Though we all love to strut our stuff, it is so imperative as a dancer or athlete to purchase comfortable exercise apparel. It is just as important to also watch what you wear when you're not exercising too! Excessive wear of spandex, synthetics, and other tight materials can be harmful both externally and internally, equally for both men and women. Wearing tight garments on a daily basis is common in today's society and is hardly considered a health risk. But it is! Here are several things dancers or athletes do unknowingly that are health risks:

• · Not changing socks after a several hours of wear
•  · Staying in wet swimwear after swimming
•  · Not changing out of sweaty workout clothes
•  · Wearing borrowed exercise equipment or clothes without washing or sterilizing first.

These are all invites to ring worms, constipation, and bacterial infections simply because the sealed skin is too damp and not receiving proper ventilation.

Some fertility specialists claim that wearing tight clothes every day increases testicular temperatures in men. It can possibly harm men's sperm production, therefore resulting in infertility. However, this theory is based on long-term effects. Wearing tight clothing all the time has also been identified as a common factor among young women who often contract yeast infections. Among the elderly, in addition to being an uncomfortable health hazard, wearing tight clothes for long periods of time can also increase blood pressure.

There are numerous alternatives to wearing lycratalic spandex, one of the essential materials worn by dancers and sportsmen/women. New materials have been developed to replicate the feel of spandex minus the side effects it can have on your skin. Cotten blends, Nylon, and polyester blends are very comfortable and light materials you can try in exchange for spandex. (Nothing against it, just letting you know what's also out there!) Now that you're aware of how serious picking the right exercise clothes and wardrobe can be, remember to wear it right, not too tight!