Now, some types of facials will really home in on the massage, focusing on specific meridians of the face to help drain excess fluid and encourage flow. Enter, lymphatic drainage facials: Ahead, find out how this treatment can benefit your skin, how it works, and what to know before booking a session. “For the skin, conditions like puffiness, acne, dryness, dullness, and even skin sensitivity can be improved and even resolved by simple lymphatic stimulation because it helps the body do what it’s meant to do: heal,” Rouleau adds. “You may find your esthetician incorporating the use of a jade roller or gua sha to enhance the draining experience,” she adds. “These are great tools; however, when draining the lymphatic systems, the key is a very light and gentle touch. You don’t want to drag the skin, which can create lines or wrinkles.” That’s why it’s crucial to find an esthetician or licensed acupuncturist specifically trained in this type of facial—not only will they have a gentler touch, but they’ll also know exactly how to target the channels on your face, thus providing a more successful experience. On that note, allow us to reemphasize how important it is to find the right professional. “We suggest finding an esthetician trained in this type of treatment,” says esthetician Darya Rzaca, co-founder of Atelier Beauté. “It consists in pressing and rubbing the skin through the use of specific techniques and specialized movements to push the accumulated fluid under it,” which requires a very practiced hand. As for the service itself, it likely won’t require any downtime on the skin care front. “The only thing that comes to my head with lymphatic drainage is that it can leave you feeling exhausted,” says esthetician Aneta Zuraw, co-founder of Atelier Beauté. After all, it takes work for your body to flush out all of that accumulated waste! That said, you may need to rest for the day—it might not be best to jump into any strenuous activity. It’s more common after a full-body lymphatic drainage massage but an important warning nonetheless for facials, too. Says Akram, you also want to make sure to drink plenty of water post-treatment—after those excess fluids get released from the tissues, you want to continue to flush them out of the body. Yes, that means a few more trips to the bathroom, but it’s the only way the waste can truly exit.
