Spanx is the quickest way to hide your extra bits when you want to squeeze into a form fitting outfit. But as actress Jennifer Coolidge once said, "I hate Spanx because even though they look so good under your clothes, sometimes mid-wedding I'll be like, 'I feel so nauseous. They're so tight, who knows what you're cutting off?"

We can all relate to it, as most of us don't think about the health ramifications of shapewear. Are we actually hurting our bodies for the slimming shortcut?

Gastroenterologist Dr. John Kuemmerle, dermatologist Dr. Maryann Mikhail and chiropractor Dr. Karen Erickson shed some light on how shapewear affects your body:

1. It compresses your organs, including your bowels. You'll find it hard to eat and breathe when your internal organs are compressed.

2. You could develop tingling, numbness and pain in your legs.

3. Your muscles suffer when you rely on shapewear for good posture. Dr. Erickson explains that "shapewear is not a substitute for having strong muscles." Dr. Erickson says.

4. Shapewear can create an environment prone to infections. According to Dr. Mikhail, the common infection is folliculitis, since bacteria often gets trapped among hair follicles and causes red puss-filled bumps. It can be treated with topical antibiotics, but "recurrent infections may develop antibiotic resistance, meaning they get harder and harder to treat."

What you can do:

1. You can wear them, just not too often. "Everyone I know owns shapewear -- it's kind of a miracle," Dr. Erickson admits. "But I think we want to be mindful to not wear it on a day-in and day-out basis."

2. It's important to choose the right fit. There are many types of shapewear available. Pick the right style, and pick the right size. "You really want to pick shapewear that actually fits you," Dr. Erickson says. "You want it to do its job, but you don't want to get something so small that it's damaging you." Look for something that isn't cutting in anywhere. Dr. Erickson recommends trying out different brands and materials. "All it really does is smooth out the rough edges and you can easily get in and out of it without a struggle."