Kim Kardashian Shows off Controversial Waist Trainers in New Skims Video

Kim Kardashian has used her celebrity to promote tons of products throughout the years, but her newest one is causing some controversy for being potentially dangerous. It’s called the Waist Trimmer and it’s part of Kardashian’s SKIMS line. Most of the products the company offers are a variety of undergarments and shapewear, but this one is promising to make women feel “snatched,” according to Kardashian, who herself says she struggles with body image issues.

In a video posted to her Instagram account, Kardashian shows of the Waist Trimmer. She says, “A waist trainer is a gift that I used to give to all of my friends right after they had a baby. They make me feel really snatched.” The person recording the video says it “makes you feel secure, it makes you feel tight.” In the comment of her Instagram post, Kardashian called the product, “My tried and tested solution to sculpting your midsection.”

There are some potential concerns with the product, however. Women’s Health talked to Caroline Apovian, MD, who is the director of nutrition and weight management at the Boston Medical Center, about the SKIMS Waist Trainer.

“Their waists are not changing size due to waist training alone,” she said. “Wearing a waist trainer will only make your body appear smaller while you wear it.”

But beyond not actually changing the size of a woman’s body, they can also cause real, physical damage, according to Apovian. “They can push the stomach beyond the diaphragm, causing reflux and interfering with breathing,” she said.

Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a clinical professor of OB-GYN at Yale School of Medicine, also addressed her concerns with Women’s Health. “Medically, it doesn’t make sense that cinching your waist tightly will make it permanently smaller,” she said. “Once you take the garment off, your body will return to its usual shape. It’s also uncomfortable, restricts your movements, and if you wear it really tight, it can even make it difficult to breathe and theoretically could cause rib damage.”

This isn’t the first time Kardashian has faced backlash for one of her products. Earlier this year she came under fire for the name of her Kimono collection.

Even with the warnings, there will surely be plenty of customers lining up to buy their own SKIMS Waist Trainer. For those still interested, the product launches on Monday, September 30th.