Lymphatic drainage massage — it’s becoming a health treatment du jour. Even Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow are into it, but why? Part of our immune system, the lymphatic system is a network of fluid, vessels, nodes, ducts, organs and tissues that forms part of our immune defence and helps to transport fluid in the body. When it’s working as it should, it’s out of sight, out of mind, but like anything, it can sometimes use a little help. After reading up on lymphatic drainage massage — and seeing what seems to be a million before and afters on social media — I decided to visit Yin Acupuncture and Massage in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland’s Mt Eden.
While I laid on her massage table, my therapist Sophie Watson — an acupuncturist and yoga instructor with a Bachelor of Health Sciences to boot — began by making sweeping strokes on my neck, with the aim of guiding my lymph fluid. She repeated the process all over my body, while explaining that we have lymph nodes all over the place; the areas she targets are the armpits, abdomen, thighs and back of the knees. It was all very interesting, but her technique was so soothing I had to stop myself from falling asleep. As well as being relaxing, lymphatic drainage massage has a host of benefits .
On a physical level, it works to reduce fluid retention and enhance your complexion, both of which can be visibly obvious after a session. It can also strengthen your immune function and even improve your cognitive abilities. Watson explained that our lymphatic system includes vessels that ‘clean up’ toxins, dead cells and other waste by transporting them to the lymph nodes, where they’re filtered out. The problem experienced in today’s society is that dehydration, processed foods, lack of exercise and poor posture are slowing down that process, but lymphatic drainage massage can help boost it. When Watson reached my stomach, I started to feel a little uncomfortable — not sore, just… weird. When I told her, she said that’s quite normal.
“Traditional massages in other cultures always incorporated abdominal massage; however, it’s been excluded in modern massage techniques due to people often feeling quite sensitive to it. Abdominal massage is key to relieving digestive issues while assisting on a nervous system level, so I generally advise clients to just focus on their breath and try to be in the moment.”
Next, Watson picked up a circulation-enhancing gua sha tool, which she calls “the OG of lymphatic drainage” as it’s been around for thousands of years.
“From a clinical perspective, I find that gua sha is the perfect tool to assist the cleansing process in certain areas of the body, and incredibly effective at reducing cellulite in the same areas.”
The images you may have seen online showcasing the physical shift that can occur after a lymphatic drainage massage (flat tummy, anyone?) are one thing, but Watson says there’s so much more to lymphatic drainage massage than appearance. “Because our lymphatic system is a part of our immune system, many clients experience a reduction in illness, allergies, sensitivities, skin issues and even brain fog afterwards.”
It depends on your individual concerns (those with severe bloating or digestive problems may require additional treatments), but generally speaking, Watson advises scheduling two to three lymphatic drainage massages in an initial six-week period, then an occasional massage once every month or so for maintenance. For special occasions, she recommends a series of fortnightly treatments six weeks out from the big event.
For me, it was over too soon, and when I got dressed, I could have sworn my pants felt looser. Watson warned me that a common side effect is an increased need to pee as excess fluid leaves the body, which I did experience for the rest of the afternoon. I didn’t take before and afters, but I definitely felt lighter, less bloated and more energised, as if I’d done something good for my body.
