Men’s Slimming Undershirts: Do They Work?

If you’re looking to lose a few extra pounds or just haven’t been able to hit the gym much, you might consider wearing a men’s slimming undershirt.

But do slimming undershirts really work? I’d say yes.

A decent slimming undershirt can help mask the additional pounds. At the same time, it can help your clothes feel more comfortable while you’re working to slim back down. Even the poorest performing men’s slimming undershirts I’ve tested do offer some slimming or shaping benefits.

But, it comes with a price.

The better slimming undershirts will do a pretty good job in “shifting” your flab compared to lower-quality ones. However, the more flab you have, the more “sausage effect” you will, no doubt, experience.

Dealing With The “Sausage Effect”

Here’s an email I got from a reader recently that asked about just that:

Tug,

First off, I have to say I think it’s amazing this website exists. Who knew it was necessary, but it certainly is!

I’ve been combing through it trying to find an answer which probably exists on the website. Therefore, if you just want to link me there, that is fine by me.

I got some Spanx for Christmas. XL size, which is my standard men’s shapewear size. They were a little tough to get on but manageable.

However, I would never be caught dead in just the shirt due to the sausage effect.

I am not fat but definitely loose in the abdomen and sides. I am wondering if that is how its supposed to look. Should I be moving up to an XXL?

The slimming undershirt pics on websites don’t help much since everyone is in great shape.

My basic questions are:

1) Should there be a sausage effect?

2) Should i pursue another product that is less costly than Spanx but just as good?

– Thanks, Peter

My Response:

Hey Peter!

Good to hear from you and thanks for the compliment on my site.

It just started out as a hobby but has really grown over the last couple of years. I’m glad it can be a helpful resource for folks.

Truth be told, anytime you wear any type of garment with large amounts of spandex in it, you’re going to get a little of the “sausage effect”.

This holds true with nearly all men’s slimming undershirts I have tried. It’s not just isolated to the Spanx for Men undershirts or other men’s shapewear.

If you’re loose around the midsection, that [fat] has got to go somewhere when you put a slimming undershirt on.

That usually results in that sausage-like feeling.

Of course, slimming undershirts do smooth you out. You will look better in your clothes wearing one, but there is a trade-off.

To your question on whether or not you should size up – I don’t think so.

By doing so, you won’t get the same amount of midsection slimming. It will be slightly looser everywhere else.

There are plenty of other slimming undershirts for men that you can try out if you’re looking for something a little less expensive.

There’s a comprehensive list on this page. If you dig through some of the reviews, you’ll get a better idea of what’s good and what’s not.

Plus, check out my Men’s Shapewear section here. You’ll find a host of articles about products in that category, including any new slimming undershirts I’ve come across.

If you see something you like and you want some feedback about it, email me back!

I’ll be happy to provide you with more info. Thanks for writing in.

Most Asked Questions

Here are the most common questions I get asked about slimming undershirts.