by: Jeannette Zucker, PT, DPT, CLT-LANA

"Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions."  Pablo Picasso

Although my specialty is lymphedema therapy, my treatment philosophy has evolved to guide patients along a healing path so that each individual can actualize their health potential on multiple levels:  certainly physical, but also emotional, spiritual, and energetic.  That is I do not limit my view and interventions to just the part of the body that is affected with swelling.  Rather, I take a couple of steps back and look at the entire patient. 

A series of questions automatically goes through my mind whenever I treat:  How are patients holding their bodies and what does it reveal about the inner self? What is the patients' general energy level and how can I empower them to elevate it if it's low?  What is the patients' general appearance and what does it say about their specific needs?

Achieving maximal volumetric reduction is a relatively easy task for the experienced lymphedema therapist.  Helping a patient undergo a transformation requires a little more love and care.  But the interventions required to accomplish this need not be herculean in nature.  It can be something as simple as adding color into patients' lives.  And by this I mean educating patients on the benefits of choosing color over skin-toned compression garments.

Compression garments are a necessary component to a patient's home program for managing lymphedema  It provides the needed support to the soft tissues so that lymph fluid does not re-accumulate.  When the discussion regarding compression garments takes place, frequently patients express that they would like something inconspicuous, something as close to the color of their skin as possible.

In the past, there was no option and "medical-looking", skin-toned garments were the only choices available.  However today there is a spectrum of colors and patterns that patients can choose from.  I often tell patients that wearing the skin-toned garments often produces the undesired effect of drawing more negative attention to the part of their bodies that they are trying to conceal.  People seem to have a keen eye for the attempt to mimic skin when indeed it is not skin.  Color, however, has the opposite effect.  People perceive colored fabric to be a part of your wardrobe, a fashion piece, something of your choosing. 

Time and time again, the feedback that I get from patients is the same.  They are grateful that I encouraged them to at least try a colored garment even if they insist on obtaining a skin-colored one.  They experience how they elicit different reactions from people depending on which they choose to wear.  Going back to Pablo Picasso's quote, having different colored compression garments affords you the ability to have your outward appearance accurately reflect the different emotions you feel day to day or to better achieve invisibility.  My point being that you are in control.  You can decide.  Color can be the tool that you use to your advantage, a power that you wield as you see fit. 

I think that having the ability to choose is an important concept to highlight.  Why impose limitations unnecessarily on any aspect of life?  If there are options, explore what's available to you and then you can decide afterwards whether or not it is for you.  Alluding to Dr. Seuss, you may actually discover that you like "Green Eggs and Ham".

by: Jeannette Zucker, PT, DPT, CLT-LANA and Teresa

Q: Where on your body are you affected by Lymphedema?

A: My body is affected by lymphedema on all four limbs. The swelling started in my feet. One day I noticed I could not put on my shoes and I thought it was due to my salt intake even though it really had not increased significantly. The thought of having lymphedema did not occur to me even though I was told about it at after my surgery. Then some time later my hands became "swollen" after a taking short flight. Again, I didn't realize this was lymphedema. It was not until I mentioned the swelling to my physiatrist that I was referred me to a lymphedema therapist who confirmed that indeed I had lymphedema.

Q: What expectations, if any, did you have about compression garments before having a discussion with your therapist?

A: I really had no idea how they would work but I thought that I would only have the choice of medical-looking flesh-colored garments.

Q: How do you feel about having color options to choose from for your compression garments?

A: This is very important to me. Skin-toned garments make me depressed! I HATE them! I associate them with old ladies, even though I am one of them. I can't wear them. Looking at them on me reminds me that I have lymphedema and that have the issues that many cancer survivors experience. Until I found colored and patterned garments, skin-toned garments were left in a drawer to be forgotten.

Q: Do you get a different response from people when you wear colored or patterned compression garments versus skin-toned garments?

A: Of course, I get compliments when wearing colored or patterned sleeves and gauntlets. People ask about them rather than averting their eyes as they did when I wore the flesh-colored garments. Young people want to know where I got them. The tights I wear with skirts and dresses and no one knows they are "medical garments". They are simply part of my wardrobe.

Q:  If so, why do you think that is?

A: Patterns and colored garments do not scream " YOU ARE SICK!" There is a variety to choose from to match your mood or the style of the day. Even though colored/patterned garments are more noticeable than flesh colored the message they give is one of health. They invite conversation rather than awkward stares and silence. With flesh-colored garment people often avoid speaking to you about the reason needed for wearing garments even though they are so curious.

Q: What would be your advice to other patients recently diagnosed with Lymphedema?

LympheDIVAs