How to wash compression garments -

• Most compression garments can be machine washed
• Use a garment bag if fabric is sheer or tends to snag
• Use cold or warm water, never hot, and a mild detergent
• Detergents appropriate for babies clothing are considered mild
• Hosiery washing solutions condition nylon, and will give your stockings a longer life
• Many compression stockings can be machine dried.  Check the package or product label.  Spandex and silicone top-bands don’t like heat, so air drying will extend the life of your garment.
• Fabric softeners and bleach should never be used with compression garments

How to clean the silicone top bands on knee and thigh highs -

• Soap and oils can build-up on silicone-top bands making them less effective, even with proper washing.
• Use a cotton ball and a little alcohol, or an alcohol swab to remove soap residue.

How often should compression stockings be washed -

• Compression stockings should be washed daily.
• Dirt and oils break down spandex.
• Daily washing also restores the shape of the stocking.

Should compression garments be worn at night or for 24 hours -

• Some individuals with severe lymphedema or edema do occasionally need to wear compression 24 hours a day, but this is not typical.  If you are  wearing a compression garment all the time, it should only be done under the supervision of a doctor or therapist.

Recently, we have seen a phenomenal increase in the use of compression socks for sports such as skiing, golfing, and running.  Compression stockings help minimize muscle ache by flushing out lactic acid, which causes the “burn” in your calf muscles.  Many of our more active customers recommend the Mediven Motion Sport sock.

Did you know that all of the professional football teams provide compression therapy socks to their players?  One Super-Bowl winning team buys the Sigvaris Recovery Sock for use just after their games.

Not many of our customers play pro ball or climb mountains, but the benefits of compression therapy will be the same if you plan to be on your feet all day during an upcoming vacation.  You’ll keep lifelong memories by strolling the boulevards of Paris or walking to the top of Nob Hill for its panoramic San Francisco views.  Now you can forget the aches and pain at the end of the day by wearing good walking shoes and support socks with about 15-20mmHg of compression.  Many of our casual and athletic compression socks also offer extra padding to protect the toe and heel from blistering and the latest in fiber technology to keep your feet fresh and dry.

BrightLife Direct wishes you a bon voyage and a very healthy return.

Dr. Sam Erith, the club’s sports science chief, said “There is evidence to show immersing yourself in cold water following exercise can reduce the symptoms of muscle damage. Once our guys are out of the bath we advise them to wear compression socks for the evening to help promote a favorable blood flow.”

Easy-Slide, arm slippies, Slippie Gator, rubber donning gloves are other devises which seem to be more useful.  However, one of the least known and most effective donning aids is a bottle of fitting lotion.  The main ingredient in fitting lotions is silicone.  Applied to an arm or leg, it makes the limb very slippery for just enough time to slide on and adjust the garment.  For individuals who have difficulty pulling their stockings up the leg, or pulling an armsleeve up the arm, fitting lotion can be a life saver.

Alps fitting lotion is available in a 4oz squeeze bottle and priced at $19.95.  Compression Assist is $14.95 for a convenient 2oz spray bottle.

Fitting lotions are hypo-allergenic, odorless, and safe for all types of fabrics.  As an added bonus, they protect sensitive skin and make dry chapped skin feel silky smooth.

Keep in mind many other items we sell have received customer reviews of 100%.   Most of these highly rated items didn’t make the Top 10 because they are from the more expensive premium lines, and not sold with the same frequency.

Assure knee highs and thigh highs are now available in petite lengths, in all three compression levels 15-20, 20-30, and 30-40mmHg.  Petites are even available in the extra-wide calf sizes.

In addition to petite sizing, Medi improved the softness of the Assure fabric and redesigned the foot to make it more comfortable.

The new improved Medi Assure has a reinforced heel & toe for increased durability and can be machine washed and dried.

Medi Assure is for both Men and Women.

In a 15 year study lead by Dr. Cyrus Raji, 260 older individuals with an average age of 71, had their brains measured by MRI-scans.  The people who ate more baked or broiled fish had more gray matter.  Gray matter makes up the main cells of the brain, and is primarily made up of neurons.  The more gray matter in your brain, the healthier it is.

The research also found a much lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment among the group that ate more baked or broiled fish.  To all my fellow Wisconsinites,  eating fried fish did not increase gray matter volume or reduce the risk of developing cognitive impairment.

Much more research needs to be done.  This study only showed an association between fish consumption and a healthier brain.  That being said… I know what I’m having for dinner tonight.

You can read more about this study in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Farrow Medical, Solaris, and CircAid all make ready-to-wear WRAPS that will fit, and can be donned by almost anyone.

FarrowWrap for the calf and foot, is made out of strips of short-stretch fabric, with Velcro closures.  A liner stocking is typically donned first, then the strips are folded over in sequence starting at the ankle.  A  wrap for the foot, and hybrid liner with compression in the foot only are also available.  FarrowWrap is available in two compression levels, Lite (20-30mmHg) and Classic (30-40mmHg).

ReadyWrap Quick-Fit by Solaris mimics traditional bandaging and is made using non-elastic Velcro straps.  ReadyWrap is available for the foot, calf, knee and thigh.  Pieces can be worn individually or together to provide compression from the toes to the groin.

Juxta Lite by CircAid provides dynamic compression, is inelastic, and can be worn day and night.  Compression increases when you are active and decreases when you’re at rest.  A Built-In Pressure System (BPS) can be adjusted to provide 20-30, 30-40, or 40-50mmHg.

If one of these ready-to-wear options won’t work for you, custom wraps are available for every part of the body.  Give us a call at 1-877-545-8585.

• Automatically receive RA#
• Email notification when your return is received
• Email notification when your refund/exchange has been processed

If you ordered online and are a registered user, you can now use online returns.  Just log into your account, click view order, and you can request a return or exchange for any item you purchased (within the past 30 days).   A return authorization number (RA#) is automatically emailed to you.  Write the RA number on the outside of your package, enclose your return/exchange form, and mail.

Online returns are not available if your order was placed by phone or if you checked-out as a guest (without registering).  To request an RA#, just send us an email or give us a call at 1-877-545-8585.  The return/exchange form sent with your order has our address and instructions for requesting a refund or exchange.

• 232 Men’s Cotton Thigh High MSRP $119.65, now $71.79
• 362 Women’s Cushioned Cotton Knee High MSRP $79.95, now $47.97
• 782 Eversheer Pantyhose MSRP $109.95, now 65.97
• 362 Men’s Cushioned Cotton Knee High MSRP $79.95, now $47.97

Each Sigvaris item in Clearance has a link to the correct size chart associated with that product.

We have a Clearance Dept. for Men, and a Clearance Dept. for Women on our website.  Remember to check  periodically for the deepest discounts.  Our 30-day guarantee still applies, unless otherwise noted.