Swimsuit Controversial?

The burquini—a full-coverage swimsuit introduced in 2007 by Lebanese-Australian designer Aheda Zanetti—made headlines recently when it was deemed unhygienic by French officials and banned from a Paris pool. Michele Hlavsa, of Atlanta’s Centers for Disease Control, weighed in on whether the head-to-toe garment does indeed pose a health threat: “It depends on how the burquini is used,” she says. “If it’s worn like a regular swimsuit—you put it on when you get to the pool, and then you go home and change—it’s not really an issue. But if you’re wearing it as street clothes, it can become contaminated with sweat and whatever dirt your clothes would come in contact with during the course of the day, and I would be against using it in the pool.” She adds, “If the fit is too loose, it could also get caught on things and potentially create a drowning hazard.” Photo: Getty Images

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