CLAIM:
Wearing a saree—specifically tying it tightly at the waist over time—can lead to a condition referred to as “saree cancer.” Repeated friction from the drawstring (nara) is said to cause skin damage that may eventually develop into cancer if ignored.
FACT:
Across studies, a consistent pattern emerges: chronic friction from tightly worn clothing can lead to skin changes such as pigmentation, itching, and thickening—conditions that are relatively common and usually harmless. However, in very rare cases, especially after prolonged exposure over decades and when such lesions are left untreated, they may progress to skin cancer. Importantly, this phenomenon is not specific to sarees and has also been reported in association with other tightly worn garments, such as dhotis.
Wearing a saree? Ever thought it may come with a hidden health risk? A viral reel is now raising eyebrows by linking the six yards of elegance to something as serious as cancer.
In a viral reel posted by Ishita Mangal, a content creator with over 4.71 lakh followers, the idea of a so-called “saree cancer” has caught widespread attention online.
In the reel, she introduces what she calls a “new kind of cancer,” saying, “This is not a WhatsApp University forward, this is real.” She explains that early signs include darkening of the skin where the drawstring (nara) sits—describing it as “chronic friction damage.” She also points to white patches or loss of colour at the cord line, along with persistent itching at the waist cord position, adding that “your scratching makes the damage worse.”
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She further mentions skin thickening at the cord line, stressing that “this is the point when you go to the dermatologist - not next month, now,” urging viewers to take such symptoms seriously.
At the same time, she reassures that there is no need to panic and suggests preventive steps. These include switching to a broad waistband or elastic petticoats to reduce pressure, ensuring the drawstring is not too tight using a “finger test,” and rotating the position where the saree is tied to allow the skin to recover. She also recommends breathable fabrics like cotton, especially in summer, as heat and sweat can worsen friction.
The reel concludes with a calming note: “So do not panic. Wear your sarees every day; just follow these simple steps, and you're good to go.”
The video has since gone viral, garnering over 5.23 lakh views, 13.9 thousand likes, and 18.3 thousand shares, sparking curiosity and concern around whether wearing a saree can actually lead to cancer.
Does wearing a saree cause cancer? What does research say?
Medical literature does document cases of what is informally referred to as “saree cancer”—but these are rare and isolated, not a common health outcome.
A 2014 study highlights just how uncommon this condition is, noting that “skin cancer is rare in India with an incidence of about less than 1% of all cancers. Saree Cancer, a kind of skin cancer is rarer entity.”
The study explains that repeated friction from tightly tied petticoat cords can lead to hyperpigmentation, abrasions, and ulcers, which in very rare cases may undergo malignant transformation.
The paper describes the case of a 40-year-old woman who developed a non-healing ulcer at the exact spot where she tied her saree. Over time, the lesion grew in size and was diagnosed as well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Importantly, the authors emphasise that such cases are among the “first few reports” and stress that while chronic abrasion can lead to dermatosis, progression to cancer remains rare and preventable with simple measures like wearing a looser petticoat.
Adding to this, a 2019 case report presents a similar but even more extreme instance. It documents an 80-year-old woman who had been wearing a saree for nearly 70 years and developed an ulcerative growth along the waistline. The study notes that “dermatoses are more commonly seen in body folds and in waist areas where sari is tightened,” but describes saree cancer itself as a “rare case.”
The authors also point out that waistline pigmentation and mild scaling are so common among saree-wearing women that they are often ignored. However, they caution that in rare cases, long-standing irritation can lead to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)—particularly in chronic wounds or scar tissue, a phenomenon known as Marjolin’s ulcer.
More recent research continues to reinforce this pattern. A 2020 report explains that tightly worn traditional garments can cause drawstring dermatitis, a form of friction-related skin condition. It states that “the resulting chronic friction at the waist can lead to lichenified grooves, post inflammatory depigmentation/leukoderma and aggravating pre-existing dermatoses like vitiligo and lichen planus.”
However, the paper clearly adds that cancer is not the typical outcome, noting that “rarely, squamous cell carcinoma has been reported.” The study again describes a case of a 68-year-old woman with a long history of tightly wearing a saree, who developed a cancerous lesion at the waistline after years of chronic irritation.
This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS