How tight should compression vest be?

[superduty]

I know this is not an easy question to answer - not sure how you quantify it, but how tight should the compression vest be?

I had surgery today, and I am wearing the vest....it is tight, but not SO tight.  There is no way to make it tighter.  How do I know if it is tight enough?

I am about 20 lbs overweight (almost all belly fat).  The garment seems tight around my belly, but not as tight in the breast area?

FWIW, I am 5'10 and 205 lbs.  I am wearing an XL vest.

Thanks

[wolfman]

hi

if u have the size xl i cloths u should have L or M in the vest, if u are a L u shoulh hava
 a M or S and so on. it should be pretty tight

Bye

[monsterclean]

Mine is very tight.  I'm over 6 feet tall and 190lbs, and they put me in a size small

[Pacifico]

It should be very tight.  If it causes breathing problems it is too tight.  I am a big guy, and my doctor put me in a medium vest so it was even tighter.  Tightness prevents some swelling, not all.  To get yours tighter you can put foam in front over your chest, or wear a shirt first then put on a vest.  there are all kinds of little tricks you can think of.  Hope recovery goes well

[shen]

I think most people over-think the tightness...

My doctor told me it should support the chest, most definitely compress it, but it should not be tight so that it hurts.

Ultra-tightness isn't going to change how you heal or make your chest smaller. Swelling is also going to happen, no matter how tight you compress the skin. I think the point is that you don't simply "let the skin hang loose" and heal that way.