For fashionable women, or even all women, the term "support hose" can sound like a dirty word. It does not have to. Even though women generally wear support hose to help alleviate a medical condition, some support hose are far from medicinal in appearance. Some of the hose's trendy styles can not only be fashionable but also enhance a wardrobe.
Description
Support hose, also known as support stockings and compression stockings, work by applying pressure to the veins and muscles in your legs. This pressure benefits the legs' blood circulation, both MayoClinic.com and Women Fitness note, as it stops blood from stagnating or clotting. With improved circulation, women who suffer from lower leg aches, pains and swelling, as well as varicose veins and other vascular issues, often find relief.
Uses
Support hose can be beneficial for women in a number of situations, Women Fitness and MayoClinic.com say. Pregnant women, especially those who are on their feet all day, often wear support hose to help circulate excess blood that tends to pool in their lower legs. Women with varicose veins, whether from pregnancy or other reasons, also find relief with support hose. Support hose are also useful for women recovering from surgery, such as knee replacements or for deep vein thrombosis that affect the lower legs.
Types and Styles
Just because support hose are used for medical purposes does not mean they only come in a single type or bland styles. Pantyhose that reach to your waist, thigh highs with elastic bands and knee-high socks are some options. Sock styles include argyles and sporty, athletic socks and they come in different weights and patterns. Some thigh-high support hose come with lace at the top of the thigh's elastic band. Full pantyhose styles come in a wide array of colors and weights, ranging from sheer hose to opaque tights and in sizes with a larger abdomen area for pregnant women.
Compression
Support hose come in varying compressions, ranging from 8 mmHg to more than 40 mmHg, with mmHg as a unit of pressure. The higher the number, the more pressure the hose exerts on your legs. The lowest pressure, or 8 mmHg, is sufficient for women suffering from aches, fatigue or minor swelling in the lower leg areas, says the Ames Walker Medical Hosiery Compression Guide. The highest compression of 40 mmHg or more is for the most severe or chronic lower leg vein and circulation issues.
Considerations
Support hose do have a few annoyances, says Dr. Jeffrey S. Ginsberg in a Women Fitness article. Some women still find them ugly and difficult to put on because they are so tight. Ginsberg was referring to women who wear support hose after deep vein thrombosis, but the complaints could hold true for all women who wear the hose. A sock butler, which is a device that helps pull tight socks and hose onto the leg, can help with the difficulty issue, MayoClinic.com says. Searching for attractive hose options that fit your style can take care of the ugly factor.
