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Ask any modern-day celebrity what their pre-event non-negotiables are and there’s a good chance “lymphatic drainage” will be mentioned.
For high-profile moments like The Met Gala or awards season, the lymphatic drainage massage has become a mainstay in the wellness routines of the rich and famous.
At Nicole Kidman’s favourite Sydney Spa, Venustus, the most popular treatment is the Sculpt and Define Lymphatic Facial. Hailey Bieber says she swears by – no, she “lives by” – lymphatic drainage massages, and is “obsessed with lymphatic drainage anything”. Jennifer Aniston, Dua Lipa, the Kardashian sisters and Selena Gomez have also spoken about their love for lymphatic drainage massages, which many claim “detoxifies” and “de-bloats” the body.
The origins of lymphatic drainage massages date back to the 1850s when the technique was developed to treat chronic conditions. What began as a treatment to address a health issue is now used by people who are aiming to optimise, and willing to pay hundreds (sometimes thousands) for the treatment. But how effective and necessary is it?
What is lymphatic drainage massage?
Lymphatic drainage massage was developed in a clinical context to help treat lymphoedema, a condition where the lymphatic system is disrupted, leading to excessive fluid retention in the soft tissue of the body and swelling.
The literature about the massage technique suggests a long history, though efficacy as a standalone treatment is not strong, says Professor Elizabeth Dylke, the head of physiotherapy at the University of Sydney School of Health Sciences.
“It’s something that’s been done for a very long time for people with swelling, but the evidence currently is not that strong for its efficacy and at best, it needs to be used in conjunction with other treatments, like compression garments,” says Dylke, who has worked on lymphoedema-related research for more than 19 years.
Manual lymphatic drainage, as it’s referred to as in clinical contexts, differs from other massages. It’s purposefully more gentle, often using circular and light pumping motions on the body where the lymph nodes are, targeting the cells under the skin. “It’s like a water hose,” says a senior myotherapist and remedial massage therapist at The Alignment Studio, Doris Chang. “If you press too hard, the water can’t get through. You want to encourage it to flow smoothly.”
What are the benefits of lymphatic drainage?
In the clinical treatment of lymphoedema, the technique helps address excessive fluid retention in the soft tissue, usually in your arms or legs.
Though Dylke stresses there’s a difference between someone with a chronic condition and someone who doesn’t have a lymphatic deficiency. “It is a swelling rather than that word ‘puffiness’ which often comes up with people who feel better after a lymphatic massage,” she says.
For cancer patients whose lymphatic system is disrupted, it can be a beneficial adjunctive therapy. For anyone whose system is functioning normally, it doesn’t do anything that a normal massage can’t do, though it can be four-times the cost.
Dylke goes on warn you should pay caution to any tools or products that claim to promote “lymphatic drainage” (they don’t) and notes there’s no evidence that manual lymphatic drainage detoxifies the body. “That’s what your kidneys and liver do,” she says. “The lymphatic system’s job is to move fluid from the peripherals as well as support immune function and the removal of some of the other things that your cells break down into. The lymphatic system does that really, really well on its own.”
While there’s some discussion of such massages being useful in sports medicine, a 2009 review published in The Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy found that the evidence was limited and inconclusive.
Nonetheless, the massage technique has also evolved over the years, with massage therapists offering their own carefully refined techniques.
At Venustus, Fleur has led the development of their signature High Definition Lymphatic Bodywork method, which incorporates a sculpting element. “We’ve always done manual lymphatic drainage since the beginning because that’s in our training, but our guests wanted more when it came to preparing for special occasions,” she says. “So they’re not just looking their best, but they’re feeling their best as well.”
While evidence of efficacy is thin, that isn’t to say there aren’t any benefits. It’s just that those oft-cited benefits – a renewed energy, physical lightness – are likely a result of being in a relaxed environment where deep-breathing, drinking lots of water and rest are encouraged. “People without lymphatic system disruptions, it’s a really gentle and calming massage that is very relaxing,” Dylke says.
“Rather than it actually changing the function of the lymphatic system in somebody whose lymphatic system is already functioning well.”
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