Doctors Report Cases of ‘Petticoat Cancer’ Linked to Tightly Tied Saree Underskirts
Doctors Report Cases of 'Petticoat Cancer' Linked to Tightly Tied Saree Underskirts
Study highlights potential health risks tied to traditional clothing practices in India.
A recent study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Case Reports reveals two cases of “petticoat cancer,” a form of skin cancer possibly triggered by the habitual practice of tightly tying the waist cord of a saree’s underskirt. Doctors from Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Uttar Pradesh, documented that constant pressure and friction from a tightly tied petticoat can lead to chronic skin inflammation, which may eventually progress to cancer.
The term “petticoat cancer” or “saree cancer” refers to a condition linked to the daily friction and compression on the waist caused by tying the saree or its petticoat. This phenomenon is becoming a health concern for older women who have worn sarees this way for decades. According to the study, both women developed a form of skin cancer known as Marjolin ulcer, or squamous cell carcinoma, as a result of long-term ulceration.
In one case, a 70-year-old woman reported a persistent skin ulcer on her right flank that had developed over 18 months, causing pain and discomfort. She had been tying her petticoat tightly under her saree for most of her life. Over time, she noticed depigmentation in the area, which worsened into a non-healing ulcer. In the second case, a woman in her late 60s presented with a similar ulceration after wearing a tightly bound saree for 40 years. Her cancer had spread to her groin’s lymph nodes by the time she sought treatment.
Marjolin ulcers are rare but aggressive forms of skin cancer that develop from chronic wounds, such as non-healing ulcers, burn scars, or areas subjected to continuous irritation. The study’s authors explained that chronic pressure from tightly bound clothing could cause skin thinning and lead to erosions that do not heal. If untreated, these wounds may undergo malignant transformation.
Doctors recommend that women consider looser clothing to reduce constant pressure on the waist. For those with existing skin concerns, wearing a looser petticoat could allow better circulation and healing. One of the women affected urged others to be mindful of unusual skin changes and seek medical advice promptly.
This study underscores the need for awareness about potential health risks from long-standing traditional clothing habits and encourages timely medical intervention for unexplained skin conditions.
