The Lymphatic System: Exercises to Decrease Inflammation and Detox

Written by Michelle Manis

Be gone puffy, inflamed skin! Did you know you can take caring for your lymphatic system into your own hands to promote healthy skin, a contoured facial structure, and overall detoxification of your body? With the help of lymphatic drainage tools like dry brushes, gua shas, and rollers, you can manage inflammation and drain the lymphatic system to stay healthy and  keep you looking your best. 

Lymphatic drainage has been practiced for centuries, in fact, the gua sha, a traditional Chinese medicine tool, was invented over 700 years ago! So what is a gua sha and how can it help your lymphatic system? The gua sha is a curved facial massage tool that when used on specific areas of the body, following the flow of the natural lymphatic system, can promote drainage and movement within, detoxing the body from any stuck mucus and fluids the body may be holding from recent illnesses. Gua shas also are used for lymphatic upkeep, draining common everyday build up of watery fluids called lymph, resulting from our natural immune system responses. Since the lymphatic system is part of the immune system, Lymphatic drainage and caring for your immune system go hand in hand. Thus, it’s super important to make sure your lymphatic system is being attended to in your self care routine. 

Lymphatic Care For Face

Using a gua sha in the mornings is one of my favorite parts of my morning routine. I not only feel the inflammation accumulated overnight draining, but I can also see my face transforming to a slighter slimmer and contoured look. Gua shas are great for improving the structure of your face overtime and creating a naturally chiseled and contoured look. The long term benefits of lymphatic drainage massages, not only with tools but also with your hands, is so rewarding…doing these massages will help you look and feel good!

There are many different types of gua shas, but most commonly they’re boomerang-shaped stone. The curved side is used to massage and carve out the jaw and cheekbones, and the flatter edges are used to sweep across the face following the patterns of lymphatic drainage for lymph fluid and inflammation reduction. Here’s how: apply face oil or moisturizer to the skin. My personal favorites for ‘gua-shaing’ are Tatcha’s Water Cream and  Biossance’s Vitamin C Rose Oil. Glide the gua sha across your cheeks from your nose towards your ears to carve out your cheeks. Use it to contour your jaw by massaging from the middle of your chin, to below your ear, and drain the lymph down your neck on both sides. It’s common to feel the need to swallow during this step as all the lymph accumulates in your throat and you drain the mucus out of the sinuses. This is the cool kind of gross right here and your body will thank you! Glide the gua sha up from the forehead from your eyebrows to your hairline to reduce the appearance of fine lines and lift your eyebrows. Before we drain the neck down towards the heart (more on this next when we talk dry brushing), massage upwards to reduce sagging. For more facial massages, check out @anastasiabeautyfascia on TikTok and this visual here. 

No gua sha? No problem! Note that all these massage techniques can be replicated with your hands, and you can use your knuckles as a massage tool for your jawline.

Lymphatic Care For Body

The lymphatic system as a whole can be attended to with the help of dry brushing. Dry brushing is known to improve circulation, stimulate lymph flow, reduce cellulite development, clear pores, exfoliate, support digestion, and relieve stress, so to me it’s an all-in-one lymphatic hack and quite literally a miracle worker in a tool. Dry brushes look the way they sound, they’re most often a round brush that can fit in the palm of your hand with medium length bristles made of synthetic or natural materials. You can find other types of dry brushes here so feel free to try multiple different kinds and see what works for you. So, how does one dry brush? Great question! Dry brushing is easy once you learn the flow of the lymphatic system and match the natural drainage patterns in our bodies. Begin at your neck in downwards motions. Move to your hands and move up your arms. For your legs, begin at your feet and brush up your legs. Lastly, brush your abdomen and lower back clockwise to improve digestion. It is important to always brush upwards towards your heart, as brushing away from the heart can put stress on your veins and nodes and go against your natural flow. Here’s a useful visual to guide you here. Pro tip: there are extra lymph nodes in your neck and armpits so make sure you’re giving those areas extra attention for the best results. To make dry brushing a part of your routine, I recommend you brush right before you shower so you can remove dead skin that’s been exfoliated in the process. 

Personal Recommendations, My Experience Using a Gua Sha

I’ve practiced lymphatic drainage techniques for a few years now and can confidently say that my face shape changed for the better. I grew up with big cheeks and a less than prominent jawline so my face isn’t the most naturally contoured. Ever since I’ve started using my gua sha, I noticed my jawline improved and my cheeks started appearing more contoured! If you’re looking for a natural way to contour your face while experiencing the immune benefits of lymphatic drainage, I highly recommend using a gua sha. I recently purchased new face massage tools from Mount Lai and have heard great things, so if you’re looking to adopt a gua sha into your self care routine, check out this Allure “Best of Beauty” featured product from Mount Lai here. 

I hope this motivated you to start caring for your lymphatic system if you don’t do so already. As always, take good care of yourself, you deserve it!

Be well,
Michelle

Sources:

Ford, Jennifer. “The Best Lymphatic Drainage Tools to Use from Head to Toe.” Essence, Essence, Sept. 2023, www.essence.com/commerce/best-lymphatic-drainage-tools/#1359225. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023. 

“The Lymphatic System (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth.” Kidshealth.org, 2021, kidshealth.org/en/parents/spleen-lymphatic.html#:~:text=What%20Is%20the%20Lymphatic%20System,lymph%20from%20throughout%20the%20body. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.