Publicado por Dr MIguel Fernadez Calderón: 07/07/2025
Nowadays, having an hourglass body shape is very popular among women, as they seek to show off a small waist, contrasting with a silhouette with curvy hips and pronounced breasts. If this is what you want for yourself, here's everything you need to know about the wasp waistLearn what it is and how to get it.
What is a wasp waist?
The wasp waist is a physical characteristic that is defined by the fact of having a very narrow and thin waist, which stands out due to the contrast with respect to the width of the chest and hips.
It is a term that became popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and has been associated throughout history with an ideal of feminine beauty in some cultures.
Characteristics of a wasp waist
- The proportion between the waist and the hip is less than the measurement that is considered normal. If we divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement, the canon value would be between 0.7 and 0.8, but when referring to the wasp waist this is reduced to 0.6 or less.
- Waist circumference measurement less than 60 centimeters.
- Having very marked curves, with more volume in the hips and breasts, which makes the waist look much smaller. For this reason, many also have breast and buttock augmentation.
- Women with a wasp waist tend to have hourglass-shaped bodies.
Origin and evolution of the concept
The wasp waist has its origins in ancient cultures such as the Greeks, where a narrow waist and wide hips were a symbol of femininity and fertility. Then, in the Renaissance era in Europe it became popular to have a small waist with voluptuous bodies. This was due to the influence of the fashion preferences of the women of the time and cultural aspects.
In the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the use of corsets became very common among women in their quest to fit in with beauty standards. However, this tight and rigid garment caused negative health consequences, ranging from breathing problems to damage to internal organs.
At the end of the 19th century, this concept began to change, and women began to wear looser, more comfortable silhouettes.
Beneficios y riesgos
Ventajas estéticas y para la salud
Lograr una cintura de avispa mejora la autoestima y la confianza, debido a la nueva forma del cuerpo y a la manera como se ajusta la ropa.
Además, someterse a un procedimiento para tener una cintura estrecha permite conseguir una silueta más definida y armoniosa, al eliminar o extraer la grasa localizada y en algunos casos (dependiendo del tipo de tratamientos) eliminar la piel flácida.
En cuanto a las mejoras en la salud, una reducción de la cintura puede corregir la diastasis de rectos. Así como mejorar la postura, facilitar la actividad física y reducir dolores de espalda.
Riesgos y contraindicaciones
Antes de someterte a cualquier procedimiento para lograr una cintura de avispa, es esencial consultar con un profesional especializado, que pueda indicar un tratamiento adecuado de acuerdo a tus necesidades. Esto te permitirá evitar riesgos de infecciones, sangrados, inflamación o asimetría.
Los pacientes con enfermedades crónicas no controladas, fumadores, con índice de masa muscular muy alto o muy bajo, y aquellos que tengan problemas de cicatrización no son candidatos para someterse a una reducción de cintura.
Asimismo, quienes no tengan expectativas realistas en cuanto al resultado, no deben realizar este tipo de procedimientos.
Cosmetic surgeries and procedures
Liposculpture
Liposculpture is a surgical procedure that aims to eliminate the fat that accumulates in specific areas of the body, both in the superficial layers of the skin as well as in the deeper ones.
To achieve a wasp waist, the surgeon will make some small incisions in the abdominal and lateral area where the fat deposits are located, there introduces some thin cannulas to begin to aspirate and extract the fat cells. So that the figure can be molded, giving a more rounded shape and with more marked curves. By eliminating excess fat in these areas, the hourglass shape is accentuated.
Abdominoplasty
Another cosmetic surgery that can be used to reduce waist size is abdominoplasty. This treatment allows the removal of hanging skin and excess fat that accumulates in the abdominal area and in the area above and below the navel. In addition, it helps the abdominal muscles to stay in place and a firmer abdomen can be achieved.
Unlike a liposculpture that removes localized fat, an abdominoplasty has other benefits. In spite of being an invasive surgery that requires a large incision that extends along the entire waist, it not only eliminates fat from the abdominal area, but also removes the excess skin. And, the navel is repositioned, making it possible to achieve a smaller, more defined waistline.
Lipofilling
Lipofilling is emerging as a very effective technique to achieve a wasp waist, since it allows to eliminate fat from the abdominal area and sides. Thus reducing the width of the waist, and injecting this autologous fat in areas of the buttocks, with a lipotransfer to the buttocks, and breasts to increase their volume, and create a greater contrast between the size of the waist and chest and buttocks.
After lipofilling no hospitalization is required and recovery from this type of procedure can take a week or a little longer. This is because it is minimally invasive, but it should be noted that the results are long lasting.
Costal remodeling
It is a procedure to remove the floating ribs, that is, the pairs of ribs 11 and 12; and thus achieve a wasp waist. With this rib resection surgery you will be able to have a curvier silhouette.
This is performed under general anesthesia and takes about two hours, requires an incision in the sides of the thorax. It involves a hospital stay of one or two days.
Métodos no quirúrgicos para conseguir una cintura de avispa
Achieving a defined figure, with a small waist, requires a combination of healthy habits, including a good exercise routine and a balanced diet. These can be combined with cosmetic surgeries that refine the figure.
Specific physical exercises
Within the daily workout routine it is necessary to include certain specific exercises for the waist area, which are focused on the abdominal and oblique muscles, such as side planks, lateral leg lifts, bicycle in the air or perform rotation of the waist and torso with weight.
In addition, cardiovascular exercises (swimming, walking or dancing) should be incorporated to eliminate accumulated fat, even in the waist and abdomen, and strength exercises to tone muscles.
You can also consider practices such as yoga, to get more flexibility and better posture. They have an impact on the way your waistline looks.
Food and diet
To show off a wasp waist, it's not enough just to exercise. Your diet plays an essential role in this path.
The most recommended foods are fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats. To control weight, it is also important to avoid overeating and limit the amount of food in the portions served and drink enough water during the day.
It is advisable to avoid, or at least reduce as much as possible, the consumption of sugary foods and beverages, as well as saturated fats.
Use of girdles and corsets
Girdles or corsets do not as such contribute to abdominal fat loss. These types of garments can complement exercise and a healthy diet, but they are an alternative that offers temporary results.
Their prolonged use is not recommended because they can cause health problems, such as difficulty breathing, problems with digestion, weakening of abdominal muscles and displacement of internal organs.
In addition, girdles and corsets can produce a distorted body image and dependence on the use of these garments to feel good about oneself.
Tightlacing
El tightlacing o “entrenamiento de cintura” es una práctica que consiste en el uso prolongado (entre 20 y 22 horas al día) de un corsé rígido muy ajustado. Con lo que se busca una modificación y reducción extrema de la cintura.
Esta acción puede traer consecuencias negativas como deformación en los órganos internos, problemas respiratorios, alteración en las funciones digestivas, atrofia de los músculos del abdomen y la espalda, así como irritación en la zona. Por estas razones, es que los expertos consideran que una práctica riesgosa para la salud.
Non-invasive aesthetic treatments
La electroestimulación muscular a través de impulsos eléctricos provocan que los músculos se contraigan de forma intensa y repetitiva, tal como ocurre al realizar actividad física, pero en este caso con mayor acción sobre las fibras musculares y de manera localizad. Con ello se logra un mejor tono muscular, reducir la flacidez y acelerar el metabolismo.
Por otra parte, las ondas electromagnéticas de Alta Intensidad HIFEM penetran en la piel, generando contracciones mucho más intensas que las que se pueden realizar con el ejercicio. Con lo cual se fortalecen los músculos abdominales y se reduce la grasa localizada.
Practical tips for maintaining a wasp waistline
As with any cosmetic procedure that we undergo to achieve a better silhouette, the healthy habits that are put into practice after surgery will determine the success of the treatment, the recovery and its long-term maintenance.
Healthy living habits
Having a healthy life requires a balance between physical exercise and a balanced diet. That is why after achieving a waist reduction, the patient should focus on having a balanced diet that avoids again the accumulation of fat in the abdominal area, and, therefore, that the waist widens. Remember to include in your diet lean proteins, lots of vegetables and fruits, eliminating ultra-processed foods, sugary foods and foods high in saturated fats.
In addition, this should be complemented with regular physical activity, including cardiovascular exercises, which serve to burn calories and eliminate fat, and exercises to strengthen the abdominal area.
Remember that habits such as smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages are not healthy and contribute to weight gain, especially in the waist area, so it is advisable to avoid them.
Posture and ergonomics
A good posture helps your wasp waist to be more noticeable. To achieve a better posture you should:
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Stretch regularly, so that you can increase your flexibility and decrease the strain on your muscles.
- If you work in an office, place your equipment and chair at the correct height.
- Do core strengthening exercises. Such as crunches, side planks, the bicycle in the air, leg lifts, among others.
Conclusion
Getting the body you want is a perfect combination of a cosmetic procedure, a good diet and a regular exercise routine. To have a wasp waist, many times the patient's genetics has an influence on the shape of the body, but science and aesthetic medicine are also effective, and that is why you can opt for liposuction, abdominoplasty or lipofilling, always considering that they must be treatments performed by trained and experienced professionals that guarantee successful results.
After these, your commitment to continue a routine of healthy habits is indispensable, so that the results can be maintained in the long term.
