MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It’s another throwback, making a comeback.

Lots of women are following the latest celebrity craze and wearing extremely, tight corsets, commonly called waist shapers or waist cinchers.

The goal is to achieve a tiny waist and hourglass figure.

Companies and individuals selling waist shapers claim the garments provide instant slimming, help with appetite suppression and overall weight loss.

However, there’s a hefty price tag associated with waist shapers and in many cases, questionable results, so WREG wanted to find out, whether waist training is worth it or a waste?

Candace Smith was inspired to sell waist shapers after she said she lost 50 pounds using one, plus following a diet and exercising.

WREG cameras watched Smith as she fitted a customer for a new waist shaper.

“As we begin to snap it up, you’re going to actually start to see your fat disappear,” she said. “As she puts this waist trainer on, it’s going to start to shape with her body and her body will start to conform to this garment which means that the fat that’s here will continue to train itself, so it’s no longer there.”

Smith said she encourages clients to wear the garment for at least eight hours a day for 30 days.

Some women sleep in their waist shapers.

“It makes it disappear, but that’s like putting a band aid over Niagra Falls,” exclaimed Nurse Practitioner Stacey Powell.

Powell’s practice, Carefree Health and Weight Solutions, focused on health and weight loss.

She said wearing the corset short term is fine, but she’s against using it all day as recommended by sellers.

Powell said such tightness in the stomach and abdominal area could lead to bowel discomfort, and plenty of other unexplained problems.

“Reflux disorders from that, you’re having heartburn, a lot and you don’t know why, this could be contributing to it,” explained Powell.

When the On Your Side Investigators brought up the health concerns regarding waist shapers with Smith she said, “The only thing that makes it unhealthy is to get a size she couldn’t fit.”

Wendy Holmes is a personal trainer and owner of Pike Yoga.

“Consumers are still intrigued by quick fixes,” she added.

She said working your body’s own “corset’ muscle provides better long term results.

“If you are wearing something that’s offering such as constricted environment, you probably aren’t going to eat as much, it’s not going to be comfortable,” she said.

There are waist shapers made for work outs, but according to Holmes, it’s not quite like traditional, compression gear which is designed for optimal performance and recovery.

In addition, she said wearing something so tight isn’t good for breathing while working out.

“Anything that you use for constriction, or in a trend, the ‘getting rid of’ stuff, that’s a claim,” Holmes said.

It’s also a pricey promise.

Most waist shapers run well over $100 and they’re typically sold online or through social media via multi-level marketing.

With that said, Powell added it’s important to understand it’s still a sale, a pitch for a product.

“Being aware of someone who’s trying to get a quick buck on you,” she said.

She also added that women interested in waist trainers should ask sellers about their professional background and experience.

Holmes says at best, “It will bring awareness maybe to your midsection which then maybe, you make the connection of maybe, I do overeat, maybe I’m not active enough.”

Which could jump start positive change.

Smith said they recently held a seven day challenge and encouraged clients to exercise and eat healthy while waist training.

“So it’s not just about looking good, we want our clients to be healthy from the inside out,” said Smith.

WREG  requested before and after photos from Smith, of customers who’d lost weight after wearing the waist shaper for an extended period of time.

We never heard back.

Experts also said it’s important for women to understand, no matter their size or weight, not everyone is meant to have the same body shape, which includes and hourglass figure.