Wear and Care of Compression Stockings

 Wearing compression for the first time

• The first few times you wear your compression garment you will notice the "squeeze".  It is OK to begin wearing your stockings gradually.  Try wearing for a few hours the first day and then increase the number of hours each day until you can wear them comfortably throughout the day while you are up and about.
• Check your stockings periodically to smooth out any wrinkles as the fabric may move during the day.
• Remove Stocking before bed.
• If you find that compression stockings are difficult to put on, Jobst has donning aids.

Wearing compliance

It is important to wear your compression garments everyday.  Compression stockings and sleeves manage an on-going problem.  When you remove your compression garment the condition responsible for your symptoms is still there.  Failure to wear your stockings or lymphedema garment may cause your condition to become more severe.

Care

• Hand or machine wash with warm water and mild soap or detergent.
• No chloride bleach.
• Warm water rinse.
• Hang Dry. 
• Dryer not recommended.
• Placing your stockings in a mesh laundry bag will help protect them during the wash cycle.

Special care for thigh high style hosiery

The use of skin care products such as skin creams, body lotions or powder as various skin types such as dry or peeling skin and hair growth may prevent the silicone band from keeping the thigh high in place.

To improve the performance of the silicone band under the above conditions, we recommend the following steps:

• Turn the Jobst thigh high stockings inside out before washing.
• Before main wash, thoroughly hand-wash the silicone band using a delicate fabric detergent.
• Follow the "Application and Care Instructions" included in the Jobst thigh high package.

Replacing your garment

The elastic fibers of your compression garment stockings will break down with wear. Proper care will increase the life span of your stockings, but you will need to replace your stockings at about every 3-6 months depending on how often you are wearing and how you are caring for your garments.  As a general rule, if your garment becomes easy to put on it probably needs to be replaced.