In the world of lymphedema treatment, everyone knows JoVi Pak for their unique and high quality products. The company was started in 2000 by JoAnn Rovig. JoAnn is a breast cancer survivor and lymphedema patient, and was the first lymphedema therapist in the Pacific Northwest.

JoVi Pak (JVP) makes pads to fit any part of the body, filled with foam chips. When used under a compression garment or bandaging, the foam gently massages the tissue, moving lymph fluid and waste away from the affected area. JVP only uses foam made in the US that is free from toxic chemicals, which can be found in many other polyurethane foams. Outer fabrics are made by Polartec, so pads are extremely durable and can be machine washed and dried.

These same quality materials are used to make upper and lower extremity garments that can be worn at night, used as a bandage liner, or in combination with a JoVi Jacket that provides compression similar to short-stretch bandaging.

JVP also distributes the Bellisse Compressure Comfort Bra. This unique garment is used by mastectomy and lumpectomy patients to treat edema, lymphedema, and/or radiation fibrosis. It has built-in pockets designed to hold specialized pads that protect sensitive areas and gently break-up fibrotic tissue. Most of these pads can also be used in a sport or mastectomy bra.

Pete@BrightLife Direct
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Ribbed knee highs in 20-30mmHg are our biggest selling style of compression stockings. Today I'm comparing Juzo Basic Ribbed (size 2) with Mediven Patriot (size Medium). Both are from their respective manufacturer's economy line of stockings. Juzo Ribbed are $35.91 and Patriots are $43.18 per pair. Both can be machine washed and dried per the manufacturer.

The Juzo's are available in three colors, black, khaki, and white, and come in regular and short lengths. Medi Patriot comes in black and navy, regular length only.

Both socks feel the same out of the box, but the similarities end there. The foot on the Patriot fits perfectly. No annoying toe seam. There's a lot of extra room in the toe of the Juzo. I wear a 9.5 men's shoe, so someone with a larger foot would do better in the Juzo Basic. Around the heel area of the Patriot, a lot of skin shows through because the fabric is stretched. This is not the case with the Basic.

Pulling the stockings up, the Patriot has just enough length so the band is 2 finger widths below the crease of my knee, right where it should be. Like the foot, there's extra length in the Basic. After positioning the band, I need to smooth out some wrinkles with the palms of my hands.

Midday I need to pull the Medi up a little. They've slid down about an inch. The Juzos are just fine. That extra length in the leg kept them from getting tugged down.

It's the end of the day and I have a slight preference for the Patriot. The foot fit me better. Someone with a larger foot and/or longer leg would do better with the Juzo Basic. In taking them off, I notice that both have garment tags… a nice touch. The tag on the Juzo is traditional, and tacked to the inside of the sock. The tag on the Medi is embroidered into the top band. There's also a pink M embroidered on the foot. If you're like me, and have a pile of dark socks that all look the same on laundry day, any identifying mark is a very welcome sight.

Pete@BrightLife Direct
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Some people just can NOT wear compression hosiery. Whether it is due to difficulty putting them on because of limited hand strength, difficulty bending, a limb that fluctuates in size, an open ulcer, fragile skin or the need for 24 hour compression. All of these conditions can make it impossible to wear a conventional compression stocking. With CircAid Juxta-Fit or Juxta-Lite alternative compression garments, almost anyone can don and wear a garment with up to 40-50mmHg. The Juxta system eliminates all of those problems.

It comes with 3 parts.

1. There's a soft terry liner. This doesn't have to be worn, but it really is comfortable, and it protects the Breath-O-Prene wrap from dirt and oils on your skin.
2. The wrap itself, which has instantly adjustable Velcro straps. Each strap has a marking so you'll know exactly how tight or loose to make the garment. Using these markings and the included Pressure System guide card you can easily set the compression from less than 20mmHg to 50mmHg.
3. Compression anklets. These provide compression across the top of the foot, so the swelling isn't pushed into the foot.

That's all there is to it. Because Juxta garments use dynamic compression, that is, they only provide resistance when your muscles push against them, they can be worn 24 hours a day if necessary. For lymphedema patients in the decongestive phase of their therapy, Juxta can provide a huge cost savings because it may not be necessary to buy a nighttime garment. The same Juxta wrap can be used on a the same limb even when if it increases in size by 5% or decreases by 20%. With traditional compression stockings, you would need to purchase several different sizes.

Juxta is available in 3 levels, Lite, Essentials, and Premium. All three work the same way, but the more expensive have a longer lifespan and warranty.

Juxta wraps can be machine washed, and dried if necessary. Air drying is preferred and will give your garment a longer life.

If you or someone you care about has been told they need to wear compression, but can’t tolerate traditional compression stockings, consider Juxta-Fit.

Pete@BrightLife Direct
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BrightLife often features medical compression products that trend toward the new and colorful. Today we are going back to basics. The Plus line from mediven. (mediven corporate policy requires that the "m" should be lower case.) Crazy, huh? We just want you to know that our proofreader isn’t asleep. medi Plus is anything but new or colorful. In fact, it is only available in beige. This stocking has been the benchmark product from medi for many years. The fabric, which never changes, is woven from 69% Polymid and a very high 31% of Elasthan. We would normally call these fibers Nylon and Spandex, however, since they are superior and more expensive versions, we'll use the fancy names. The high percentage of Elasthan (spandex) makes putting on these garments much easier than those with a lower spandex percentage. mediven Plus is opaque, you can't see through it. On a thickness scale of 1 to 5, we rate it at 3.5, which means it's not too thick, not too thin, and can be worn by both men and women. What you get with Plus is an incredibly durable stocking, that is comfortable, and works.

In Plus, medi has found the perfect balance between elasticity for comfort and easy donning, and stiffness for containment. This is a stocking that's designed for people who should wear stockings daily because of more serious venous issues. For example, individuals who have had a venous stasis ulcer, or a DVT and have been told to wear compression to prevent recurrence. Also for people with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), or lymphedema.

Another reason for the great success of Plus is the sizing system. Every stocking is available in 14 sizes. And there are many other options available, many that are usually available in only custom stockings. Wide-calf sizes for thick legs. Beaded silicone bands on knee highs for people with cone shaped legs. Leotards for men with a built-in fly, chap style thigh highs, and of course open or closed toes. The open toe models have more options available than those with a closed toe.

We've heard rumors for several years that medi is planning to update the Plus line. The packaging could definitely use a facelift, and would it be that difficult to add a color or two? If medi does change the stockings… the bar has been set very high. Plus stockings average a 98% positive approval rating on our website, and that's with 10-30 reviews per style. No other high compression line of stockings is so universally praised.

Pete@BrightLife Direct
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Juzo Fall 2012 Dream Colors have been released. This seasons colors are bright and bold. Juzo has kept two Summer colors, Pink and Violet. To these they have added Pistachio, Magenta, Indigo, Graphite and Gold.
Dream colors are available in the entire line of Juzo Soft compression stockings, leggings, armsleeves and gauntlets. All of these garments are also available as real Tie-Dye, not printed, using the dream colors with either a white accent or black background.

Pete@BrightLife Direct
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