Facial lymphatic manipulation reduces swelling, improves your complexion, and relieves headaches and sinusitis.
Here’s a hands-on way to eliminate puffiness: Facial lymphatic massage is effective at reducing swelling caused by stress, sleep deprivation, monthly bloating, or surgery. "There's nothing else out there that does the same job," says cosmetic dermatologist David J. Goldberg, M.D., director of the Skin Laser & Surgery Specialists of New York and New Jersey.
Research is sparse, yet recipients swear by the results, which range from a clear, glowing complexion to faster healing to sinusitis relief. "Patients love it because it feels good and it improves skin quality," says Goldberg, who in the last three years has gone from doing hardly any facial lymphatic massages to performing about 253 a month.
The five- to 35-minute procedure presses stagnant fluids which may include cellular waste, toxins, and bacteria out of the face, especially from around the eyes and mouth. The fluids are guided with gentle rhythmic motions through the lymph system, a network of pathways that acts as a kind of sewer system for the body.
Reducing post-operative swelling removes an impediment to internal repair. "It's like opening up a lane on a packed highway so traffic can move more easily," says certified lymphedema therapist Kathy Kraft, R.N., of Westlake Wellbeing, a health spa in Austin, Texas. Many of Kraft's clients are referred by plastic surgeons and cosmetic dermatologists. "More doctors are incorporating lymphatic massage into their pre- and post-op care procedures," she adds. "They're not saying, 'You might want to try this,' they're telling patients, 'Here's what you need to do."
Lymphatic massage is valuable prior to cosmetic dermatological surgery because an operation can shut down lymphatic vessels and leave fluids trapped at the scene of the scalpel. Kraft notes that patients who get the treatment in advance have less swelling, bruising, and scarring than those who don't.
In many instances, receiving the massage on a monthly basis eases chronic conditions like tension headaches and sinusitis. "People come in after eyelid surgery, then stay because their sinuses get better," says Kraft. "They discover its other benefits." One patient began getting post-op massage two years ago to treat swelling. When she stopped for a few months, her allergies worsened. Today she's back on the massage table and breathing freely again.
FIND A PRACTITIONER
Look for a certified lymphedema therapist who's had at least 120 to 160 hours of formal training in an accepted method of lymphatic massage (e.g., Vodder, Foeldl, or Casley-Smith). For a list of practitioners, visit vodderschool.com.
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Source: Natural Health, Jun2006, Vol. 36 Issue 6, p93, 1p
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