Imagine wearing a traditional saree every day, only to discover years later that the tight waist cord of your petticoat might have silently caused a dangerous health issue.  Dubbed "petticoat cancer," the condition is linked to the chronic pressure from tightly tied waistbands, a stark reminder that even long-standing cultural habits can carry hidden risks, according to a study published in British Medical Journal (BMJ) Case Reports.

The doctors in the reports have advised wearing a loose petticoat beneath the saree to ease pressure on the skin and loose clothing if skin problems develop to allow the area to heal. They also advise seeking medical attention if any skin irritation or ulcers develop, as non-healing wounds can eventually turn malignant.

The study has revealed how this seemingly harmless practice can lead to serious skin problems, including ulcers and even skin cancer. The condition, caused by prolonged pressure and friction, can lead to skin irritation, non-healing ulcers, and, in severe cases, skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma). Doctors, including those from Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in Uttar Pradesh, explained that continuous pressure and friction from a tight waist cord can cause long-term skin irritation. This irritation can lead to ulcers, which, in some cases, may develop into skin cancer, they said based on the two cases they came through.

According to the authors, a 70-year-old woman sought medical treatment for a painful skin ulcer on her right side, i.e., between ribs and hip bone, which had been present for 18 months and refused to heal.

The authors noted that the skin around the ulcer had lost its pigmentation. They also mentioned that the woman wore her petticoat tightly tied around her waist beneath her saree.

In the second case, a woman in her late 60s was reported to have had an ulcer on her right flank that had not healed for two years.

"A woman in her late 60s presented with a two-year history of an ulcerating lesion on her right flank. She wore a lugda daily for 40 years. A lugda is tied very tightly around the waist without a petticoat," the authors wrote.

The authors further noted that the biopsies revealed that both women had a Marjolin ulcer, also known as squamous cell carcinoma (ulcerating skin cancer). In the second woman, the cancer had spread to one of the lymph nodes in her groin at the time of diagnosis, the authors said.

Authors warn chronic pressure from tight clothing can lead to non-healing ulcers and potential skin cancer.

 "Constant pressure at the waist often leads to cutaneous atrophy, which ultimately breaks down to form an erosion or an ulcer. The ulcer at this site does not heal entirely due to ongoing pressure from tight clothing.

A chronic non-healing wound results, which may develop malignant change," the authors wrote in the study.