Spanx, and other brands of shapewear, are a cultural phenomenon among women of all ages. Sandra Bullock sums up why women squeeze themselves into these bodysuits and such in one scene of a recent movie she starred in called The Heat.

"These are my Spanx ... they hold everything together," Bullock explains to her partner in the movie Melissa McCarthy. "It just keeps everything where it's supposed to be."

McCarthy responds, telling Bullock's character "that's a lot of compression."

That compression, no matter how flattering to the figure, could be doing more harm than good to the female body according to recent reports. Some doctors say shapewear may be damaging women's organs and can also cause a whole host of other problems.

In a recent report, the Huffington Post spoke to three different doctors, including a gastroenterologist, a dermatologist and a chiropractor, who weighed in on the side effects of Spanx.

Here's what the experts had to say: shapewear, by nature, is designed to squeeze the female body and this ends up internally compressing the stomach, intestine and colon. Said compression can exacerbate the symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn, can lead to erosive esophagitis and can worsen pre-existing problems with incontinence.

Shapewear can affect breathing by restricting the diaphragm, worsen irritable bowel syndrome and the environment created by the tight undergarments trap moisture, which makes some wearers prone to bacterial and yeast infections.

Sitting in shapewear can reportedly lead to a condition called meralgia parasthetica, which is when the peripheral nerve in your thigh is compressed, leading to tingling, numbness and pain in the legs.

"It's like putting these giant rubber bands around your upper thighs and tightening them when you sit," said Dr. Karen Erickson, a chiropractor.

The tight nature of shapewear can decrease circulation and lead to blood clots. For women genetically disposed to varicosities, varicose veins and lymph congestion can occur as well.

Although all of these side effects sound kind of scary, before you ditch your beloved Spanx there is some good news you should know about.

Shapewear is not likely to be harmful to your body as long as you wear it in moderation. Daily wear is not advised but for the evening or on special occasions it shouldn't be a problem.

Finally, health professionals emphasize that choosing the right fit is paramount.

According to Dr. Erickson, you want to pick shapewear that does its job but not in a size so small that it ends up causing damage. She says that a good way to tell if your shapewear fits correctly is when it's not cutting in anywhere.

According to the doctor, you know you have the right fit when "all it really does is smooth out the rough edges and you can easily get in and out of it without a struggle."

---

For the latest news & updates, follow reporter Bary Alyssa Johnson on Twitter: @MissBary