Lymphatic Drainage: Taking out the Trash

The Lymphatic System plays an important role in our immune and circulatory healthy. In skincare, the lymph system works to create immunities, and it detoxifies the skin by draining the skin of disease-causing toxins and bacteria buildup. In the esthetics world, we refer to lymph drainage as "taking out the trash".
Lymph is a colorless, watery fluid that transports this trash, filtering it through capillary walls. Benefits of lymph drainage include:
- Regeneration of skin tissues
- Detoxification
- Anti-aging effects
- Reduction in swelling (edema)
- Relief of chronic pain

If you don't have time or money to receive a lymph drainage massage or facial, you can perform one on yourself that can be effective at removing excess debris from skin.

Here is my version of a short, easy-to-do lymph drainage technique you can do at home:
To start, warm your favorite facial serum or Drifting by the Sea's Dandelion & Birch Decollete Serum between palms of hands. Take two fingers on each hand and gently being massaging the neck (decollete) just below the earlobes. Slowly massage fingers in circular motions as you glide down the neck just below the clavicle bone area. Using one hand at a time, massage across and just below the clavicle bone, all the way across the chest. Repeat on opposite side. You can repeat this lymph drainage massage daily.

Afterwards, drainage may occur through the urinary or sweat glands so be sure to drink a lot of water to encourage toxin removal!

I really enjoy this exercise and find that it really helps improve skin health. I hope you do too!