Skinny jeans
Doctors have warned that avid wearers of skinny jeans are at risk of developing nerve damage.

Wearing super-skinny jeans could cause nerve damage, doctors have warned.

According to research, skinny jean wearers could be risking their health all in the name of fashion. Experts claimed that the trousers may cause users to develop meralgia paresthetica, a chronic neurological disorder.

"This disorder occurs when one of the nerves on the outer part of the thigh compresses and pressure on in causes symptoms of tingling and numbness and pain," said Dr Karen Boyle, a urologic surgeon from Washington DC.

Other symptoms include occasional aching in the groin area or pain spreading across the buttocks, a burning sensation in the thighs as well as hypersensitivity to heat.

"One woman described it as a floating sensation when she was walking; her thighs felt week and tingly and she got pain in the thighs," Boyle added.

She added that the popular combination of skinny jeans and ultra-high heels increases the chances of developing meralgia paresthetica.

"Because the pelvis tilts it can further accentuate the pressure that's placed on those nerves," she explained.

If not corrected the condition can become serious and potentially lead to permanent damage.

In severe cases, surgery may be needed to decompress the nerve or as a last resort to remove it. The latter treatment results in permanent numbness in the area.

Consumers should consider jeans that have some stretch built into them to prevent the nerves being compressed, the doctors said.