Best Summer Compression Garments to Keep You Cool in Warmer Weather
As you know, managing your lymphedema is a full-time job. There’s no summer vacation for lymphedema sufferers. You don’t get a break and have the option of skipping the daily use of compression wear. Nor can you afford to stop being hyper-vigilant about avoiding new physical insults to the skin in affected areas, or stop paying extra attention to skin care. It is important to find great summer compression garments to keep you cool and comfortable in the hotter months.
Constant Vigilance
A bug bite in the arm can be a nuisance for a person without lymphedema. But for someone managing the disease, it can precipitate a crisis. The same is true of sunburn. For other folks, it can be painful and uncomfortable. For you, it could signal a medical crisis. There’s just no way around it: If you suffer from lymphedema, you have to take special pains every day to avoid making things worse. That means staying out of the burning rays of the sun is crucial. Applying appropriate biting insect repellant is essential if you will be spending time out of doors.
And staying cool while wearing your graduated compression sleeves, hose, or other compression garments becomes a new challenge. Fortunately, major compression wear manufacturers have focused on the issue of heat retention and comfort, and they’ve come up with some helpful solutions. The use of moisture-wicking fabrics, for instance, goes a long way toward reducing discomfort during the hot, steamy months of summer.
Manufacturers Step Up and Help You Cool Down
LympheDIVAs moisture wicking arm sleeves and gauntlets incorporate special cooling technology to help keep you comfortable. Coolmax® fabric wicks moisture away from the surface of your skin, while superior breathability ensures that sweat will evaporate efficiently. These carefully crafted moisture-wicking sleeves also feature micro-encapsulated Aloe vera. The emollient is released for six months of continuous use.
Known for centuries as “burn aloe,” or “First Aid plant,” Aloe vera is a perennial succulent that yields a natural moisturizing, cooling gel that helps treat burns. Aloe vera is also considered an excellent skin moisturizer.
A 2007 article published in Burns: Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries, reviewed available data regarding the effectiveness of Aloe vera gel for the treatment of second and third-degree burns. It concluded that patients treated with Aloe vera gel tended to heal an average of about nine days faster than patients who did not receive such treatment. It should be noted that Aloe vera is recognized within medicine as an anti-microbial and anti-fungal agent.
Customers routinely comment on their satisfaction with the LympheDIVAs line of sleeves and gauntlets. They find them both comfortable and stylish and note that they are especially comfortable to wear during hot summer weather. Given the wide range of whimsical patterns and colors, customers are much more likely to enjoy wearing these sleeves.
It’s Not a Silver Bullet, but…
For those dealing with lymphedema of the leg(s), we recommend Juzo Silver Soft hosiery. These graduated compression hose feature micro-encapsulated anti-microbial silver ions for the control of bacterial growth, and the prevention of odors. Silver ions prevent odor-causing bacteria and fungi from growing and bind with denatured proteins and ammonia emanating from the surface of the skin to further reduce unpleasant odors.
Juzo Silver Soft garments are specially designed to reduce the risk of skin infections, and aid in the treatment of venous stasis ulcers and other skin wounds by promoting better circulation. They also help you keep cool, to further enhance healing and facilitate lymphedema management. That’s a relief in warm summer months when perspiration is inevitable. Of course, these and other compression garments from Lymphedema Products are fully washable. Consider buying two or more items so you can rotate them as you wash one or the other garment.
Comments
Do you have any knee high compression garments that will address lipedema? I have ordered wraps from Lymphedema Products LLC before and that is what I have been using but some days the time and frustration to wrap or put on compression socks leaves me exhausted and tired.
Also, the lipedema is in my calfs, but when I wear knee high compression socks my legs have the tendency to swell above the top of the socks, especially in the summer. Any ideas or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
I have had lymphedema for 17 years, and it has taken that long to build up tools to fight the disease. Use the right tools for your knee highs. Start with a good lotion to moisturize skin, a sock Aid puller – the 3finger, terry covered, long strap handles. Once you get the hose on use rubber gloved hands to smooth the sock, especially on the ankle area. This helps some with that bulge at the knee but I have been told the best remedy is the waist high hose. (Two sock aids work great here. ). The Medi Butler Off is my choice to take them off at days end. Amazingly none of the podiatrists or therapists I used were aware of these ‘tricks’. I allow myself extra dressing time due to fatigue from all this. Use of compression machine daily works to keep me comfortably walking. I’m sure I haven’t found the whole answer. Sadly, it’t like digging for gold.
Hi, Kathy. I also have LE just in my lower legs. You will need more specific care from a PT, specializing in LE, or a certified fitter, to suggest, prescribe, etc, your needs for swelling above the knees. I wear the Juzo Soft 2000 series year round (in knee hi’s, but also available in through hi’s). I love them. I use the open for style because the closed for irritated my gout, so I also wear a thin anklet or boys sport sock when wearing shoes (not usually with my house slippers). Good luck. Hope this helps.
Kathy, have you tried an alternative garment either Velcro like Solaris Reqdy wrap or Juxta fit garments? It also sounds like a Capri style garment such as a Biacare compre Capri May help to avoid the bulges at the top of your knee highs.
My right hand, and sometimes my left get very painful and compression wraps help but would like something designed for hand and fingers leaving tips exposed
You can have custom gloves made without finger tips and most of the garment companies now make ready made gloves with exposed fingertips as well. Look at lymphedemaproducts.com for more details. The Solaris Exo Strong. Is a good one!
I use below the knee TG Shape garments, which are much better for me. They are anatomically shaped, meaning the ankle area is appropriately smaller than the calf, and I am convinced that they keep me from being so hot! I wash and dry them and throw them away when they become too soiled from walking dogs since Hurricane MIchael. The heavy elastic garments are just not appropriate for me. I believe the TG products contain more cotton.
I am an overweight large lady with lymphedema in my left arm. I cannot find compression sleeves or garments that will fit me. I work and have an active family life and finding the time to wrap without it being late at night is very difficult. So far the wrapping and compression machine are not working. I need a compression item that can be worn more often. Thank you.
You should head over to the Lymphedema Products store or call someone there.
Have you worked with a certified therapist yet? Sounds like you need to be measured for a custom arm sleeve in order to accommodate your limb. The Jobst Elvarex or Mediven 550 are highly customizable and quite comfortable! If you need a therapist in your area there is a therapist directory at Nortonschool.com.
I just got home from 11 days in Palm Springs, CA area. It was extremely warm (107, 108, hitting 118 degrees) but that is without the humidity that we get here in New England in the summer. When I am home, my legs seem t o be constantly swollen but in the desert, the swelling went down to a point where my legs looked normal a.m. and p.m. Why is that?? I was overjoyed to have my legs look normal again.
Unfortunately, about the second day home, the swelling started up all over again. So very disappointed.
This is very interesting and I am not sure why this would happen, but I will look into it for you as I am also curious now!!
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