I have been wearing one of these since I gave birth five days ago. I started out with 2XL and I'm already down to the XL (I got different sizes to wear as my waist goes down). They don't make you lose weight, but they do help your stomach muscles and skin go back to normal faster, thus resulting in a smaller waist line. This is my third child, so I needed all the help I can get. So far, it's working. I am just a little concerned that if it's too tight, it could cause high blood pressure....will take off if I start to feel funny....