes, footwear, accessories, makeup or hairdos. Fashion is a distinctive style, which dictates the manner in which people present themselves with the latest fashion fads.

The latest fashion trends constitute innovative creations of jewelry, fashion or accessory designers. A trendy, chic look can transform someone from a girl-next-door to a style diva. But some fashion trends can pose health risks too. High heels, heavy earrings, tight rings or skinny jeans are fashion trends that can be more hurtful than haute and can lead to skin infections, infertility, heartburn or lower back ache.

High Heels

High heels are a trendsetter in women's fashion since they give an aesthetic illusion of longer, more slender legs. A variety of stylish high heels are found in many different shapes like stilettos, mules, pumps, wedges, peep toes and so on.

These shoes put you at a risk of permanent health problems where hips, shoulders, back and spine get affected, resulting in lower back pain. High heels affect body balance and can increase your chances of falling resulting in ankle sprains, broken ankles, bruised knees and elbows. Its shape squeezes feet, which constricts blood circulation.

Skinny Jean

Skinny jeans are tight-fitting jeans with a tapered leg pattern. These are deemed stylish as they accentuate the figure of the wearer. However, they come with a handful of health problems like nerve compression, heartburn, abdominal discomfort and numbness.

Wearing tight pants can cause Gastro-esophageal reflux as they increase abdominal pressure. Very tight pants can cause infertility in males as testicles can get damaged due to increased heat and higher temperatures created by friction between the thigh and the jeans.

Facial Piercing

Facial piercings manage to attract immediate attention. Nose, eyebrows and lips are the most common facial parts for piercings.

Most metals used are alloys, which contain nickel causing allergic reactions that can lead to skin infections. Inappropriate use of equipment can result in nerve damage. Lip piercing rings can rub against teeth, causing tooth erosion and consequent tooth decay and gum problems. Scar tissue can develop around the site of a nose piercing, which can impact your ability to breathe.

Heavy Earrings and Tight Rings

Heavy earrings and tight rings with their intricate and stylish designs make for a great style statement.

However, wearing heavy earrings puts women at a higher risk for an earlobe tear since earlobe skin is quite delicate. If worn too often, heavy earrings stretch, lengthen or even split the piercing, which may require surgery to fix the earlobe. Tight rings can cause discomfort and numbness in the fingers due to lack of blood circulation.

Non-Prescription Contact Lenses

Cosmetic contact lenses are popular and enhance the appearance of eyes.

Non- prescription contact lenses create health risks because people often don't know how to properly wear and take care of contact lenses. The health risks involved in wearing non-prescription contact lenses include scratches on the cornea, corneal infection, conjunctivitis and decreased vision. If the lens is not properly cleaned, it can lead to bacterial infections and may result in corneal ulcers.

Tight Ponytails and Headbands

Ponytails present a professional look whereas headbands are fashionable accessories meant for hair styling.

Wearing tight headbands lead to external compression headaches due to continuous pressure on your forehead and scalp. Tight ponytails wrench the delicate hair at the front of the scalp which is susceptible to damage by constant traction and over time they can fall out leading to alopecia (hair fall). Both tight ponytails and headbands affect blood circulation. They cause constant traction, which leads to inflammation around the hair follicle. This damages the follicle, which reduces regrowth of new hair.

Hair Smoothening

Hair smoothening is a much-sought after treatment to improve hair quality.

Professional hair smoothening treatments contain formaldehyde, which can cause burning sensations in eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, nausea and skin irritation. During hair smoothening, hair chemicals used may alter the texture and structure of hair as well as result in hair thinning as the hair detaches itself from the roots. Excessive use of chemicals and heat makes the scalp itchy, which leads to dandruff.

Tattoo

Tattoos are permanent designs made on your skin with pigments inserted through needle pricks into dermis i.e. the topmost layer of the skin. Using needles contaminated with infected blood can result in tetanus, HIV and hepatitis B and C.

Red and yellow tattoo inks are most likely to cause allergic reactions such as itchiness, inflamed rashes and swelling. Skin infections like redness, swelling, pain and a pus-like drainage can occur after tattooing. Permanent discoloration of skin in the tattooed area is very common.

Handbags

Handbags aren't just an accessory for most women but a contingency plan that carries everything from their mobiles, wallets, cosmetics to even clothes.

Handbags should not weigh more than 10% of your body weight. Carrying heavier bags lead to back, shoulder pain and headaches. Our posture changes while walking and with a heavier bag load, more pressure is exerted on the leg joints, which can cause wear and tear and joint problems in knees. Posture malalignment, tendinitis of elbow, numbness or tingling in the arms, hands or fingers are associated with carrying heavy handbags.