A body care appliance fixed to a backing element is removably and replaceably mounted on a human body encircling frame of flexible plastic tubular material. The frame is separable at a junction. A segment may be inserted at the junction to enlarge the frame. The backing element chordally straddles the frame. A plurality of units having a body care appliance fixed to a backing element are provided which enable the use of the invention for diverse self-treatment body care functions at the dorsal area of the body such as scrubbing, massaging, application of a heating pad and application of body care creams and lotions.

An apparatus for applying rolling massaging pressure to opposite sides of a bodily extremity. Two parallel tension rods extend through two spaced shafts having massaging rollers rotatably mounted on the shafts between the tension rods. One shaft is fixed in use to the tension rods and compression springs on ends of the tension rods beyond the second shaft bias the shaft mounted rollers toward each other. At least one shaft has extended ends to act as handles for manipulating the apparatus. The initial distance between the rollers can be adjusted before use. A latch is provided to hold the rollers well apart during insertion of a bodily extremity between the rollers, then release to allow the compression spring loaded pressure to be applied.

An elongated elastic cylindrical member joined at its opposite ends to form an annular member is provided. The annular member is designed for disposition about a body limb near the end thereof adjacent the torso and with the annular member circumferentially stretched and exerting a heavy radial inward pressure upon the limb at least substantially the full length of an elongated zone extending completely about the associated limb with the inward force of the annular member on the limb being sufficient to locally compress not only limb veins closely adjacent the skin surface but also arteries spaced further beneath the limb surface. The method comprises hyperextending veins of the limb adjacent the free end thereof by gradually rolling the annular member downwardly along the limb toward the free end thereof with the heavy radial inward pressure upon the limb being sufficient to locally compress the veins and arteries of the limb beneath the annular member and to thereby "milk" both venous and arterial blood downwardly through the veins and the arteries of the limb, whereby at least one vein adjacent the end of the limb will be engorged with blood and sufficiently hyperextended for ease of location and insertion of a needle therein preparatory to intravenous therapy.

A rolling tourniquet is provided including releasably connected ends. The tourniquet is longitudinally elastic, flexible and circular in cross section. Further, the tourniquet is highly resistant to radial deformation and the releasably connected ends include releasably joined end connecting members which may be quickly releasably jointed together against separation and quickly disconnected, when desired.