It really depends on individual, but when I went hiking my hand got swollen so I would. But then it was a warm day. When I flew to Mexico two weeks ago, I was fine without it. So you never know.

It is recommended that you use them when you are in a high elevation such as flying or skiing. Avoid direct heat such as heating lamp at the nail salons. My good friend got a lymphedema from it. I forgot to wear the compression sleeves when I was flying a couple of weeks ago, and fortunately nothing happened to my arm. I've had 15 nodes removed.

My insurance pays for most of the cost with a prescription

In physical therapy - they measure your arm and can order your glove and sleeve. There is also a site lymphedivas.com (they have dressy and colorful sleeves).

I have lymphedema in the healthy side where he didn't remove any nodes but obviously severed some lymph passages during the BMX. I wear a Cass Shapewear T-shirt type top daily and that seems to do the trick since its my armpit that's swollen.