Along with the other viable and relaxing facial treatments out there, a whole host of facial masks and procedures that pass as premium skin care are just extensions of the same beauty myths that get repeated so often they have become truths in the mind of the consumer. Lymph drainage treatments are one of the many spa services that claim to rid the body of toxins, cellulite, wrinkles, and on and on. Lymph massage does have validity for those with lymphedema, a consequence of diseases such as cancer that require the removal of lymph nodes. However, the massage associated with lymphedema is not about “draining” lymph or removing toxins. Rather, it is about preventing the pooling of lymph into the extremities when the lymph system has been compromised in a given area.
The concept of draining lymph glands from the outside in to remove toxins makes as much sense as the idea of draining your hormonal system or blood system from the outside in. The lymph system carries our body’s immune defenses. Lymph runs through the body like blood does, in veins and capillaries. You wouldn’t want someone draining your blood or hormones (without lots of proof that it was safe and worthwhile), and the same goes for the lymph.