Sturdy Woman

Compression garments are one of the first conservative treatments many of us try after a lipedema or lymphedema diagnosis. They encourage lymph flow, improve circulation, and provide needed support for lipedema patient’s loose connective tissue. They can also… be incredibly frustrating to find. Unless you’re lucky enough to have a skilled lymphedema therapist by your side, you will likely try pair after pair of ill-fitting compression, that is often unreturnable. Today, I hope to save you some drawer space by sharing my favorite compression leggings for lipedema and some tips for getting – and keeping – them on so you can feel comfortable and stay compliant.

This post focuses on compression garments for the lower body. Be sure to also see my posts on arm compression and washing and care.

Remember, I’m not a doctor or a lymphedema therapist. I’m just a woman with lipedema sharing her experience in case it helps someone else on their journey. Always follow the guidance of your personal care team. I am not affiliated with CzSalus in anyway and they did not give me anything for this post.

Favorite Compression Leggings: Colors, Sizing, and Where to Buy Them

They are heavy flat-knit material, more like leggings and less like stockings or pantyhose. This also makes them sturdier and less likely to snag or tear, which is great for my active lifestyle. They come in two pressure grades. K1 is 18-21 mm/Hg and K2 is 25-30 mm/Hg. I wear the K2 but wear what you can tolerate. Any compression is better than no compression!

Amazon sells CzSalus leggings in black and what I call medical beige. The benefit of buying from Amazon is easy returns if the sizing doesn’t work and no currency conversions. (They are an Italian company.) Some styles also offer “Prime Try Before You Buy” which allows you to have it for a week before paying anything. If you return it, nothing ever gets charged to your card.

Buying directly from the CzSalus website, however, gives you access to colors like blue, purple, burgandy, gray, and pink. The shipping speed is similar to Amazon even though they come from Italy and the only downside is that you have to pay in Euros. That’s no big deal if your credit card allows free currency conversions, but it has created some hiccups when I’ve tried to get reimbursed from my FSA account. Attaching a copy of your credit card statement to the claim can help if it shows the exchange rate.

The standard sizes have always worked well for me, but you can order custom sizes through the CzSalus website for a very reasonable price. The only thing to watch out for with the standard sizing is the length. The length of the short versus the regular changes as you move up or down in size. For example, I started in a XXL short but now wear a Medium in a regular length. The regular length medium is the same length as the XXL short. Compression that is too short is pretty uncomfortable, so pay attention to the size chart!

Black tends to be a little more stiff than the other colors so consider sizing up if you are at the top end of a size grouping and want that color.

Help! They look so small!

Have you ever opened a package of new compression and laughed at how tiny they are? Those will never fit these legs! But they do! Getting them on the first time is always the hardest and it gets easier from there. The picture above shows how much compression leggings stretch from being worn even one time. The fibers will quickly “customize” to your body and loosen over time, which is also why it is important to replace garments every three to six months.

Tips for Putting On Compression Garments

Thankfully, someone invented donning gloves. These come in latex and latex-free options and are incredibly helpful with gripping and smoothing compression garments. See a demonstration of donning compression with them in the video. These are the gloves I’m wearing.

Your donning gloves must fit properly or else they might slide off. I have very small hands so I assumed small would be my size, but I measured anyway and the size chart indicated medium. That fit perfectly. In the video I demonstrate measuring for gloves. You want to find the circumference of your hand (all the way around the widest part).

The sort of gloves you would use for washing the dishes or gardening will work too, but try to find something with a textured palm so you can get a good grip. At the same time, be sure it isn’t so rough it will snag your garments!

What are these red marks?!

Yes! Textured compression like CZ Salus will likely leave red marks on your skin. I call these mermaid scales. The texture is intentionally designed to dig into your skin just a little bit so that when you move it tugs on your skin and gives it a mini manual lymph drainage massage. As your swelling goes down (and as your compression stretches) these will be less pronounced over time and go away more quickly.

But, of course, the red marks should not hurt! If they hurt, you may be wearing the wrong size or need a different style. Try to connect with a knowledgeable therapist who can find the right garment and size for you. The Lipedema Foundation has a provider registry and Klos Training lists certified lymphedema therapists.

Tips for Keeping Up Compression Garments

That’s right like the kind models use. Once you get your compression leggings on in the morning, pull them back down to your mid-thighs or knees then put a stripe of the garment adhesive. Pull them back up and next time you go to the bathroom they should stop at the stripe rather than roll down to your ankles.

Big thanks to my friend Joanna for that tip!

Compression for hot weather?

I get a lot of questions about compression in hot and humid climates. CZ Salus has “summer weight” compression which is footless and thinner. I’ve only now started experimenting with it, so I don’t have an opinion yet, but I will keep you updated. Please post in the comments below if you have a good hot-weather compression option! Also, check the comments on YouTube as there are more suggestions from the community there.

Summary and Conclusion

Too long; didn’t read? Compression garments can be a game-changing conservative treatment for lipedema and lymphedema. In addition to stimulating circulation and lymph flow, they can support loose connective tissue. I love the flat-knit style compression leggings from CzSalus and have worn them since 2020. Amazon is a great way to find the right size, but there are more colors and custom sizing on the CzSalus website. Getting compression leggings on the first time is the hardest, but they will stretch out quickly, and donning gloves (latex or latex-free) can help. If bathroom trips are building your biceps, use garment adhesive to keep your leggings from rolling down to your ankles.

Recommended Products

• CzSalus Compression Leggings for Lipedema and Lymphedema (18-21 mm/Hg)
• CzSalus Compression Leggings for Lipedema and Lymphedema (25-30 mm/Hg) *These are the ones I wear daily*
• CzSalus Summer Time Compression Leggings for Lipedema and Lymphedema
• Royfa Latex donning gloves
• Sigvaris latex-free donning gloves
• Garment adhesive
• Bonus: Medivein compression garment laundry detergent

Purchasing through the links in this post helps support the channel. You pay the same low price but Amazon may pay me a small commission which helps cover the cost of running the website and YouTube channel.