Does your shapewear pose a heath risk?

Your great-grandmother might have used a corset to keep her figure under control and your grandmother probably turned to a girdle, but now, modern-day shapewear, like Spanx, are worn by millions of women around the world.

However, CBS News medical contributor Dr. Holly Phillips told the “CBS This Morning” co-hosts that all the squeezing and tucking could bring about long-term health consequences.

“Just like with girdles and corsets we saw a lot of rib compression and lung problems back in the day, well shapewear is the new girdle, so now we’re actually starting to see side effects from that,” said Phillips. “In my practice, I’ve seen a bunch of nerve compression – that’s tingling and numbness going down the outer thigh or in the groin.”

She said there have also been reports of abdominal pain, abdominal distention, digestive problems and even skin problems.  

Phillips said that with men who wear shapewear, there are other concerns.  

“With men who wear the shorts, which are compressing, we worry about decreased sperm count or sperm production,” she said.

Also, she said that one of the pieces in particular, called thigh shapers, which are the shorts that hold the lower part of your body in, can have "very serious” side effects.

“One of the side effects is very serious, in that it can increase the risk of blot clots. Unlike the compression stockings that start at the bottom of the body and come up, these shorts push the blood down,” she said.