Is Your Lymphatic System Begging for Attention?

Written By Julia Carey

When your face looks puffy, your rings feel tight, or your body feels heavy for no logical reason, you are not “dramatic.” You are not “retaining a little water.”
Your lymphatic system is waving a tiny white flag like, “pls… help.”

Let’s be honest, as women, our bodies are running on a daily and monthly chaotic clock.
Between hormones, stress, bloating, fluid shifts, migraines, periods, mood changes…
and that’s all before breakfast.

This can be EXHAUSTING.

Taking a few minutes in the shower to do some manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) can help your lymphatic system clean out that cellular waste, excess fluid, metabolic leftovers, and all the things your bloodstream is like, “no thanks, you deal with it.”

Think of your lymphatic system as your internal spa team.
But unlike your blood, your lymph has no pump.

No heart.
No engine.
Just vibes.

It depends on movement, breath, muscle contraction, and sometimes… a little help from the outside (aka YOU).

Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) deserves a moment.
Not because it's trendy,  but because your body deserves it.

With a feather-light, rhythmic massage technique, we guide lymphatic fluid into the vessels and away from areas of congestion…
like that stubborn face bloat that refuses to leave even though you are working out like crazy.

This is NOT a deep tissue massage.
It shouldn’t hurt.
It’s slow.
It’s intentional.
It’s basically a nervous system lullaby.

Why do women hormonally benefit from this?

Our hormone fluctuations, menstrual cycles, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, all impact inflammation, fluid retention, and lymphatic flow.

Research shows migraine prevalence is three times higher in women after puberty due to hormonal influences.
And here’s where it gets interesting…

A 2025 randomized controlled trial found that lymphatic drainage massage:

  • Improved pain

  • Reduced medication use

  • Enhanced quality of life

  • Helped women with neck tension + migraine patterns

So basically:
Your “period migraine” might be connected to swelling, lymph congestion, and tissue sensitivity more than you think.

Now does it actually work? Here's the evidence-backed truth.

The research is nuanced and messy, because humans are messy and no two bodies behave the same.
(Shocking, I know.)

For lymphoedema (chronic swelling):

  • Often recommended

  • Some studies show patients develop NEW lymphatic pathways after MLD

  • Others say it isn’t significantly better than compression or general massage

  • Many say “more research needed”

But the important part?
MLD does not harm, and when combined with compression, movement, and skin care, it helps maintain comfort and reduce swelling.

For pain + migraines (my favorite part):

The 2025 RCT showed MLD:

  • Increases pain thresholds

  • Reduces headache days

  • Improves emotional + physical wellbeing

  • Supports parasympathetic nervous system activation

While CTM (connective tissue massage) was better for neck-specific pain,
MLD was superior for whole-body wellbeing and migraine relief.

For mental health + stress

MLD activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the “rest, digest, heal, exhale, unclench” vibe we all desperately need.

Women often describe their first session as:
“It felt like my body finally exhaled after holding tension for years.”

So… is MLD overrated?

Honestly?
Just misunderstood.

It is not a cure.
It will not detox your soul.
And anyone claiming it can “flush all toxins in 30 minutes” needs to go sit in the corner and think about their choices.

BUT…

MLD absolutely shifts how your body feels.
It works with your lymphatic system, fascia, fluid dynamics, and nervous system all at once.

It’s subtle but powerful.
Soft but clinical.
Gentle but deeply therapeutic.

For women who feel:

  • Puffy

  • Inflamed

  • Swollen

  • Burnt out

  • Hormonal

  • Touch-starved

…it can be a GAME CHANGER.

The perks:

Slow down → It forces you into stillness you rarely allow yourself.
Snatched face → Let’s not act like this doesn’t matter.
Better digestion → The gut is wrapped in lymphatic vessels.
Easier periods → Hormones + lymph = deeply intertwined.
Feeling lighter → Women often carry inflammation like emotional armor.

Is MLD for you?

Not sure?
Your body will tell you.

MLD is your reminder that your body is not a machine.
It is a river.
And rivers need flow.

How to Do It (Your At-Home MLD Routine)

1. Tap on your lymph nodes to wake them up!
Do this for 10–15 seconds.
(Think of it like your lymph hitting the snooze button… twice.)

2. Use a carrier oil (jojoba is great but whatever works best for YOUR skin)
This keeps the skin gliding→  NO pulling, NO dragging.

3. Work from IN → OUT
Always clear towards the big “drainage stations.”

Face + Neck Flow:

  • Inner eyes

  • Sides of nose

  • Eyebrows

  • Front of ears

  • Behind ears

  • Down the neck (front + back)

  • End above + below the clavicle

Upper Body Flow:

  • Massage armpits, guiding fluid toward the heart

  • Across the chest

  • Then around the breasts (yes, this matters)

Arms:

  • Tap

  • Stroke fluid upward past the armpit and through the chest to the heart

Belly + Groin:

Tap the groin area (your hormone bloat HQ).
Make circles:
Lower right → upper right → upper left → lower left
Stroke downward to finish.

Hips:

Don’t skip the side hips, they store fluid like emotional support pockets.

Legs:

  • Tap behind knees

  • Stroke upward

End with legs up the wall while you read a book and let gravity do the most gorgeous passive work for you.


Here is a quick diagram of where and how you can do MLD on the face and neck.

Pink sparkles = Your lymph nodules

Black arrow = Where you push the fluid

Julia Carey
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