Sturdy Woman

Yes, you can have lipedema in your arms and legs! In this post I’ll discusses how to feel for lipedema nodules in your upper arms and describe other common symptoms of arm lipedema. Compression garments are one form of lipedema arm treatment. I’ll show you two different types of lipedema arm compression and demonstrate putting them on. Watch or read below!

Symptoms of Arm Lipedema

We often think of lipedema as something that primarily affects our legs, but according to the Lipedema Foundation First Look Report, more than 35% of people with lipedema self-report feeling lipedema nodules in their arms. Nodules have also been reported throughout patients’ bodies. See page 6 of the report for the full results.

You can easily feel for nodules in your arms at home. Hold out your upper arm and gently rub the skin along the bottom between your thumb and forefinger. (This area is what I like to call my lipedema ‘wing’!) Does it feel smooth or can you feel grains the size of rice, beans, or even walnuts? If you feel bumpiness, you likely have arm lipedema.

Other signs you may have arm lipedema include pain or bruising when having your blood pressure taken and a “cuff” at your wrist where the fat and swelling abruptly stop. I don’t have a cuff yet, so I can’t show you mine, but you can see examples of the different stages of arm lipedema here.

One common type of arm compression is a bolero. Bolero compression sleeves connect across the back of the shoulders and are essentially just sleeves. The downside to this is that they can pinch under the armpits and become uncomfortable later in the day. The plus side is that a bolero doesn’t add an extra layer of fabric to your torso, making it cooler on hot days.

The picture above shows a Bioflect arm compression bolero. It’s textured so that you get a gentle massage on your skin as you move, which helps drain lymph. Note, however, that Bioflect doesn’t come with a compression rating, so you won’t see a mm Hg assigned to it. You are really just getting the massage from the texture. That said, it is soft, comfortable, and easy to put on.

CZ Salus also has bolero arm garments that come in 15-20 mm Hg and 25-30 mm Hg. If you aren’t familiar with CZ Salus, they make, in my opinion, the best compression leggings for lipedema. See my video about compression leggings here.

The other common type of arm compression for lipedema is a long-sleeved shirt. In the photo above I’m wearing a CZ Salus long-sleeved compression shirt designed for lipedema and lymphedema with a compression rating of 15-18 mm Hg.

I’m 5′ 5″ tall and you can see it is long enough to cover my booty. Of course you don’t need to pull it down this far, but it’s great because it means it doesn’t easily roll up throughout the day. I hate constantly tugging compression!

The downside of a shirt is, of course, all the extra fabric. On a hot summer day, it’s hard to get excited about putting on a long-sleeved shirt. If you plan to wear it in the summer check out the colors besides black!

It’s leaving marks on my arms! Is that normal?

I get asked this question a lot about the leg compression too! Yes, your textured compression is going to leave marks on your skin. That means it is working! Over time, as your swelling starts to go down, these will be less pronounced and they will go away more quickly. In the meantime, embrace the scales and channel your inner mermaid.

Do I wear arm compression?

Many of you asked whether I wear arm compression. Honestly, I don’t wear it often but that’s simply because the swelling in my arms isn’t as bad as it is in my legs. My ankles and legs swell quickly if I’m walking around without compression, but my arms aren’t as bad. If I do feel really swollen, yes, I’ll put it on around the house for a few hours but it isn’t something I’ve felt like I needed in my daily routine. But you do you! All of our bodies and symptoms are different and you may find you like the extra support, coverage, or drainage.

Do you have any tips to share about compression? Drop a note in the comments and let the community know what works for you.