How to do facial massage for swelling under the eyes and cheekbones correctly at home

Lymphatic drainage facial massage is a rejuvenating and healing procedure to combat age-related changes. Massage disperses stagnation of lymph flow, removes harmful substances and excess fluid. Lymphatic drainage massage sessions improve tissue metabolism, stimulate the production of elastin and collagen, restoring skin elasticity.

How does lymph flow affect appearance?

The lymphatic system is responsible for hydrobalance and removal of toxins from the body. The faster the lymph flow passes, the better the body is cleansed of waste products. A sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, dehydration, and age slow down the flow of lymph, so harmful substances and excess fluid accumulate in the body. This leads to puffiness and dull complexion.

Due to stagnation of lymph, the tissues become loose, and constant swelling leads to stretching of the skin and disruption of the clear contour. A light lymphatic drainage massage can stimulate the functioning of the lymphatic system, speed up the removal of toxins and excess fluid from the intercellular space. Thanks to this effect, metabolism improves, the skin becomes more elastic, fresh, and toned.

Indications for the procedure

Lymphatic drainage massage is especially useful for those who suffer from morning swelling, pastiness, and the first wrinkles. People over 40 years old have every reason to regularly visit a massage therapist to eliminate the following cosmetic defects:

• fuzzy oval face, jowls, double chin, drooping eyelids;
• expression and age wrinkles;
• double chin;
• nasolabial folds;
• dull skin tone.

The procedure also helps relieve the feeling of stiffness in the facial muscles and relieve fatigue.

Regular sessions of lymphatic drainage massage transform your appearance. Even a slight impact can lift cheekbones, reduce cheeks, and slightly correct the shape of lips. The effect on tissue redistributes lymphatic fluid and saturates dermal cells with oxygen.

Despite the fact that the result after a massage lasts for several days, it can be easily maintained with regular visits to the massage therapist. The visual effect comes quickly, so you can come for a lymphatic drainage facial massage before important events and photo shoots, when you want to look great.

Application of masks, essential oils and creams

Natural ingredients and essential oils used in anti-wrinkle masks and creams saturate the delicate skin around the eyes with vitamins and nutrients.

Their regular use can smooth the skin and restore its elasticity. In addition, preparing a mask or cream from natural products will not take much time.

In the fight against wrinkles, you should pay attention to masks with apricot pulp, honey, aloe juice and olive oil.

The vitamins contained in these products accelerate the restoration of skin cells and moisturize it. Essential oils can be used either as part of a mask or cream, or on their own.

In order to moisturize the skin and provide it with proper nutrition, simply distribute a drop of oil on the lower and upper eyelids with light patting movements.

At home, you can prepare a cream that will eliminate wrinkles around the eyes. To prepare it you will need an oil solution of vitamin E, sea buckthorn berries and cocoa butter. All ingredients are mixed into a homogeneous mass and used as an eye cream at night.

It is recommended to use almond, peach or apricot oil against expression lines.

Types of procedure

There are many facial massage techniques: from original ones, for example, Japanese Zogan massage, to classical medical ones. Techniques are divided into three types according to the degree of impact:

• superficial – refreshes the skin on the face, removes puffiness, tones;
• deep – stimulates metabolic processes, eliminates age-related lymphostasis;
• projection – aimed at lymph and lymph flow.

In addition to manual massage, there are hardware techniques. Physiotherapeutic devices influence the lymphatic vessels using vacuum, currents, and ultrasound. Hardware techniques include:

1. Electrophoresis is a procedure in which a drug applied to the patient’s face is injected into the deep layers of the dermis under the influence of current. Weak discharges are painless. They feel like a slight tickling and tingling sensation. Electrophoresis improves local blood circulation and permeability of cell membranes.
2. Galvanization – facial massage with low-frequency current. The method stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, accelerates lymph flow and metabolism.
3. Microcurrents are an electrical effect on the epidermis from different sides, accelerating blood circulation and the flow of lymphatic fluid.
4. Vacuum hardware massage is an effect on the skin using a compressor with a flask, the pressure inside of which is constantly changing. Soft tissues are drawn into the flask and relax. Vacuum is especially effective for restoring lymph outflow in patients over 45 years of age.

Manual and hardware massage techniques bring the same benefits. The choice of technique depends on the doctor’s prescription and patient preferences.

What is lymphatic drainage facial massage

Facial massage, which stimulates lymph flow, is a physiotherapeutic procedure. Lymph is an intercellular fluid that collects toxins and waste, disposing of them in the lymph nodes. The amount of lymph in the body is regulated by internal systems, but in some pathologies the outflow of fluid may increase: for example, with kidney damage and endocrine pathology myxedema. In this case, massages will be ineffective and massive swelling will persist until the necessary treatment is applied.

But lymph flow can slow down even in a healthy person. Unlike blood flow, which is maintained by the heart, lymph flow is slow. After 25 years, its rate decreases even more, and after 40 years, lymphostasis can develop. You can notice the first signs of a problem in the morning: with age, the face becomes more pasty, the eyelids swell.

As a result of this, a person not only looks older, he actually ages faster. Due to the slow circulation of intercellular fluid, toxins are not eliminated in the required volume, and local metabolism deteriorates. Due to a lack of collagen and elastin, the skin that stretches due to swelling causes sagging, and impaired blood supply spoils the complexion.

Lymphomassage, unlike classic massage, acts exclusively on lymph without significantly affecting blood flow. Movements should be light, soft, and massage patterns should be different, since the goal of manual intervention is to accelerate the transport of fluid to the nearest lymph node.

For the procedure, you need to know the anatomy of the face well: if you press on the wrong points, you can provoke the development of local edema in the form of bumps and bumps.

How does the procedure work?

Before a lymphatic drainage massage session, you need to cleanse the skin of impurities and drink a glass of warm, clean water to restore hydrobalance and prepare the lymphatic system for active circulation.

The massage therapist should have free access to the neck, collarbones, and armpits, so it is better to wear a top or T-shirt that opens these areas. They contain lymph nodes through which the flow of lymph from the facial tissues passes, so these places are also treated.

During the procedure, you need to lie on the couch, take a comfortable position so that your back and neck are in a straight line. The massage therapist applies cream or oil to the skin, gradually warming the skin with smooth circular movements.

The method of performing lymphatic drainage massage is based on several rules:

• all movements go from the central part of the face to the periphery;
• the nose and neck are worked from bottom to top;
• The area of ​​the lower eyelids is massaged in the direction from the cheekbones to the bridge of the nose.

The movements are directed to the main lymph nodes located on the neck, under the collarbones, and in the armpits.

During the massage, it is important for the patient to monitor his condition and sensations. The effect on the skin should not be excessive or painful, so that the fragile lymphatic vessels are not damaged.

At the end of the facial massage, you need to rest for a few minutes and allow the soft tissues to recover. Then you can remove the remaining cream and drink some clean water again.

The frequency of sessions depends on the condition of the patient’s skin and the doctor’s recommendations. Maximum of 3 sessions per week. To maintain the achieved effect, one lymphatic drainage massage per week is enough.

Massage techniques and techniques

The main massage techniques for swelling are patting, stroking and deep massaging. It is necessary to start an anti-edema massage by cleansing the skin with micellar water, using scrubs, gels or facial washes. Then you can apply a moisturizing mask, serum or cosmetic oil.

Read also…. Selection of cosmetic products for massage: gel, oil or balm

Basic set of exercises

There are several massage techniques. The first includes a set of seven exercises. When working, all movements along the upper eyelid are from the inner corner to the outer. The lower eyelid is treated in the same way.

Using the pads of the index and middle fingers, make light movements on the outer corners of the eyes in a clockwise direction. For each eye - 10-12 repetitions. Using the same fingers, apply light pressure on the lower and upper eyelids, trying not to displace the skin. Do 5 repetitions. For the next exercise, you need to apply additional oil or cream to protect the skin from redness. Using the tips of 4 fingers, press first on the upper and then on the lower eyelid. Each press lasts about 15 seconds. After this, lightly tap with your fingertips for 3-5 seconds.

Next, place your index finger on the outer corner of the eye at the temple so that the nail faces the temple. The finger is turned - the nail is facing the nose. The movement should be slow and take 15 to 18 seconds. Move from the tear duct around the eye with the pads of your index fingers counterclockwise with medium pressure. Do 6-7 repetitions. Using the tip of your middle finger, press 10 times on the point near the tear duct, then move around the eye. Complete the exercise by pressing on the corner of the eye near the bridge of the nose.

Using your fingertips, go around the entire area of ​​the orbicularis muscle, starting from the temple and the lower edge of the orbit, including the area above the eyebrow and the upper edge of the eye. Finish with light tapping movements.

The set of exercises is completed by washing with cold and warm water.

Tibetan lymphatic drainage complex

Close your eyes tightly for 2-3 seconds, relax your eye muscles. Open your eyelids, looking upward. Hold for about 60 seconds and relax. The next exercise is to keep your eyes closed and the tips of your index fingers to press on the eyeball. Repeat from 12 to 16 presses. Without opening your eyes, press your finger to your eyelid. The inner gaze is directed upward. The fingers imitate the movement of raising the eyelid. Repeat the exercise 8-11 times.

The ring fingers are placed on the inner corner of the eye. Slowly move the finger clockwise. Complete the exercise by blinking quickly for 30 seconds. The recommended number of repetitions is 6.

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The last exercise - the middle fingers make 10 light pressures on the outer corner of the eye, pass along the lower eyelid and make 10 pressures at the bridge of the nose. After the complex, contrast washing is also recommended.

Massage with spoons

To carry out, you need ordinary tablespoons, which are pre-cooled. Apply any fatty cream to a cold device. The spoons are placed at the nasolacrimal groove and zigzag movements are made towards the temples. Press on the temple area several times, then move to the ears.

Each massage movement is repeated 3-5 times.

Taoist exercise

This simple exercise involves applying light pressure using just the pads of your fingers to the skin around your eyes, starting from the outer edges. You need to make a full 7-8 circles with your fingers. Stroking movements are made clockwise and counterclockwise with moderate pressure, and finished with light pats.

How quickly does the effect appear?

In 90% of cases, the effect of the procedure is noticeable immediately. After the massage, swelling disappears, complexion improves, a healthy glow appears, and skin tone evens out. In the process of completing a full course of 6-12 sessions, wrinkles are noticeably reduced, folds are smoothed out, and the facial contour becomes clear.

Due to the fact that lymphatic drainage facial massage activates the natural regenerative forces of tissues, elastin and collagen begin to be actively produced. These are “building materials” for the skin, responsible for its tone, youth, and healthy appearance. With age, their number decreases, but proper care and procedures stimulate production and slow down the aging process.

A full course of lymphatic drainage is comparable in effect to rejuvenating injection techniques. Moreover, the effect is completely painless and does not have a long recovery period. Regular visits to a massage therapist provide a lasting rejuvenating effect and improve skin condition.

How to choose oil for massage

The skin in the eye area is divided into normal, oily, dry and sensitive. According to this classification, the type of oil is selected:

1. Oily: jojoba oil, St. John's wort, shea butter. They have a positive effect on the normalization of the sebaceous glands and have an antibacterial and cleansing effect.
2. Dry: apricot kernel oil, wheat germ oil, castor oil. They contain vitamins A and E, which moisturize the dermis and rejuvenate the eye area.
3. Sensitive: almond, which perfectly relieves inflammation, irritation, and has a refreshing effect.
4. Normal: olive, peach, sea buckthorn, flaxseed. They will fill the dermis with essential vitamins and microelements.

Massage against wrinkles in the eye area is an effective remedy that does not require special financial resources, long time or effort. The main thing is regularity and correct technique.

Self-massage of the face

On the Internet you can find home lymphatic drainage massage techniques for doing it yourself. However, such procedures can be traumatic, since there are many nerve endings and fragile blood vessels on the face.

Professional massage therapists know the anatomy of the face and the paths of lymph flow. If you massage the skin in the wrong places and directions, you can get bruises, lymph congestion, bumps, rashes, new wrinkles, and creases. Incorrect technique for performing lymphatic drainage increases swelling and pastiness of tissues.

Types of lymphatic drainage massage

There are a large number of massage techniques, both original ones, developed by specific cosmetologists and massage therapists, and those known for a long time, such as the Japanese Asahi massage.

But if we classify manual intervention as a medical procedure, we can distinguish the method of execution: by hand or using special equipment, as well as the intensity of the exposure:

• surface massage – refreshes the skin, eliminates pastiness, increases tone;
• deep – stimulates the metabolic processes of the dermis, fights swelling;
• projection - affects both lymph and blood flow.

Regardless of the technique, each massage should begin with light movements to warm up the tissues, and end with patting.

Combination with other procedures

Lymphatic drainage facial massage complements minimally invasive and non-invasive skin care procedures:

• superficial acid peeling;
• scrubbing;
• meso- and plasma therapy;
• microcurrent therapy;
• radiofrequency lifting.

After the session, not only lymph flow increases, but also local blood circulation, which increases the effectiveness of subsequent care. At the end of the facial massage, you can apply a moisturizing serum to the skin, make a cleansing or toning mask, and apply patches to the area under the eyes.

Massage against puffiness under the eyes

Massage against puffiness under the eyes is very simple

Massage against puffiness under the eyes is very simple to perform and is done as follows.

Massage stages:

• dip your fingertips in olive oil, then draw a line from the inner corner of the eye to the outer corner;
• closing our eyelids, we make tapping movements on them;
• We hold our fingers on our eyelids and try to open our eyes;
• We keep our eyes closed and slightly pull our eyelids back with our fingers.

Contraindications to the procedure

Main contraindications to lymphatic drainage massage:

• rosacea;
• disruption of the lymphatic system;
• ENT diseases, fever;
• pathologies of the respiratory system;
• allergic and other skin rashes;
• thin subcutaneous fat;
• oncological diseases;
• period of exacerbation of herpes infection;
• neuralgia of the facial nerves.

Massages are not performed for somatic disorders of the heart, kidneys or endocrine system. Also, lymphatic drainage is not recommended during menstruation, pregnancy, or lactation.

Before prescribing the procedure, you should tell your doctor about all diseases and possible allergic reactions so that the specialist can determine whether you have indications and contraindications for the procedure.

Cosmetology in

Lymphatic drainage facial massage is a pleasant and quick way to improve the condition of the skin, get rid of wrinkles and tension in the facial muscles. With the help of massage, you can improve the functioning of the lymphatic system, get rid of dark circles, bags under the eyes, morning puffiness, and swelling. But it is very important that the procedure is performed by an experienced massage therapist who knows the anatomy of the face and the correct direction of lymph flow.

At the VIP Academy diagnostic and treatment center, experienced specialists practice manual lymphatic drainage massage. To make an appointment for a consultation or procedure, leave a request by phone, email or through the call order form on the website.

What will be the result?

If for some reason you are unable to visit a cosmetologist, perform the massage yourself at home. By following massage techniques and regular procedures, the following results can be achieved:

• increase lymph outflow and improve blood flow,
• activate metabolic processes,
• increase natural collagen production,
• increase skin elasticity.

Massaging the area around the eyes can rejuvenate the skin and also get rid of cosmetic problems such as dark circles under the eyes and puffiness.

It should be noted that massage does not imply any age restrictions or restrictions related to skin type. At a young age, massage is performed for preventive purposes, in adulthood - to eliminate cosmetic defects.