What should you know about under arm compression garment?

Surgery or radiotherapy involving the breast, chest, or armpit can affect lymph drainage and lead to swelling, heaviness, tightness, or changes in the arm and underarm. A garment creates graduated or targeted pressure over the affected area. It is a support tool, not a cure, and it should not be used to hide rapidly changing swelling or pain.

The correct design depends on where swelling occurs, skin sensitivity, scars, movement, and whether the hand or chest also needs coverage. A lymphoedema clinician measures you and checks the garment while you move. A poorly fitted garment can roll, pinch, cause pressure marks, or make symptoms worse.

Put the garment on as shown, smoothing folds and checking that seams do not dig into the skin. Wear it for the schedule recommended by your clinician, remove it for skin checks, and wash it according to the care instructions so its shape and pressure are maintained. Moisturise dry skin when the garment is off, allowing the product to absorb before dressing.

Check for numbness, tingling, colour change, cold fingers, throbbing, increasing pain, or deep marks. Remove the garment and contact your clinician if these occur. Do not alter the fabric or borrow a different size. [Compression Garment](/materials/compression-garment/) explains the material, while [Lymphoedema Therapy](/treatments/survivorship-and-rehabilitation/lymphoedema-therapy/) covers wider management.

Seek urgent medical help for sudden one-sided arm swelling with chest pain or breathlessness. Contact your cancer or lymphoedema team promptly for rapidly increasing swelling, redness, warmth, fever, drainage, an open wound, or pain that persists after removing the garment. These symptoms may need assessment for infection, circulation problems, or another cause rather than a tighter garment.

Ask which areas need compression, what pressure and style are appropriate, when to wear it, and how to put it on without pulling a scar. Ask how often measurements should be repeated, how to care for the skin, and what changes mean you should stop using it. Ask whether exercises, manual lymph drainage, or another part of lymphoedema care should accompany the garment.