Is Lymphatic Drainage Massage or Brazilian Lymphatic Drainage Massage suitable for everyone?
Lymphatic Drainage Massage is generally considered safe and beneficial for most people. However, there are certain contraindications or situations in which lymphatic drainage many not be advisable. Some common contraindications include:
Acute infections: Individuals with acute infections, such as cellulitis or sepsis, should avoid Lymphatic Drainage Massage until the infection has resolved. Massaging the affected area could potentially spread the infection further.
Active cancer: Lymphatic drainage may not be recommended for individuals with active cancer, especially in areas affected by tumours or metastases. However, it may be beneficial for cancer survivors, or individuals in remission, under the guidance of a healthcare professional.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT): Lymphatic drainage, may exasperate the risk of dislodging a blood clot in individuals with DVT. It's essential to avoid massage in areas affected by DVT to prevent potential complications such as pulmonary embolism.
Cardiovascular conditions: People with severe cardiovascular conditions, such as congestive heart failure or severe hypertension, should avoid vigorous lymphatic drainage techniques that may increase heart rate or blood pressure.
Acute inflammatory conditions: Lymphatic Drainage Massage may aggravate acute inflammatory conditions such as acute arthritis or acute gout. It’s best to avoid massage during the acute phase of these conditions.
Active bleeding disorders: Individuals with active bleeding disorders or taking anticoagulant medications should avoid Lymphatic Drainage Massage to prevent excessive bleeding or bruising.
Skin infections or open wounds: Lymphatic drainage should not be performed over areas of the skin with active infections, open wounds, burns, or other skin conditions to prevent further irritation or infection.
What is fascia?
Fascia is fascinating! It surrounds every single cell including our skin cells and is within all layers of the skin housing vital components. The lymphatic system is not only housed in fascia, new research from the National Library of Medicine suggests that the fascia and lymphatic systems are inseparable. Fascia, like other systems of the body, is affected by the food we eat, the amount of movement we experience, what medications we take, and whether we sleep well and manage stress. We also can’t eliminate genetics, although this is the smallest influencing factor to the "healthy fascia" equation. What we consume, including everything we consume, can cause the fascia to react, and fascia - like the rest of our body, likes detoxification. So, how well we expel toxins affects the fascia. Fascia serves as a remarkable nutrient delivery sponge that absorbs nutrients and delivers them to our cells. It's made up of collagen and elastin fibres which serve as the support net under our skin determining the level of firmness to our skin. Fascia is just as important as nerves if not more as it relates to pain as fascia is a sensory organ that is 1000x more sensitive than nerves. Qi, meridians, anatomy trains, nadis and chakras - fascia is the system of the body that carries the most energy. That "knot" we can feel in our neck at times isn't actually muscle as muscles can't knot, it's fascia; Unhealthy fascia can bind together forming adhesions throughout our body. When it's smooth and healthy, it resembles hair and allows blood and lymph to flow for optimal oxygen and nutrient delivery helping to maintain the integrity of our collagen, elastin, and so much more.
What causes cellulite and how does FasciaBlasting work to improve it?
It isn’t fat that causes those dimples but rather the pull of the fascia beneath the skin, creating that unique texture we know as cellulite. Fascia is made up of collagen and elastin fibres which serve as the support net under our skin determining the level of firmness to our skin. FasciaBlasting regenerates the fascia, releases stem cells into the skin, setting off fibroblasts which then set off collagen production. The collagen production creates a stable cell network for tight and elastic skin. FasciaBlasting targets the adhesions and bound fascia causes the pull on the tissues creating the dimpled texture. Regular FasciaBlasting not only contributes to healthy fascia and overall wellbeing but also improves the integrity and appearance of the skin. FasciaBlasting to legs is included in Brazilian Lymphatic Drainage Massage treatments and can be added to traditional Lymphatic Drainage Massage and Facial treatments. Purchase your own tools for full body FasciaBlasting here.
Ashley Black explains the science behind how FasciaBlasting works to smooth cellulite.