Reviews Of Some Compression Vests

[Hi_Top_Guy]

This is my experience with three different type/brands of Stage 1 Compression Vests that are used immediately after surgery. Here are my stats: 5-feet, 9-inches; 184-pound; 34-waist and wear 42-short suit jacket and Large in shirts.

I also bought a Stage 2 Vest from one company, and the Under Armour Compression Muscle Shirt, which I'll list below. All of these I bought in size Large.

My own doctor provided one of them, and the other two I bought online, so that I had a spare whenever I needed to wash the one I was wearing. This way I could let the one washed, dry overnight and not have to worry about shrinkage or waiting for it to dry.

Follow your doctor's advice regarding these garments; these are just my opinions and my experience with them  . I wore my Stage 1 Vests for 4-5 weeks, 24-7, except when showering.

I washed them on the gentle cycle in the washing machine and dripped dry them overnight because the first time I dried one in the dryer, while I was showering, I think it shrunk (although I was swollen at the time)!

STAGE 1 VESTS RIGHT AFTER SURGERY

RAINEY WEAR

This compression vest was the one given to me by my doctor. It has numerous hooks, like bra hooks, that go up the front and it looks just like a vest/tank top. The shoulder straps are adjustable and the length stops just a tad above the waist, which is great in case your tee-shirt rides up or you don't button the bottom button on your shirts.

It is Latex-Free and feels like a strong Spandex/Nylon or some blend like that. It's very comfortable, and it's not bulky at all.

The first few days when I was swollen, the garment felt a little uncomfortable, especially around the shoulder straps, so I used some cornstarch baby powder under it and that helped.

This vest, along with the next one, were by far the most comfortable to wear and provided great support.

DESIGN VERONIQUE

I learned about this brand from Dr. Michael Bermant who used it for his patients before he retired. I got style #640. This vest is also Latex-Free and made from a Spandex/Nylon blend.

This vest also has adjustable shoulder straps, but instead of one column of hooks, it has three, so that you can create a snugger or looser fit depending on how much you're swelling. The length of it is VERY SHORT, where it was like a midriff on me, ending at just a tad above my belly button. At first, I thought these were design malfunctions or I had gotten the wrong size, but they aren't, as you'll learn next. The shorter length kept the vest out of site under my shirts and made sleeping in it very comfortable, since it wasn't down on my belly. Like Rainey Wear, this vest isn't bulky and doesn't trap heat.

MARENA WEAR

This brand popped up on Amazon's site as sponsored links outside of Amazon, so I decided to buy one because it offered a Zip-up front, which makes putting it on and off easier. I'm not sure what it's made of but, they call it "comfortwear garments" and the material is labeled as "F5," a Lycra/Nylon blend. It definitely feels thicker than the other two and it offers "CoolMax" technology that's in Jockey Underwear that's supposed to keep you cooler than those without.

This vest is shaped more like a muscle shirt, whereas the other two are more vest like. It also has adjustable shoulder straps, if you can call them straps because they aren't very long at all; more like tabs. There are three hooks, top-middle-bottom, to hook together to keep the vest closed, while you zip it up. Compared to the other two, this one was easier and quicker to take on and off.

The length is really long and ended in my crotch, which at first I thought was good but it made it a pain every time I went to the bathroom and had to tuck it back into my pants and underwear. It was also uncomfortable sitting or lying down because of the length, since it covered my stomach and pubes. Also, I didn't think that it was very breathable at all.

Out of all of these vests, this one was the most uncomfortable to wear because of the length and it felt like it trapped heat. I also noticed that the front of it would develop ripples on the zipper, whereas the other vests with the NUMEROUS hooks laid flat.

And the shoulder tabs didn't lay flat, but it didn't show too much under shirts. I just couldn't wear it too often, preferring the other two. I did use it once I got the OK to work out again, but this was not good either because the sides of the arm holes would roll under, because they're wide like on a muscle/sleeveless shirt, and my skin would get scratched by the rough side of the Velcro.

STAGE 2 VESTS

DESIGN VERONIQUE STYLE 1240

This one is just like the Stage 1 vest but it doesn't have the hooks or adjustable shoulder straps. It's also longer, ending at my belly button, and lays flat under shirts. It gives me a slim and toned appearance and is made from the same material, Nylon/Spandex. It's a little difficult to get on and off because it's tight, so you should be in the clear to raise your arms and your swelling should be all but gone etc., before trying this vest.

I wear this to sleep at night, even though I've got the OK to stop wearing the compression vests, because I enjoy the support it provides and I'm still in the healing stage.

UNDER ARMOUR MUSCLE TEE

This compression sleeveless tee-shirt is really comfortable but it doesn't provide the strong compression and support of the ones listed above. Some members have used these under their compression vest for added comfort, but I don't think any have used them as Stage 1 vest for healing.

The Under Armour Compression Muscle Tee slips on over your head and it does feel very comfortable. It wicks away moisture and heat, and I wear one to work out in. It stays flat against the skin and should be undetectable as an under shirt.

All of these brands have websites for further research. IMO, you probably only need one extra Stage 1 Vest, if you don't want to dry your original one in the dryer, and maybe you can get by with just one stage 2 garment, but follow your doctor's advice. My recommendations for comfort and support are either Rainey Wear or Design Veronique.

[siphon]

awesome compilation

[Wonderman]

I have the Marena Confortwear vest.  Mine has 7 bra-type hooks and a zipper.  This provides good compression, however like you I feel it holds heat.  I also find that this was made with seams along each side which causes irritation.  I used Walmart $14 compression shirts underneath to reduce the irritation.

[Hi_Top_Guy]

Thanks, Siphon. 

Wonderman, that sounds like a good idea.

[papercut]

Good reviews, what is stage 1 and what is stage 2, what is the timeframe?

[brucey22]

 have suffered from Gynecomastia for almost 10years now since i was 19 and i have tried numerous different compression vests to conceal the problem to allow me to live a normal everyday life.

I have found a lovely company whos customer service was fantastic and very knowledgeable in this field as the director is also a sufferer and also wears his own product in his everyday life. This brand is called NOOB VESTS:
noobvest.com

Noob Vest offer four different types of vest garments, however i felt only two applied for my chest, they were:

# Noob Original Chest Compression vest:
This vest for me was fantastic as it firmly held my chest, and more importantly it appeared flat.

#Noob Total Compression Tank: This vest lightly compressed my whole upper body including stomach, and was good because it was light and discreet and therefore great for wearing with T-shirts.

Quality of my vests were great and long lasting, however for washing you can only hand wash and line dry them.

These two vests have made my life much happier and given me confidence to wear anything i choose now. Previously id spend so much time trying on all my clothes and staring at the mirror to see which would make my chest look the flattest.

Hopefully this will be useful to you all.

[Jag7821]

Do I need to use a stage 2 compression garmet or can I keep using my stage 1 compression garmet. Currently my stage 1 compression vest is the rainey compression vest as listed above with 3 levels of adjustable looks and laches (bra style) ?