What Are the Benefits of Pantyhose?

Pantyhose is a common accessory in women's clothing, worn on the legs. Many women wear pantyhose under skirts and dresses when their legs are seen for various style reasons, such as matching colors, creating the appearance of even skin tone or decreasing the need to shave. Pantyhose also have various health benefits.

Though usually made of thin fabric, pantyhose is highly effective at trapping warmth. This makes pantyhose very useful to wear in cold winter temperatures. The fact that the fabric is close to the skin means that it can trap body warmth nearly as well as an ordinary pair of pants, meaning that women do not have to sacrifice fashion for warmth during the winter months.

Because pantyhose is close to the skin, it is effective at trapping the natural oils and moisture of the skin. This is especially beneficial during colder months, when skin may dry out due to low humidity. However, this ability to retain moisture can be detrimental during the summer or in humid weather; sweat can be trapped in pantyhose, creating bad odors and chafing.

Varicose veins are the spidery veins that show through the skin, often believed to be caused by damaged vessels. Often, compression hose is recommended to strengthen veins and stop blood from pooling in the legs. Pantyhose works as a low-grade version of compression hose as it is tight enough to stop swelling. Though it is not a foolproof way to reduce varicose veins and swelling, both have been reduced in women who wear pantyhose often.

Many women wear pantyhose in order to reduce the appearance of stubble, blemishes, or pale legs, and this benefit cannot be ignored. Because pantyhose comes in a large range of colors, most women can find one to match their skin tone or completely alter the color appearance of their legs in order to match an outfit. This allows women to wear short skirts and dresses without needing to shave, wax, tan or put on tanning spray.