What should you wear to chemo or an infusion appointment? Wear soft, loose layers, with a way for your care team to reach your IV or port: short or loose sleeves for an arm IV, or a V-neck, front-opening top or port access tee for a chest port. Add warm socks and shoes that slip on, and bring an extra layer for a cold room.
Choosing a shirt can get complicated. Will you have an IV in your arm? Does your care team need to reach a chest port? Will you be in an infusion chair for several hours? Start with one question:
Where does your care team need access?
From there, choose clothing that keeps that area within reach and keeps you comfortable all appointment.
An infusion-day outfit that works
A practical infusion-day outfit is comfortable, built from layers, and simple for your care team to work around. Depending on your treatment, that could mean short or loose sleeves for an arm IV, a chest opening for a port, or loose sleeves around an IV line. If you have limited arm or shoulder movement, or expect to be tired afterward, choose pieces that are simple to put on and take off.
If your infusion uses an IV in your arm
If your medication will be given through an IV in your hand or arm, think about how smoothly your sleeve can move out of the way.
- Short sleeves are often the simplest option.
- Loose sleeves can work too, as long as they move without pulling tightly around the IV or tubing.
- Tight sleeves can be hard to manage once the IV is in, especially if they need to be stretched or adjusted.
- A zip-up sweatshirt or cardigan is simpler to take off than a pullover hoodie once you are connected to an IV.
If you would rather not look at the IV, a soft fabric IV cover goes over the site, the tubing and the dressing, so they are out of sight. It also adds a fabric layer over the line. A fabric IV cover is not a medical dressing. It does not replace the dressing, securement or monitoring your healthcare team provides.
See the Happy Cloud IV covers, in child and adult sizes.
If you have a chest port
During treatment, your care team needs access to your upper chest. With a crew-neck T-shirt, that can mean pulling the neckline down or lifting the shirt out of the way. Some people choose a button-down shirt or a wider neckline. Another option is a shirt with the opening built in.
Happy Cloud adaptive T-shirts have a discreet snap opening at the chest, so the care team can reach the upper chest without the whole shirt coming off. When it is closed, it looks like a regular T-shirt. Want the full rundown on port clothing? Read What Is a Chemo Port Shirt?.
Browse Happy Cloud adaptive T-shirts.
If arm or shoulder movement is limited
For some people, access is only part of the problem. Getting the shirt on at all can be hard. A standard T-shirt means guiding both arms through the sleeves, raising your arms and pulling it over your head. That gets difficult in shoulder recovery, in a sling, or any time one arm has limited movement.
Snap openings at the shoulders give you another option: open the shirt first, position it around your body, then close it. Our step-by-step guide shows how: How to Get Dressed With One Arm.
Dress in layers
Infusion appointments can run long, and treatment rooms are often cooler than you expect. Layers give you control. Think about how you will take each layer off once treatment has started: a zip-up sweatshirt, cardigan or jacket is simpler than anything pulled over your head.
Shoes and the trip home
You may be tired when the appointment is over, and your arm may have had an IV in it. Slip-on shoes and warm socks are practical. So are relaxed clothes that do not need much pulling or complicated movement when you get dressed again. That is one reason adaptive clothing often uses a relaxed fit.
What to skip
- Tight sleeves or cuffs that sit over your IV arm.
- Clothing you would mind getting stained.
- Pullover layers you cannot take off once you are connected.
You can still look like yourself
Treatment already changes enough of everyday life. Your clothing does not need to look medical too. A chest opening can sit in a shirt without taking over the whole look, a shoulder opening can make dressing simpler without looking like hospital wear, and an IV cover can look like a colorful sleeve instead of medical tape.
Infusion-day clothing checklist
Before you leave for your appointment, ask yourself:
- Where will my treatment be accessed?
- Can my nurse reach that area?
- Can my sleeve move comfortably around an arm IV?
- If I have a port, can my care team reach my upper chest?
- If I have an IV line in my arm, is my sleeve loose enough to avoid catching on it?
- Can I take off my outer layer without pulling it across tubing?
- Will I be comfortable sitting in these clothes for several hours?
- Will getting dressed still work when I am ready to go home?
- Do I have a warm extra layer and slip-on shoes?
You do not need a complicated treatment wardrobe. You need clothing that works with what your treatment requires that day.
For children’s infusion days
Happy Cloud IV covers come in a child size that fits a bicep (upper arm) up to about 9 inches (23 cm) around, and the adaptive tees are unisex in sizes XS to XXL and run in men’s sizing, so women should order one size down from their usual. Check the size guide before you order.
Frequently asked questions
What should I wear to my first chemo or infusion appointment?
Choose soft, loose clothing that gives your care team access to the area being used for treatment. Short or loose sleeves work for an arm IV. A button-down, wider neckline or adaptive chest-access shirt may suit a port. Layers help if the room is cold.
What should I wear to chemo with a chest port?
Clothing that gives access to your upper chest. Some people wear button-down shirts or wider necklines. An adaptive T-shirt with a chest opening is another option.
Can I wear long sleeves with an IV?
Possibly. The sleeve needs to move comfortably without pulling on the IV or tubing. Short sleeves are often simpler.
What should I wear with an IV line in my arm?
Loose-fitting sleeves are less likely to catch on the line. Follow your healthcare team’s instructions for protecting and caring for your IV line.
Can an IV cover protect an IV line?
No. A fabric IV cover covers the site so it is out of sight and adds a layer of fabric. It does not replace the dressing, securement or waterproof protection your healthcare team recommends.
Will the room be cold?
Often. Bring an extra layer.
Can I wear my own clothes?
Usually yes. Ask your infusion center if you are unsure.
Shop for infusion days
Happy Cloud makes snap-open adaptive T-shirts and IV covers for adults and children. Both are made to wear with everyday clothing.
Adaptive T-Shirt Black
Snap-open tee
Adaptive T-Shirt Blue Clouds
Snap-open tee
Adaptive T-Shirt Tie-Dye
Snap-open tee
IV Cover Black (2 Pack)
Child and adult sizes
IV Cover Blue Clouds (2 Pack)
Child and adult sizes
IV Cover Tie-Dye (2 Pack)
Child and adult sizes
Free U.S. shipping on orders of $50 or more (excludes Alaska, Hawaii and territories). Otherwise standard shipping is $5.99, or $12.99 to Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. territories.
This article is for general educational purposes. Always follow the instructions of your healthcare team for your IV, port or other medical device.
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