“When I started specialising in cellulite, manual lymphatic drainage massage was supposed to be the only technique that reduced cellulite and 25+ years later MLD is still peddled as a valid cellulite reduction method - which it isn’t. Sure, in some cases of cellulite where water retention is extreme lymphatic massage can indeed improve skin appearance - albeit very temporarily. For long term cellulite reduction much more than lymphatic massage is needed. Sure enough, MLD is indispensable for people with lymphoedema - but these people comprise only 1.33% of the population. For the rest lymphatic drainage is no better than a plain massage and definitely not good enough to meaningfully reduce cellulite.”
Manual lymphatic massage and cellulite: the myths and the facts
Lymphatic massage only offers some temporary improvement in the appearance (not structure) of cellulite - and only in some women
Exercise and healthy eating for natural lymphatic drainage and cellulite prevention
Manual lymphatic drainage massage vs other massages for people with lymphoedema and the general population
Lymphatic massage vs cellulite treatments that work on all 4 aspects of cellulite
LipoTherapeia® Plus: Have a skin tightening/cellulite treatment with London’s cellulite experts
The Cellulite School™: Get advanced training in cellulite reduction and skin tightening
Lymphatic massage only offers some temporary improvement in the appearance (not structure) of cellulite - and only in some women
Lymphatic massage must be the most overhyped proposed cellulite treatment, together with the pathetic dry brushing (😂) and coffee been scrubbing (😂😂), which, of course, don’t work.
True, impaired microcirculation / lymphatic drainage is part of the cellulite problem, together with excessive hypodermal adipose tissue accumulation, skin laxity and connective tissue fibrosis.
However, manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) massage does NOT do ANYTHING for existing fibrosis, skin laxity or fat accumulation, the other three important structural aspects of cellulite. And when it comes to circulation / lymphatic drainage it only improves it temporarily, for a few hours or days.
So you need to do lymphatic drainage massage forever just to stay at the same level. Lymphatic massage does not improve your circulation / natural lymphatic drainage in the future - just temporarily.
Exercise and healthy eating for natural lymphatic drainage and cellulite prevention
For long-term circulation / natural lymphatic drainage improvement exercise, healthy eating and even some supplements can be equally or more helpful.
And lymphatic massage mainly helps in terms of water retention, not necessarily in terms of cellulite. If you overeat and do not exercise your cellulite will still increase despite the lymphatic massages.
All in all, by reducing water retention, lymphatic massage makes cellulite look better (temporarily) but only in women who have a lot of water retention. In cases where water retention is not an important part of the cellulite problem, manual lymphatic drainage massage does not work for cellulite.
Manual lymphatic drainage massage vs other massages for people with lymphoedema and the general population
Don’t get me wrong, manual lymphatic drainage massage (MLD) is a precious treatment, in fact the only massage treatment, suitable for the 1.33% of people suffering from lymphoedema / medical water retention, especially after surgery.
But MLD has only a moderate and temporary effect in most women’s cellulite and no effect in women without much water retention.
In fact, with the exception of this 1.33% of the population, any other more vigorous massage - or even pressotherapy - will do the same or better job for lymphatic drainage and circulation improvement than the meek and mild lymphatic drainage massage.
For cellulite prevention, strong massage (not just lymphatic massage) can possibly help but more important are healthy nutrition, exercise and an overall wholesome lifestyle - more than 100 tips here.
Lymphatic massage vs cellulite treatments that work on all 4 aspects of cellulite
And for cellulite reduction, the above prevention measures are essential - in addition to treatments that can actually help break down fibrosis, reduce hypodermal fat accumulation, tighten up the skin and boost circulation too.
At the moment, the best such treatments are deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency and deep-acting, high-power ultrasound cavitation, ideally combined, if possible, with high-power LED phototherapy, for maximum results.
In fact, if you receive such a treatment, lymphatic or other massage is superfluous, as both deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency and deep-acting, high-power ultrasound cavitation boost significantly circulation and lymphatic drainage.
Of course, if you love massage, by all means do it - every little helps - but it is not adding much to the main treatment.
For those who do not receive such a treatment, then a strong, lymphatic stimulation massage (as opposed to a soft lymphatic drainage massage) will do a great job for cellulite prevention and some reduction - in addition to healthy eating, exercise etc.
All in all, soft lymphatic massage does very little for cellulite and is very temporary in its effects and it has been way overhyped for the last 30 years - since a tabloid decided to promote it for cellulite and blow its importance for cellulite out of all proportion.
LipoTherapeia® Plus: Have a skin tightening/cellulite treatment with London’s cellulite experts
At LipoTherapeia we have specialised 100% in skin tightening and cellulite reduction for more than two decades and 20,000+ sessions.
This is all we study and practise every day and have researched and tried hands-on all the important skin tightening equipment and their manufacturers.
As strong, deep acting radiofrequency and deep-acting, high-power ultrasound cavitation are the technologies of choice for skin tightening and cellulite reduction, we have invested in the best RF/ultrasound technologies in the world.
(Of course, we keep looking for new technologies every day and if/when a better technology materialises we will be the first to provide it. However, we will never follow the latest ineffective gimmick, just because it’s good marketing to offer the latest hyped up - yet ineffective and/or unsafe treatment.)
Furthermore, over the last two decades we have developed advanced RF and cavitation treatment protocols in order to make the most of our technologies, for maximum results, naturally and safely.
And for even better, faster results, we now combine our RF/ultrasound treatments with high-power red/infrared light LED treatment.
Our radiofrequency/ultrasound/LED treatments are comfortable, pain-free, downtime-free, injection-free, 99.5%+ safe and always non-invasive.
(No unsafe and ineffective RF microneedling or HIFU and no safe but ineffective acoustic wave therapy, superficial RF (bipolar/tripolar/multipolar etc), low power RF/cavitation, electrical muscle stimulation, lymphatic massage, cupping, dry brushing and no ridiculous bum bum creams.)
Our focus is on honest, realistic, science-based treatment, combined with caring, professional service, with a smile.
We will be pleased to see you, assess your cellulite, skin laxity or fibrosis, listen to your story, discuss your case and offer you the best possible treatment.
Check prices and book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment at our London clinic.
Look Inside Your Skin™ with a Cellulite Ultrasonography™ scan, exclusive to LipoTherapeia in London, and assess your cellulite, skin laxity, post-liposuction fibrosis and more
We are proud to be the first and only cellulite clinic in the world to offer Cellulite Ultrasonography™ to our clients, for accurate assessment, better treatment and enhanced results. Since 2022 we have assessed and provided valuable insights to hundreds of clients to better understand their specific case, see how their skin looks from inside and make informed decisions.
You can now book your Cellulite Ultrasonography™ session and assess your:
Cellulite
Skin laxity
Lipedema
Subcutaneous fat levels
You can also assess the presence and severity of fibrosis and adhesions after:
Liposuction in all its forms, including vaser, smart lipo, bodytite, abdominoplasty/tummy tuck, thigh lift, arm lift, lipedema surgery etc
Cellulite surgery, such as cellulaze, cellutite, cellfina, subcision etc
Face-lift surgery
Non-surgical procedures, such as RF microneedling, extreme intensity HIFU, extreme intensity RF, extreme intensity ultrasound etc
Everything will be shown and explained to you clearly and you can see and understand how the different structures inside your skin affect your appearance.
If there is scar tissue / fibrosis, those will be clearly seen and you can differentiate between fibrosis, water retention or unremoved fat after all types of cosmetic surgery or harsh non-surgical procedures such as RF microneedling, extreme intensity HIFU etc.
(DISCLAIMER: Please note that this service is for your informational purposes only and does not constitute medical diagnosis or advice.)
The 45’ appointment includes full assessment and consultation and optional treatment plan for cellulite reduction and/or skin tightening.
If you do wish to have treatment with us, the ultrasound scan, assessment and consultation will be used to optimise your course of treatments and maximise your results.
The Cellulite School™: Get advanced training in cellulite reduction and skin tightening
Why train with The Cellulite School™?
We all know that training in cellulite reduction and skin tightening is as basic as it gets. It is typically a 4-6 hour training, involving only basic instruction from the manufacturer on how operators can use the machine; lots of myths, erroneous information and misconceptions; and some basic health and safety on how to use the machine.
There is no proper, real training in the science or cellulite, skin tightening, radiofrequency, ultrasound and all related technologies is non-existent - worldwide.
Do you want to deeply understand radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, LED phototherapy, cellulite and skin tightening?
Get proper training based on 24-year theory and practical application of cellulite reduction and valuable insights from 23,000+ sessions and 4,100+ clients.
Now you can get instant access to our expertise and save yourself literally thousands of pounds, dollars or euros of expensive mistakes and thousands of hours of study, research and practical application by attending one of our half-day, 1-day, 2-day or 3-day professional consultancy / training courses.
Understand deeply - and get properly trained in - the science of radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, LED phototherapy, cellulite and skin tightening and confidently offer your clients the safest, strongest and most effective treatment possible.
Service available via Zoom or at our central London practice.
Learn more or check prices and book training at our London clinic or via Zoom.