20/11/2025
I had a client tell me this week that a previous MLD treatment had involved a body brush for most of the hour, so I thought I would be late to the party and get on this propaganda trend.
Yes, body brushing is awesome for maintenance, but we can all do that at home by ourselves. What you're paying for in a clinic or salon are bespoke targeted treatments done by a professional with advanced anatomy knowledge. After studying the lymphatic system, I can't see how effective and results-driven MLD can be done without the involvement of the human hand.
Here's some useful info to explain MLD in a bit more detail:
-Working on one area of the body at first is a pointless exercise. To drain an area properly, we first need to create space in the whole system. Otherwise, the fluid has nowhere to go.
-Weight loss is possible after a treatment, but this is water weight, not fat loss. The results we get depend on how your lymphatic system is performing at that time and also the clients lifestyle.
-The Lymphatic System does not care what technique you use, be it the Brazilian or Vodder method (I use both depending on client needs). This is why I don't use tools or machines other than dry cupping. I'm sure some will be an added bonus or have other benefits for the body, so I'm certainly not discounting them.
-Post-operative MLD is amazing and, in my opinion, essential for speed and efficacy in the healing process after surgery. However, physically squeezing fluid from incisions with pressure or force is something no massage therapist is qualified to do.
- if your MLD treatment starts with you lying face down or painfully deep pressure, you've just had a Sports Massage and not MLD.