Body-shaping garments, particularly fajas, have surged in popularity, becoming a staple in many wardrobes. Fajas, originating in Colombia, are high-quality compression garments initially used post-surgery to enhance recovery and results. Today, they are used to shape the body, offering women a curvier figure. Available in various styles and shapes for both women and men, including belly bands, full-body suits, and girdles, fajas are made from materials like cotton, latex, nylon, and lycra, each offering different levels of tightness.
What are Fajas?
Fajas are compression garments designed to shape and mold the body. They tighten your body and highlight your curves, giving it an overall more attractive look. Fajas are also renowned in the medical field, as they’re an essential part of recovery from body-shaping surgeries. However, they’ve become an irreplaceable part of every woman’s closet nowadays. They come in many styles and shapes, and they’re available for both women and men. For instance, you’ll find belly bands, full-body suits, and girdles. They also have many manufacturing materials that dictate how tight they are, like cotton, latex, nylon, and lycra. Generally, the less stretchy the material is, the more it defines the body. However, people’s needs are different, and some outfits call for tighter effects than others. So before you purchase a faja, you should know when you’ll use it and under which clothes.
Types of Fajas
There are many types of fajas on the market to satisfy every taste. Here’s a brief roundup of the most common types.
Full-Body Girdle: A full body girdle will cover your body from top to bottom, including your legs. Some full-body girdles also come with long sleeves. It’s worth mentioning that they’re not as comfortable as other types, but they’re better for improving your blood circulation because they cover the legs, where veins often stretch. You should only buy a full-body girdle if you want to shape your entire body. But if you only want to shape your waist or thighs, it’ll give you unnecessary discomfort.
Mid-Thigh Girdle: Mid-thigh girdles are ideal for people who want to improve their posture and postpartum mothers. They cover your body, starting from your breasts to your mid-thighs, and they shape your curves excellently. These girdles are ideal for people planning to wear fajas for a long time because they’re more comfortable than full-body girdles and will give you satisfying results.
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Panty-Style Girdle: Panty-style girdles don’t reach the thighs; they stop at your butts and are more comfortable than other types. They’re ideal for women who want to shape their butts and accentuate their waists.
Belly Bands: The last type we’ll talk about is belly bands. Belly bands only cover your waist. And although they’re less effective than other types, they’re ideal for women who only want to shape their waist and have no problem with the rest of their bodies. However, belly bands don’t do much to improve your posture or your blood circulation.
Why Fajas Are Good for Everyday Use
Fajas are suitable for everyday use for a number of reasons.
Slimmer Body: Fajas tighten your body, enhance your curves, and give you an overall slimmer shape. They can be particularly helpful for those who find it challenging to lose weight in specific areas.
Better Posture: Fajas apply pressure on specific areas in your body, therefore supporting your back and helping you straighten it while walking.
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Better Blood Flow: Compression garments, like fajas, apply pressure on many body areas, preventing veins from stretching. When veins stretch, blood pools in the legs, making it more challenging to pump sufficient blood to the heart. Compression garments also reduce swelling, especially after surgeries like Brazilian butt lifting (BBL) and breast augmentation. It’s worth mentioning that even if you don’t suffer from any medical condition, improving your blood flow is essential for your overall health.
Improve Exercise: Compression garments can reduce muscle fatigue after a workout, improve blood and oxygen flow to your muscles, and increase joint awareness.
Better Postpartum Support: Compression garments, like Colombian fajas, can reduce postpartum swelling, stabilize the body core, improve mobility and posture, and decrease postpartum bleeding.
Comfortable and Invisible: Colombian fajas are invisible under clothes and are available in many shapes. Fajas are also comfortable to wear all day long. You need to get the proper pressure and size to achieve this comfort.
Confidence Boost: Wearing a faja will give you an attractive look and help you fall in love with your body again. Some people are even motivated by fajas to lose weight and gain that body shape without any compression garments. Overall, they give a much-needed confidence boost.
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Fajas and Weight Loss: Separating Fact from Fiction
The remarkable journey of weight loss often leaves individuals seeking ways to fine-tune their new figures. One such method growing in popularity is the use of a ‘faja,’ or compression garment. This is particularly relevant for those who have successfully shed pounds with the help of medications like Ozempic.
Fajas, originating from the Spanish word for ‘wrap,’ are compression garments designed to shape and mold the body. Often used post-surgery, they’re gaining traction amongst the weight-loss community. Ozempic, a medication initially used for type 2 diabetes, has shown incredible results in facilitating weight loss. After losing weight with Ozempic, you might notice loose skin or a lack of firmness. Here, a faja steps in, providing the necessary compression to the body.
Myths Related to Wearing Fajas
Fajas are highly beneficial and widely available on the market; however, some people spread myths about them to either glamourize or cast them down.
Fajas Can Help You Lose Weight: Contrary to popular belief, fajas have no relation whatsoever to losing weight. They might give you a slimmer look and motivate you to go on a diet and exercise, but not more than that. Some compression garments also help tighten the skin, preventing the undesirable flappy skin look. And while many people consider this a weight loss, it definitely isn’t. Many people believe that compression garments can help you burn calories and lose a few pounds. But believe us, you can only achieve this through a healthy lifestyle and exercise.
Fajas Are Most Effective When They Have a Smaller Size Than Your Body: For some reason, many people think that smaller fajas will breed better results. But let us tell you, buying a garment that’s not your size will only succeed in making you feel uncomfortable. It might also give you a skin rash or leave you with blood circulation issues. Ideally, your faja should be tight enough to give you a curvier body shape but loose enough to let you breathe and move properly. If you wear a faja or any compression garment and feel that your breaths are constricted, you must discard it and buy a new one.
Fajas Are Only Made for Women: Compression garments are often associated with women because of their beauty standards. However, it isn’t a rule. Men can wear fajas and other compression garments normally. But the purpose of wearing them differs from man to woman. Most women wear fajas for a better body shape or during postpartum recovery, while men wear them for exercising and medical conditions. Some men also wear fajas for better body posture.
Fajas Are Only Made for Plus-Sized People: Many people associate fajas with plus-sized people and think it’s odd when normal-sized people wear them. However, fajas aren’t limited to plus-sized people. Anyone can wear a faja to accentuate their body and gain better-looking curves, even if they have a perfect weight. Meanwhile, some plus-sized people may not wear fajas at all. So, ultimately, limiting the use of fajas to a specific group of people isn’t more than a myth.
Wearing a faja encourages you to stand and sit upright, activating your core muscles. A 2023 study published in Scientific Reports looked at people wearing a compression garment as part of a weight loss program. Compression wear has been shown to help skin reattach in post-surgical cases by minimising swelling and promoting smoother tissue healing.
Temporary vs. Permanent
Let’s be honest: fajas don’t permanently change your body’s structure. Think of your faja as a daily support tool, like a sports bra is to an athlete.
How to Choose the Best Faja for You
If you decide to buy a faja, there are a few features that you should consider before making your purchase. We’ll tell you all about them to help you reach a well-studied decision.
Grade of Pressure: Fajas have various pressure grades to satisfy all tastes. So before buying one for yourself, you should know what degree you’ll buy. If you merely want to make your body look smoother underneath your clothes, and you don’t have thick curves, you’ll do well with a light compression faja. Light compression garments are the most comfortable, but also the least effective. However, if you’re buying a faja to wear postpartum or want to improve your posture and blood flow, you’ll need a medium compression garment to accommodate your needs. Finally, you can purchase a high compression faja if you want a perfect body and highlighted curves. But it’s worth mentioning that you should buy one only if you’re already used to wearing compression garments and comfortable with them.
Breathable Materials: Breathable materials like cotton and nylon are ideal for compression garments. They provide more comfort and ensure that your skin remains dry, therefore reducing sweating. Breathable fabrics also prevent scratching and itching that generally result from wearing tight garments. If you plan on wearing your fajas for a long time, it’ll be best if you look for one that’s made from breathable material.
Style: As we’ve mentioned before, fajas come in many styles. For example, some have straps, and some don’t. Also, some fajas only cover the abdomen area, while some have shorts to reach your thighs. If you often wear strapless dresses, you can buy fajas with removable straps to avoid purchasing a new compression garment. As for the coverage, fajas that only cover the abdomen are better for mobility. So, for instance, if you work all day long and want to be able to go to the bathroom and walk quickly, you should purchase one. On the other hand, fajas that reach the thighs can prevent chafing and provide better core support, and this will improve your posture faster. Finally, panty-style fajas are ideal for people who want to lift their butts without pressuring their thighs.
Durability: Colombian fajas are more high-quality than other compression garments. However, some of them are more durable than others. If you want to wear your fajas every day, then try looking for a durable one. This way, you won’t have to purchase a new garment every couple of months.
Antibacterial Features: Some fajas, although not many, come with antibacterial features. This is because they get manufactured with materials that prevent bacterial infections, like silver nanoparticles. They come in handy when recovering from surgeries and during the postpartum period because they ensure that sutures remain clean and healthy. It’s worth mentioning that antibacterial features aren’t essential for everyday use. So you should only look for them if you have specific medical requirements.
Color: Although the garment’s color isn’t among the main features of a faja, it’s essential to consider if you often wear light-colored clothes. Many compression garments come in black, which might appear beneath your clothes. However, black is best for concealing stains. Finally, some people prefer wearing compression garments that match their body tone.
Closures: Fajas come with many closure types; some come with hook-and-eye closures and some with zippers. Hook-and-eye closures are better for holding your faja in place, and they provide better stability while moving. On the other hand, zippers might slip or strain your arms while closing if they aren’t high-quality. Ultimately, the better choice here depends on your personal opinion. Some fajas also have front closures, while some have back closures. If you’ve recently had surgery, you should opt for front closures because they’re more comfortable.
Seamless Designs: Seamless designs are better for people who often wear tight clothes. This is because they’ll ensure that their fajas don’t appear through their clothes. However, if you wear loose clothes, you can skip this feature. More so, if you’re buying a faja for recovery from a body-shaping surgery, then a seamless design is a must to avoid irritating your sutures.
Important Considerations
You must always make sure that the faja you wear is the right size for you. Wearing a compression garment that is too small has several risks.
Corsets that are too tight can displace your organs, pushing your liver and stomach up and putting pressure on the diaphragm.
One other concern with wearing tight shapewear is that it can have effects on your blood pressure. The added pressure on your middle section can in a way “help” your heart to pump blood to your upper organs (ie your brain). When you remove the compression, your blood pressure will drop slightly. For patients who have a low baseline blood pressure, this can cause a drop in the blood flow to the brain and you may pass out. This is not uncommon in patients the day after a lipo procedure when we first remove the compression.
We recommend that anytime you are removing a compression garment, you should avoid doing anything dangerous for a few minutes while your blood pressure regulates itself. This includes getting in the shower. If you pass out in the shower, that could be life threatening.
If you have a BBL procedure, you will need to discuss your compression choices with your surgeon. While you will definitely need to wear a compression faja after your surgery, there must not be pressure on the newly transplanted fat. Using a butt lifting (levanta cola) faja can be too snug on the new fat and cause you to lose some of the transplanted fat cells.
Any compression garment or waist trainer corset should be snug fitting, but not so tight as to cause pain or difficulty taking a full breath.
Colombian faja sizes tend to run small. Don’t be surprised to find that you are wearing an XL when you would never have worn a plus size even before your procedure.
Your garment should completely cover all of the areas that were treated with liposuction.
You should wash the garment everyday. You can wash it in the washing machine, but be sure to hang it to dry. The heat from the dryer can have two effects on your compression garment. First, it can cause the garment to shrink.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Wear My Faja During Sleeping? Yes, you can, but it isn’t necessary. Only people recovering from body-shaping surgeries need to wear fajas during sleep. If you only wear fajas to shape your body, you don’t have to endure such discomfort.
Can I Put My Fajas in the Washing Machine? We don’t recommend it. Washing fajas, or any compression garments, in the washing machine might alter their appearance and make them more stretchy. As a result, it might lessen the pressure that the faja should put on your body. Ideally, it’ll be best if you hand wash it.
How Often Should I Wash My Fajas? The answer depends on how you use them. If you wear your fajas every day, you should wash them every three or four days. But if you sweat a lot, you might want to do it more frequently. Finally, if you wear them now and then, you can wash them once a week.
Are Colombian Fajas suitable for everyday wear? Yes, Colombian Fajas are designed for everyday wear.
Can I wear a Colombian Faja after giving birth? Absolutely! Colombian Fajas provide excellent postpartum support and aid in the body's recovery process.
How do Colombian Fajas promote weight loss? Faja shaper stimulates thermal activity and perspiration in targeted areas, which promotes increased calorie burning during physical activity.
Will wearing a Colombian Faja improve my posture? Yes, Faja shaper can help improve your posture by providing support to the back and core muscles.
How long do Colombian Fajas last? The durability of a Colombian Faja relies on several factors, such as how often it is worn and how well it is cared for. By taking proper care, which includes handwashing and air drying a Faja of excellent quality can endure for an extended period.