HANDLING YOUR COMPRESSION HOSIERY:

Once you learn the tips of how to handle your hosiery, they become an even greater pleasure to wear.

Watch this Instructional Donning Video to learn some tips.

Putting on Compression Hosiery:

We recommend rubber gloves when putting them on and taking them off and then follow the steps below. You can purchase our affordable donning gloves that you can keep next to your bed or dresser. Rubber dishwashing gloves may help as well.

Hosiery must be smooth on the leg. You don’t want to see wrinkles and the material bunching up.

Try to put your hosiery on first thing in the morning, when the feet have not had a chance to begin to swell.
If you use moisturizers on your legs, it is best to put that on the night before, rather than in the morning since it will be more difficult to put the stockings on. Alternately, leave some time for the cream to be absorbed so there will be less resistance. Freshly applied oils may temporarily leave a mark on the garments.
Reach into hosiery and grab the inside of the heel, turning it inside out while holding the heel area.
Hold the foot of the hosiery apart with both thumbs, slip your foot inside and pull sides over your foot up to your heel.
Pull back the material slightly to see your toes, making sure that the hosiery is sitting properly at the toes.
Gradually, with a straight twisting motion back and forth, hold the bottom area and draw hosiery up your leg until the band is properly positioned.

Knee-highs: Pull knee-highs to just under the knee crease. Do not over stretch the hosiery. The excess fabric will bunch behind the knee and cause discomfort. Distribute fabric evenly on the leg.
Thigh-highs: Pull garment up to around 1 ½" below your groin area.

Pantyhose: Pull the band up to your waist, in the area of your belly button.

Removal of Compression Hosiery:

Gently take hold of the top of your hosiery and pull it down to your ankle. CAUTION: Do NOT allow the fabric to bunch tightly around your ankles.
Insert your thumbs between the hosiery above the ankle/leg area and pull them over the ankle.
Slowly pull the hosiery off the foot.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPER CARE:

Avoid the following when wearing and putting hosiery on and off:

Sharp, splintered fingernails or excessively long nails
Rough hands
Sharp edged rings, jewelry or watches
Shoes that have Velcro that can snag the material
Wearing products without shoes (e.g., on rough floor surfaces)
Do NOT roll the band down for knee-high or thigh highs, so that it becomes doubled under the knee crease.

Laundering your Hosiery:

Hand wash or machine wash (on delicate cycle) your hosiery in cold or luke-warm water using a mild detergent. Do not use hot water.
Wash separately from other clothing that have zippers or that can snag the material.
A garment bag is a good idea to keep them from snagging on anything.
Gently wring out excess water if hand washing.
Hang your hosiery to dry.
Do not place items in the dryer, as this will deteriorate the materials and may alter the compressive properties more quickly.
Improper laundering can damage the fine material of your compression hosiery.