Reprinted from: Compression Stockings and More
Why Don’t Men Need Compression Stockings?
By Gregory
Because Guy’s legs…
■ Don’t get tired or achy from standing or sitting for long periods of time
■ Don’t swell (edema)
■ Don’t get varicose veins or spider veins
■ Don’t have any risk of deep vein thrombosis (blood clots)
■ Don’t have any risk of venous issues
■ Don’t get circulation problems in the veins
This all sounds pretty silly doesn’t it? Nevertheless... it is of course all not true. Wouldn’t it be awesome if this was actually all true and we could always be a beacon of health and have strength like Superman?
Unfortunately for many of us things don’t go that way. Men and women alike may have to deal with some or all of the above stated conditions and discomforts at some time of their life. It is also pretty clear that the longer one ignores seemingly minor symptoms like achiness, tiredness, mild swelling or smaller varicose veins the worse things may become as time marches on.
Many men try to be real “Macho” when they get an ache or pain and just suck it up. However, with some things just sucking it up or dealing with it may not be the best course of action. When it comes to venous issues preventative care and treatment measures for more minor symptoms and conditions could really make a difference. Taking action early on could prevent more serious and agonizing problems that may likely occur down the road if things are left unattended.
The point I am trying to get to here is that men can benefit from wearing compression and support hosiery just as much as women. Men definitely need to pay attention to their leg health too. We only get one pair and they have to last us a life time. Most of us make sure our cars get regular care and maintenance but many men tend to neglect caring for their legs and in particular their leg veins.
Before you think about shopping for compression stockings or support pantyhose you do need to discuss your symptoms with your physician. He will also be able to help you determine which level of graduated compression or support hosiery you will need. Before you can purchase compression hosiery you will have to accurately measure your legs for proper sizing and fit of your compression stockings.
For additional information please also read our posts…
Can Real Men Wear Compression Stockings?
NYLON GENE NOTE: I really enjoyed the author's little bit of facetiousness in pointing out the inconsistencies in we men's outlook on wearing something that could have such a huge beneficial impact on our health.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Men Don’t Need Compression Stockings and Support Hose or Do They? | Compression Stockings & More
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Is Spanx Considering a Line of Mantyhose?
“I never say never,” she said. “Men are starting to become more and more vocal about what they need. We’ve been getting calls from stylists who tell us that A-list actors and top musicians are squeezing into our Spanx bodysuits for women for movies and music videos. And women are telling us to please do something for their husbands and boyfriends, who are squeezing into large and extra-large women’s sizes.” [emphasis: Nylon Gene]Hmmm... Ms. Blakely may be beginning to see the light. If those callers are 'squeezing themselves' into those women's articles for the practical benefits they offer, how long before she ascertains there is money to be made by offering what they need, only in products made for men. She's a smart lady--if Emilio Cavallini can make money selling (2-3% of their $million annual sales) with an admittedly hard sell of boldly patterned tights for men, how much more so could Spanx capitalize on the market for men in need of support for tired achy legs, or to squeeze those few extra inches off their midsection? They already have quite a few offerings for men already (ManSpanx/Manx). Have you contacted Spanx to let them know how Nylon Gene readers feel about this? It could be interesting to see where it leads...
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Venous Disease Called Silent Killer | ScrippsNews
Venous Disease Called Silent Killer | ScrippsNews
Monday, January 17, 2011
Does Your Man Wear Tights? (TightsPlease.co.uk)
The vast majority of TightsPlease readers are women, so the article and accompanying survey are primarily directed at guaging the attitude of the female customers towards the 'mantyhose' trend. However, it's also evident from the article that they have a great many male customers, and they ask the question, "what are your men buying tights for?"
I hope that some TightsPlease readers have made their way here to The Nylon Gene, where we can certainly shed some light on that question...
Having spent some time as director of marketing for the original seller of tights/pantyhose made especially for men (http://www.activskin.com/), I am very familiar with the reasons men are buying tights (BTW, 'tights' in British usage is synonomous with what we in the U.S. refer to as pantyhose, as well as opaque tights). First, one needs to answer why men are buying so many pairs of tights/pantyhose from a website that sells women's tights/pantyhose? The simple answer is that there are a great many men who wear them for mainstream, legitimate reasons (see below) who aren't aware that there are readily available brands of hosiery made especially for men--and what the differences from women's hosiery are. This is most true when talking about mail-order hosiery, since there is no difference from ordering from ActivSkin or a website selling only women's hosiery. Even the question of overseas shipping becomes moot, because there are British-based distributors of male tights such as Legwear4Men, and several European-based companies. As awareness of existence of these companies has increased over the past 5-10 years, sales have also grown rapidly. This trend will continue away from women's tights to men's as awareness continues to grow.
There will continue to be a certain percentage of male tights wearers who stick with those brands they've become accustomed to and loyal. There are also a good deal of men who prefer to buy their legwear at retail outlets instead of mail-order. Male legwear has not become pervasive enough yet to enter the retail market, so these men must either buy women's brands or spend the postage money and order from the web. I mentioned the differences between men's and women's hosiery above. These include sizing according to male body proportions, somewhat more durable material (men aren't tolerant of the wispy-thin styles that run/tear at the drop of a hat), etc. However, those men who have not tried any of the men's brands before may not realize what they're missing by settling for women's brands. They may think there's no real difference because they've never worn anything else.
So what ARE the primary reasons men are buying tights (aka, mantyhose) in the first place? They can be summed up in a few categories:
Leg support: Women have known for years of the benefits of support hosiery when they're bothered by the subtle effects of poor leg circulation. One need not have gnarled up knots of varicose veins to benefit from a good pair of support pantyhose. They mildly massage the legs and help move blood through the veins to keep it from pooling during the day when on your feet for extended periods or being sedentary for hours on end. Somehow, 50% of the population has been left out when it comes to providing relief. Men are as likely as women to suffer from this complaint. A woman can wear a pair of sheer hose that keeps her legs feeling good at the end of the day and no one thinks a thing of it. It's now becoming more acceptable and commonplace for men to recognize the value of support hosiery. And, they need not wear thick black opaque tights--under long trousers--that are too hot in spring/summer, either. As men's legwear becomes more commonplace in the public perception, men are wearing them with shorts when the weather permits.
Warmth-Without-Bulk: In colder settings, hosiery provides a thin base layer under outer clothing that is much more comfortable than the long johns that were traditionally the only option available to men. Thin tights trap a layer of air next to the skin that adds insulation. When wind is blocked by an outer layer, hosiery is very effective at adding additional warmth without constricting movement. This is usefule for hunters and fishermen, construction workers, and even office workers. How many desk jockeys complain that their employer can't seem to find a way to regulate the climate control and sit shivering throughout the day?
This benefit is also valuable to outdoor athletes. For instance, runners or cyclists who exercise or comete on chilly mornings need to keep the chill off their legs to avoid cramping. Hosiery provides just enough insulation to do that. Yet, since most types of athletic tights are thicker than sheer pantyhose, they tend to cause the athlete to feel overheated after body temperature rises during exertion. Some cycling tights have zip off legs, which is good, but zippers add expense and you still have to stop to remove them and find someplace to store them.
Performance Enhancement: It's fairly well known in athletic circles that muscle compression helps improve stamina/endurance by holding the muscles in place better and minimizing bouncing against each other. Support hosiery provides that same sort of muscle compression. So in addition to the aforementioned warmth-without-bulk benefit mentioned above, they can also enhance a runner or cyclists ability to stay the course longer. Also, since sheer hosiery wicks perspiration it's insulating effect transforms to cooling when this moisture evaporates from the legs. Thus, they can also be worn in warmer weather if the benefit being sought is performance enhancement.
Anti-chafing: When worn under trousers, tights or pantyhose are a great means of preventing chafing of the inner thighs in many circumstances. It's been an open secret for many years that horsemen often wear women's pantyhose while riding to avoid 'saddle sores'. Likewise, this same benefit applied for hikers on long marches. An added benefit is protection against ticks. They can't get attached to your legs when you're wearing nylon against your skin. That's also why the military have used them overseas to help ward off sand fleas, etc.
I've posted the text from the TightsPlease blog, along with a few inline comments that I think will help clarify a few misconceptions inherent in the article:
Does your man wear tights?
It’s come to our attention that more and more men are choosing to wear our tights!
They’re being worn for whole host of purposes, from meeting a basic need like our boys in Afghanistan – wearing tights to protect their legs from desert flies, or wearing tights to make a bold statement, like our cross dressing shoppers, who get a lot of enjoyment from wearing stylish, women’s tights! [As men become more comfortable with the idea of wearing tights, they will add them to their wardrobe for aesthetic, as well as practical, reasons. However, cross dressing is a very small proportion of the number of guys wearing tights.]
Traditionally, men wearing tights has always been a taboo subject. The only time men in tights is acceptable, is at the pantomime or on our favourite superhero! With the sheer volume of male shoppers that we’ve seen visit the site, it’s unlikely that they’re all shopping for either of these purposes. [As I've detailed above, men wearing tights is fast losing any of the former taboo. They're wearing them for very practical reasons, and the public is recognizing that fact by taking the sight of a guy wearing hosiery very much in stride]
So what are your men buying tights for? We’d like to find out more! For 5% discount off your next purchase with Tightsplease, fill in our Men In Tights survey now! We’d love to hear your views!! [Nylon Gene readers: Make sure to visit the blog or follow this link, and offer your input for the survey]
Lauren x
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Polls Closed: It's 'Miller Time!'... (Mantyhose at the Booth)
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After 16 hrs. on my feet, it's time to hoist a pint and celebrate 'democracy in action'. |
Turnout was 'moderate' in Ohio, as they said on the news. For us, that meant about 1,000 voters in our precinct. I served as a machine judge, meaning that I was one of those people who lead you to your electronic voting machine and prepare it to accept votes.
As such, virtually all the voters who came through the precinct had a chance to see the emerging men's legwear trend firsthand. Many hardly even seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary, while many others took a glance or two at my considerably darker tan legwear and proceeded on with their business, or our conversation, with hardly a sign of anything they considered radically out of the norm.
Many friends and acquaintances came through the precinct, too. However, at least half or more of those have become aware of men's legwear through past conversations or news media activities of mine. So, they wouldn't be expected to behave as if there were anything out of the norm anyways.
As regular readers will recall, this is far from the first time I've worked the polls on Election Day, nor is this the most noticeable style of legwear I've worn while working. Last fall (November 2009) saw me wearing black legwear with black shorts--with nearly the same lack of concern over it from the public who were in attendance. (See previoius Nylon Gene posting for details).
My reason for recounting my experience here is to further encourage those guys who have been wearing legwear for some time, but are still trying to work up the nerve to wear it more openly. As evidenced by this experience and others like it, no one is going to chastise you for wearing legwear with your outfit. As long as you stick to well matched clothing that is otherwise masculine in appearance, you'll be more than fine if you decide to give it a try.
Let us know here about your experiences... good? bad? indifferent?...
Friday, August 20, 2010
Pantyhose For Longer Life...
A reader shared this link to an old story from 2003. Not sure how I missed it, but I'm reprinting it here for he benefit of all Nylon Gene readers. Needless to say, this certainly bolsters the reasons behind the latest mantyhose trend. [-Steve]
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Photo courtesy of The Nylon Gene |
March 1, 2003
By: AP Medical Correspondent (from CNN.com Archives)
NEW ENGLAND – A study published by the New England Journal of Medicine today touted some remarkable claims in life extension and cancer research.
Describing the discovery as "nothing short of a breakthrough", Dr. Brian Schiff took to the podium for yesterday's press release. "We may have a few doctors smirking now, but of most them have not yet seen the research."
Schiff explained that the research project has been on-going for the last 15 years, compiling data, reviewing medical records, and conducting case studies. "Our team includes some of the most respected medical professionals from around the world. -When we say this reseach is valid, we are staking our reputations on it".
The theory behind the study comes from a Johns Hopkins University study that found a correlation between telangiectasias (spider veins) and longevity. An ancient oriental cure was to bind the legs of the afflicted person. It not only aided, but often cured this malady. The side-effects of which were noted to be: reduced sicknesses, longevity and a recovery of strength.
"The trick to 'ancient leg binding' was not to bind the legs too tight", explained Schiff. "restiction of blood flow (arterial insufficiency) is not what is intended here. Systolic blood pressure in the two major arteries of the body has to be increased, but not restricted. Pantyhose seem to achieve this perfectly. The correct systolic blood pressure (systolic blood pressure is maximum pressure exerted when the heart contracts) forces the plaque build-up out of the heart and arteries harmlessly into the liver to be filtered. It also prevents cancerous cells from attaching themselves to the pulminary walls or other cells".
"We are talking about two major blood arteries (pathways) sped up by mild constriction, similiar to a garden hose when gently squeezed. The increased speed of the blood flow without constant calistentation (extreme excersize) not only improves the purifying process but also (in effect) 'wipes clean' the interior vascular (vein) linings". Dr. Schiff also noted that even patients with existing heart conditions due to plaque build-up in arteries -sinus and atrioventricular nodes, may benefit. "We're finding increasing proof that the use of a mild arterial restiction during sleep can actually increase health".
"Whether this study is embraced is not our goal. Our findings are clear and we will continue our research.".
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Walking Mantyhose Advertisement at Amusement Park
I've long ago discovered that in most settings, other people don't readily notice when I'm wearing suntan-colored hose with shorts. The color blends in well enough with my skin tone that few people notice, unless they have reason and opportunity to focus on my legs for more than a second or two. (That does seem to be changing a bit, but more on that in another post). In any event, wearing suntan pantyhose (or, mantyhose, if you will) with shorts to an amusement park full of the biggest, fastest roller coasters in the U.S., as well as tens of thousands of other people, does NOT get noticed.
Sooo, if you're an active advocate for men's legwear such as I am, you might wear something like the T-shirt that I wore to Cedar Point when we went last Friday. As I've said, wearing skintone hose with shorts isn't likely to get noticed among the crowds making their way through the park or the lines for rides. However, it's another case entirely you underscore it with the shirt pictured here. For those who may have trouble reading the graphic, here's what it says (below the ActivSkin logo and URL):
Changing Hearts & Minds... From Pantyhose, to MANTYHOSE!
- Warmth-Without-Bulk for Athletes & Outdoorsmen
- Enhanced Leg Circulation for Energizing Support of Tired, Achy Legs
- Muscle Compression for Improved Performance & Stamina
- Protection Against Chafing & Blisters for Horseback Riders and Others
Of course, the first thing readers will want to know is how people reacted to my 'walking advertisement'? (BTW, my son wasn't bothered by it at all, he was merely making a casual observation when he said it). In a nutshell... nothing. They didn't. I could tell a certain amount of people with whom we waited in line (for all those hours) were checking to see whether I was wearing what my T-shirt was promoting. Yet no sign of disapproval or disdain could be detected, even when they weren't aware I noticed that THEY had noticed. Nor were there any whispered comments from behind, accompanied by giggling or snickering. I was paying attention to the reactions of others, and not a single person gave any evidence of negativity.
What's the 'take home' from all this? Basically, that people are slowly becoming more aware of the growing mantyhose trend, and when they encounter it, they don't really care if a guy's wearing hose or not. Mind you, I was wearing them in an undeniably masculine context, meaning that the other clothing I wore was typical 'guy clothes' and didn't call into question my masculinity. I can't speak to how people might react to someone dressing in a less-than-masculine outfit along with a pair of pantyhose. But then again, we're exploring the emerging male pantyhose trend here on The Nylon Gene, not dressing in feminine clothing.
So, maybe you've been considering finding out what this new trend is all about, but are afraid of how it might be received by others. Hopefully, the experience I've shared above will help get you past that. As the T-shirt says, "Why Not Try A Pair Today?"
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Puttin' on the Spanx (Shapers for Men)
Here's my $0.02 worth, which I posted as a comment below the article on the Telegraph website:
Thanks for reporting on this, Mike. Spanx probably has a prototype in her basement for the lower half for us guys, too. However, she's too late on that count, as ActivSkin's already beaten her to it with their full support 'mantyhose'. You can find them at http://www.activskin.com/.
I've been maintaining a blog called The Nylon Gene for the past year or so, which documents the emerging men's legwear trend and how it's gradually catching on--albeit on the sly underneath the average guy at the office's trousers. See more at www.nylongene.com and let me know what you think.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Mantyhose: What It's NOT--What It IS...
I posted a comment on an article on "Men In Tights" on Mancouch.com (a blog about stuff guys like) today. With all the buzz going on these days about the topic of men's legwear, I thought my comments might be useful to repost here on The Nylon Gene. They may prove useful in helping those who read superficial treatments of the men's legwear trend get past some of the misconceptions out there...
We generally fear, or mock, that which we don't understand. So let's take a look at what 'mantyhose' IS and what it's NOT (generally speaking):
In general, it's NOT what's pictured on the guy standing in front of the Eiffel Tower, pictured at right. That's definitely something that's pretty far out there on the fringe of things. It doesn't represent what the vast majority of guys who wear legwear want to wear.
It's also NOT a gay thing. From what I've read on a variety of blogs and forums, gay men for the most part feel about the same way about pantyhose as the stereotypical woman does. They don't like them and don't want to wear them.
It's NOT an attempt to revert back to fashions of the 1700s. If it's sometimes pointed out that men were the ones who wore the tights in the Middle Ages, it's only to illustrate that they're NOT exclusively a female garment.
It's NOT a secret desire to cross dress, either. Guys who are wearing the male hosiery on the market today (which does come with a fly, BTW) aren't typically combining it with other female items to start dressing as a woman.
It IS a recognition that men are as likely as women to have tired, achy legs due to poor circulation, and that support hosiery provides relief if worn consistently. Sometimes they're worn under jeans or other pants--sometimes they're worn with shorts. Sometimes they're in virtually invisible colors that closely matches skintone--sometimes they're worn in more visible colors like black or dark grey.
It IS a way to attain added warmth beneath outer clothing without the added bulk of long johns or sweatpants. Some guys can live with long johns, others prefer the thin fabric that moves with them.
It IS a way for athletes (especially runners and cyclists) to keep the chill off the legs when they first go outside--yet avoid overheating after their body temperature rises with exercise.
It IS also a way for those athletes to enhance stamina somewhat with the moderate muscle compression provided by support styles of hosiery.
It IS a garment worn for fashion in some cases, in that guys are recognizing they can successfully add them to a masculine outfit if properly coordinated (i.e., not as shown in the photo above, by the Eiffel Tower).
However, for the most part, it IS something generally worn for more functional purposes. For my part, I initially started wearing tights or sheer hose for leg support. But after a few years I recognized I didn't want to give up wearing shorts for good, just because I needed to wear support-style hosiery to keep my legs from aching. I've been wearing them openly among friends and colleages for years now, and nobody questions my manhood because of it.
If you're a basically masculine guy in the first place, wearing legwear doesn't detract from it. Yet, if you're an effeminate guy it doesn't matter if you wear a Rambo outfit--you'll STILL look like a girly-man. (anybody here old enough to remember Michael Dukakis wearing the tank commander helmet during the 1988 presidential campaign?)
As with most everything, there are no absolutes. The foregoing statements represent the bulk of men who wear legwear today. Yes, there will be a few who will wear ostentacious patterns and colors out in public with shorts. Yes, there are gay men who wear pantyhose and like them. Yes, there are certainly cross dressers who wear pantyhose with their outfits, too. But, by and large those are NOT representative of the majority of men wearing nylon legwear--and on behalf of them I hope to shed a bit of light on the subject. Hopefully, this will cause more writers to stop and take a more reasoned approach to the "mantyhose question".
Friday, January 15, 2010
Save Our Legs. Support Men's Legwear
There's a new 'cause' to support. If you're not already familiar with them, Facebook allows users to start a 'cause' to generate support or donations for something the user strongly believes in. These causes allow other Facebook users to read about it, without requiring them to belong to a Facebook page if they don't want. A loyal Nylon Gene follower, Kevin Wright, has created one called "Save Our Legs. Support Men's Legwear"...
Kevin is an example of the 'second wave' of male legwear proponents that have started to move to the forefront in the effort to promote nylon hosiery as a legitimate male garment with practical applications. For some time now, there have been a select few men who have stepped into the spotlight to proclaim that, "yes, we wear tights, and you can wear them while retaining your masculinity." These included Steve Katz, Chan Kraemer, myself, and a limited number of others as well. Now, a new wave of men are taking up the challenge that was laid down, and are themselves stepping out in front and encouraging others to see for themselves the practical benefits of 'mantyhose.'
That's where the 'Save Our Legs' cause comes in. Kevin is asking men (as well as sympathetically inclined women) to join the cause on Facebook, so it can be a visible sign of how many supporters there actually are out there. When joining, you are asked if you would be willing to commit to share the cause with five others. If everyone who joins is willing to share their information with at least a few of their friends, it will begin to spread 'virally' and take on a momentum of its own.
One of the biggest obstacles limiting the growth of the men's legwear trend is the men's own reluctance to let others in their circle of friends to know that they wear it. Fear of ridicule or rejection plays a big role in this reluctance. However, the new reality is that there are now more than a dozen or so companies selling tights and pantyhose made for men--most notably ACTIVSKIN, of course. Media coverage of the trend has reached the point where the default assumption on the part of most people is that a man wearing nylon legwear must be doing so for leg health reasons, or maybe athletic benefits. The days when unfavorable presumptions of cross-dressing and the like are just about long gone.
I was chatting online with Kevin when he launched the 'Save Our Legs' cause last night. That was less than 12 hours ago, and already it has grown to 12 members, and surpassed the first two growth milestones. That's a pretty strong start! So, if you are a friend of male legwear in the slightest, please help us (I'm an admin for it, too) keep growing. (When you sign on, you can use my name as the recruiter)
Friday, November 20, 2009
Informative Article on Support Hosiery
The following article appeared on the Jobst website: The Benefits of Compression Socks - Dealing With Varicose Veins. Jobst is a maker of medical compression hosiery, targeted toward those with more severe leg circulation problems. Although they provide products for those with beginning stages of leg problems, anything more than support socks for men seems to be treated as an afterthough--which I will discuss later.
The article provides useful information on leg circulation problems and how support hosiery can help alleviate them. It's worth reading as long as you include a few caveats while doing so...
First, the articles are primarily directed at those suffering from more advanced leg conditions, which tend to require more specialized (and more expensive) products like those in which they specialize. The effect of non-medical grade support hosiery is given only only passing notice. This is understandable since there is less experimentally-quantifiable information available regarding the contribution of non-medical grade support hosiery on leg circulation. That's not to say there is none, however.
According to the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, "The single most important thing a person can do to slow down the development of new varicose veins is to wear graduated compression support stockings as much as possible during the day." They also list "wearing elastic support stockings" as a means of reducing the chances of getting new varicose and spider veins. In addition, a 2001 study cited by the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery concluded that, "Use of lightweight (low compression), ready-to-wear gradient compression hosiery is very effective in improving symptoms of discomfort, swelling, fatigue, aching, as well as leg tightness."
As I have written elsewhere on this blog, the article acknowledges that a significant portion of the population will eventually suffer from some sort of leg circulation problem, including venous insufficiency and related issues. And, of course, it's important to consult your physician when these problems become worse and varicose veins begin to appear, to make sure medical intervention is not necessary.
The article is also limited in that it focuses entirely on compression socks, although I've seen similar ones that include discussion of support hosiery as well. The trouble with focusing only on compression socks is that oftentimes the problems extend above the knee. In those cases, thigh-high or waist-high hosiery is obviously more appropriate. This is where the advice given in this article and others like it becomes confusing and a bit awkward.
The awkwardness comes from the fact that there are multiple varieties of waist-high support legwear styles (e.g., tights and sheer pantyhose) offered for women suffering from poor leg circulation. But when it comes to men, very few of the companies offer anything above the knee. Those that do have very limited options and one has to read between the lines to discern which are intended for males.
One could infer from the product offerings that there is a physiological difference between men and women that precludes any sort of venous insufficiency from occuring further up than the calf. Of course, there is no reason to believe anything of the sort. In fact, studies indicate that men are nearly as likely as women to suffer from some sort of leg circulation problem by the time they reach age 50 (see above: Health & Human Services). Yet none make any distinction about men's problems being confined to below the knee.
Why, then, would there not be equal numbers of men's products available to address those with leg circulation problems higher up? The answer seems clear. Prior cultural inhibitions against men wearing tights (sheer or otherwise) have prevented them from availing themselves of a viable solution to the aching and cramping of which so many complain. I personally discovered this when I was first directed by my doctor to try wearing support socks. I found that the elastic band at the top binds at the knee, and they did nothing to relieve achiness higher up. My doctor subsequently responded by suggesting I try wearing L'eggs Sheer Energy pantyhose.
This was because there were no male products offered by Futuro, Jobst, Ames-Walker, or other providers of medical compression hosiery--unless one is suffering from more serious leg problems. Products directed towards those conditions are very expensive, ranging from $50 a pair and up--and also quite uncomfortable to wear. You have to be in a lot of pain and discomfort to make the trade-off to wear these. Fortunately, I discovered ACTIVSKIN around that time, and was able to buy comfortable, inexpensive legwear that alleviated the chronic leg aches and heaviness I was feeling.
Although ACTIVSKIN does't claim to provide any sort of standardized compression in its legwear, for comparison sake I've tried on the Ultra Sheer by Futuro in 8-15 mmHg. To me, it feels very similar in compression to ACTIVSKIN's Style A2019 or A677. The UltraSheer cost around $20, placing them at the very low end of the medical compression hosiery price scale.
As for men's products from other companies, little has changed in the ten years since I first started wearing support hosiery. If you look at a Jobst Product Guide, you'll see that 8-15 mmHG compression (mild) is recommended for tired, aching legs; or minor ankle, leg and foot swelling. For women, the guide recommends UltraSheer pantyhose and for
men: the Men's Dress product (socks).
Moderate compression (15-20 mmHG) is recommended for minor varicosities; tired, aching legs; and minor ankle, leg and foot swelling. For women, the guide recommends the same products, plus their Opaque compression socks. For men, it recommends a heavier support sock. There is an added category of Unisex, which includes two kinds of socks (ActiveWear and Relief) and one type of waist-high legwear, called Custom Seamless Soft. However, the product page for Custom Seamless Soft doesn't give any indication that is intended for men as well as women. One has to look very closely to discover that Jobst has any thigh- or waist-high products intended for men.
Ames-Walker, another leading seller of medical compression hosiery has little different to offer men with upper leg circulation problems or a dislike of elastic bands in support socks. Although they offer 17 varieties of support socks, there is only one waist-high product available for men, the Men's Waist Leotard that retails for about $90.
Solidea comes the closest to providing leg support products specifically tailored for men, with their 'Panty Plus'. It's a full-length, body-hugging compression pant with a built-in fly opening. At $110 each, men will be hard pressed to buy more than one, however. Otherwise, their offerings are either calf-socks or shaper briefs.
The bottom line is that Futuro, Jobst, Ames-Walker, Sigvaris, et al, are an excellent choice if you suffer from serious leg circulation issues and your doctor recommends compression therapy with a higher level of compression, say 20 mmHg or more. Although they don't cater to men who need above-the-knee products they do have something that can help if you look closely.
However, if your problem doesn't rise to the level of medical treatment, and you want to proactively help 'energize' tired, achy legs by improving circulation, ACTIVSKIN may be the ideal solution for you. I know it's helped me keep my legs in good shape after the beginnings of spider veins began to creep in. They've not progressed in the 10 years since I've been wearing support hose. At the time I first started wearing them, I never dreamed I'd end up working for the company that sold them. If I weren't such a believer in what we do, I wouldn't be here now.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Leg Problems Know No Gender Boundaries
The following article on leg health benefits of men's legwear was originally written as a press release several months ago, and more recently published as an Examiner.com article, as referenced from The Nylon Gene last week. Here is the article as it originally appeared.
by Steve Newman
GRANVILLE/OHIO, USA – September 21, 2009 — If you’re nearing your forties, chances are you’re a man who suffers from leg cramps, achiness, or varicose veins, or you know one who does. You may even be one of those unfortunates to whom Mother Nature chose to send her wake-up call even earlier, possibly in your thirties. If you work in an ‘at-risk’ profession, the problem is even more pervasive. Although most leg support products are directed toward women, up to 45% of American men also suffer from some form of vein problem[i].
To add insult to injury, if you’ve complained to your doctor about it, you’ve probably been told to either try support socks or, if the problem extends above the calf, to use expensive medical-grade compression hosiery. Many men subsequently return to their doctor and either report that the socks don’t address higher up problems, or the medical-grade hosiery are too tight, hot and difficult to put on. Having no ‘middle road’ to offer, medical professionals typically resort to sending their patient to the local drugstore to pick up a pair of L’eggs® Sheer Energy® pantyhose, or something similar. While this is certainly a workable solution, most men are squeamish about wearing women’s hosiery, and as a result, many go without anything to alleviate their pain and discomfort. Of those who have worn women’s brands, they would prefer support hosiery designed for the male body. The new men’s legwear includes such features as a fly opening and sizes up to 6’-4” height.
Some men opt to just ‘grin and bear it’ hoping they can just work through the discomfort. While this may seem to be a workable—albeit unpleasant—solution, when you ignore issues with leg circulation, the consequences do not just go away. Instead, they generally become progressively worse.
The Problem, In A Nutshell
Venous circulation problems arise from a variety of causes. If you are sedentary—sitting for extended periods of time without elevating your legs, or spending many hours standing (cashiers, chefs, surgeons, et al)—these constitute additional risk factors. The veins in your legs do a lot of work carrying all that blood upward to the heart, working against gravity the whole way. To avoid backflow, they are equipped with tiny one-way valves all along their length. When your muscles contract they assist those little valves in forcing blood through your veins. As you age, vein walls can begin to weaken and stretch, making the valves less effective at moving blood, which can begin to pool in the lower legs. Pooled blood places added pressure on the vein walls, exacerbating the problem further and leading to the ‘heavy’ feeling experienced by many men, as well as women, who have venous insufficiency. Weakened blood vessel walls can then begin to bulge under the strain, creating visible signs of varicose veins.
Cramping and achiness generally accompany these visible symptoms, as well. Leg cramps are painful, involuntary muscle contractions occurring mainly in older adults. They can disrupt sleep, cause tenderness, muscle fatigue, and spasms. They are very common, affecting up to 70% of people over age 50, and some studies suggest that roughly one in two persons over 50 suffer from varicose veins[2]. In many cases it is impossible to determine the specific cause, because they can arise from many sources.
Treatment Options
In addition to massage, exercise, improved diet, and drugs—elastic compression therapy can also help when your veins have trouble doing it on their own. This is simply the wearing of nylon/spandex hosiery during the day, which applies sufficient pressure to provide support to leg muscles and veins to facilitate good circulation. Wearing compression legwear enhances blood flow, which gets more oxygen to your leg muscles, energizing them all day. As a result, leg cramps can be diminished or even eliminated altogether by this simple measure.
Not to mention the support provided to weakened blood vessels associated with varicose veins. It doesn’t take much compression to provide some relief. Although they won’t ‘cure’ varicose veins that have already formed, wearing support hosiery can help prevent the condition from progressively worsening, requiring more invasive procedures to treat it. Prevention is the key, because once they appear you can only keep them from getting worse. The U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services’ FAQs on varicose veins states, “The single most important thing a person can do to slow the development of new varicose veins is to wear graduated compression support hosiery as much as possible during the day[3].”
New Solutions for Men
Women have long realized the benefits of support hosiery, having dozens of brands of support tights and pantyhose to choose from. Unfortunately for men, our cultural bias has associated full-length hosiery or tights strictly with women’s wear, and this has prevented many men from discovering an effective solution.That has changed considerably in the past 10 years, since ActivSkin (http://www.activskin.com/) arrived on the scene and began selling sheer and opaque hosiery designed especially for men. During that time, barriers have fallen and mental paradigms have shifted, as the company has worked tirelessly to develop a masculine concept for legwear that sheds those unwarranted stereotypes, and in so doing provides an avenue for men to proactively pursue improved leg health. Now, men can confidently wear a product that can help ward off advancement of varicose veins and other effects of poor venous circulation. Although several European companies have begun selling men’s hosiery in the ensuing years, ActivSkin is still the only U.S. company doing so, and remains the market leader and innovator in men’s legwear. Their sheer Styles A577, A677 and A2019; and opaque Styles A869/A879 are the most popular for men with leg circulation problems. Style A4012 provides a unique combination of patterned dress socks on the lower leg with a semi-sheer upper portion that is cooler than opaque tights in the warmer months.
As the population ages, we’ve become much more attuned to preventative health measures—preferring proactive to reactive. When men begin seeing early signs of varicose veins, they want to take countermeasures to help prevent it from advancing to a point where they must resort to invasive treatments.
Today’s man has become more confident in his masculinity, too. He is much less prone to be squeamish over products that women have long known to be beneficial. The emerging mindset is, “if it’s helpful, I don’t care if it’s a ‘girls’ or ‘guys’ product. Does it get the job done?” Toward that end, men’s hosiery has emerged from a fringe concept, and is moving past the edges of consumer awareness on it’s way to becoming the next big thing.
Today, men are also more attuned to the aesthetic benefits of support hosiery. ActivSkin legwear comes in a variety of colors and sheerness levels, so men don’t have to forego their shorts just because they’re wearing support legwear. Many an older guy is surprised and flattered when a female acquaintance compliments him on how good his legs look. Unless he opts for colors that contrast his skin, most people don’t even realize he’s wearing hosiery. And when they do, they are often complimentary of his self-confidence for not being restrained by outdated stereotypes. Once upon a time, men weren’t supposed to ‘care’ about their appearance, but that has changed considerably of late, with men using moisturizers, facial cleansers, hair coloring, hair removal, etc. to improve their look and maybe squeeze a few more years of youthful glow out of their body. The same holds true for those guys who would otherwise be ready to hang up their shorts due to self-consciousness over the condition of their legs.
“Our sales for last year were the best ever,” says Steve Newman, director of marketing for ActivSkin. “As men are discovering that legwear can be a truly unisex product, they’re turning to support hosiery in a big way to help keep their legs feeling good.”
There are, of course, no guarantees that wearing compression hose will stop leg cramps, but the company has received dozens of testimonials to that effect (several of which are posted on their web site) and has helped hundreds, if not thousands of men find relief. Do yourself and your loved ones a favor and look into it further.
[1] U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, The National Women’s Health & Information Center ((http://www.womenshealth.gov/FAQ/varicose-spider-veins.cfm#C)
[2] ibid.
[3] ibid, (http://www.womenshealth.gov/FAQ/varicose-spider-veins.cfm#K)
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