Skin benefits of unblocking facial lymph nodes

Viva Challenge: unblock facial lymph nodes

Friday, 8 January 2010

Those who have read Chizu Saeki’s The Japanese Skincare Revolution would have come across her information regarding how our facial contour will lose its definition when the lymph flow is lazy around our ears and neck. Hence, it is recommended that we stimulate those lymph nodes to drain fluid build-up.

Drainage system to absorb and remove toxins
For those who don’t know, the lymph system is a complex network comprising lymph nodes, lymph ducts and lymph vessels and one of its main functions is to act as a drainage system to absorb and remove waste and toxins from our body. However, our lifestyles, coupled with diet and stress may cause the waste to accumulate and our facial lymph system to become sluggish. Hence, drainage of toxins becomes slower and waste build up, causing our face to become puffy and our skin to suffer. This is why most facial massages focus on unblocking the lymph nodes to activate the lymph, purge the toxins, clean the tissues and stimulate circulation.

Most of the lymph nodes are in the neck
There are lots of lymph nodes in our facial region and in fact, I read that half of the lymph nodes in our body are in our neck. These are the four key lymph nodes highlighted in The Japanese Skincare Revolution:

1. Behind the ears – parotid lymph nodes
2. The sides of the neck – cervical lymph nodes
3. Above the collarbones – supraclaicular lymphy nodes
4. Armpits – axillary lymph nodes

Regular massages for healthy lymph nodes
It is said that regular lymphatic drainage massages can help us maintain a smooth flow of fluid, healthy lymph nodes, and of course, better skin. However, I’ve found the massages recommended by Chizu Saeki to be somewhat difficult and troublesome, since we need some amount of lubrication. So instead of massaging, I’m going to share with you an easier method using pinching and tapping.

Step 1
Use your thumb and press the lymph nodes in the hollows behind your ears seven times.

Step 2
Use your index finger and thumb, pinch the sides of your neck in an upward outward direction seven times.

Step 3
Use your four fingers and tap the hollows of your collarbones seven times.

Step 4
Use your four fingers and tap your armpit area seven times.

I picked these pinching and tapping techniques from my facial sessions and have been doing it on and off, whenever I remember them. If you like to keep your facial lymph nodes healthy and are comfortable with the idea, then join me in doing these for a fresher looking complexion!

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Posted in VivaChallenge | 20 Comments »

20 Comments to “Viva Challenge: unblock facial lymph nodes”

Nellz Says:
January 8th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Thanks for the tips!
Simple and convenient enough to do this anywhere w/o massage cream/ oil

[Reply]
sesame Reply:
January 8th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
Yes, I sometimes do this even when I’m walking.

[Reply]
rachel Says:
January 8th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
hi sesame,

wanted to ask you for the longest time about roototes. do you think the polyester or the cotton range is more hardy?

thanks! (sorry to OT)

[Reply]
sesame Reply:
January 8th, 2010 at 10:26 pm
I like the designs from the cotton range but I don’t like how it rubs on my clothes. The polyester ones are okay, just that designs are so so. Both are equally hardy but of course polyester is water resistant.

[Reply]
pf1123 Says:
January 8th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
Hahahha…I have to do the armpit one. Mine has got fats there. Maybe it will melt the fats away.

[Reply]
sesame Reply:
January 8th, 2010 at 10:27 pm
Oh yes…I read that unblocking the lymph nodes can help with unwanted cellulites too.

[Reply]
Kaith Says:
January 9th, 2010 at 12:19 am
Oh, I only learned about these lymph nodes now! Thanks for sharing. Will try the tips above

[Reply]
sesame Reply:
January 9th, 2010 at 10:41 am
Hope you’ll enjoy doing them.

[Reply]
Suz Says:
January 9th, 2010 at 12:25 am
truth to be told…I may do it once or twice…then get lazy and forget about it…:/

[Reply]
sesame Reply:
January 9th, 2010 at 10:41 am
Can understand…I forget too but just try whenever I remember.

[Reply]
Vonvon Says:
January 9th, 2010 at 1:12 am
Thanks for sharing these tips! I am one who’s into massages and manual lymphatic drainage, but just too lazy to do it myself. Always prefer to go for such massages but not easy to find and quite pricey.

[Reply]
sesame Reply:
January 9th, 2010 at 10:42 am
That’s true…it’s pricey so we can try some of these ourselves to maintain.

[Reply]
crystal Says:
January 9th, 2010 at 6:40 am
That girl looks familiar like the girl from the Shisheido ads…

But, I was wondering – have you heard of MAGIC OF ALOE – it’s supposed to be a brand w/ aloe vera based skincare products. I am hesitant of buying since I can’t seem to find any infor about them except on their site:

http://www.magic-of-aloe.com
I also found another site, “http://magicofaloe.com/” but I think that doesn’t even link to the first one…

[Reply]
sesame Reply:
January 9th, 2010 at 10:43 am
The girl is Kim Tae Hee from Korea. Very sweet and pretty gal.

No, never heard of Magic of Aloe. A lot of products contain aloe so don’t think this is any special.

[Reply]
Sparklewolfie Says:
January 9th, 2010 at 9:46 am
I will try to remember to do this too! I also have a little bubble of fat by by armpits/boob area @_@ Very unattractive!

[Reply]
sesame Reply:
January 9th, 2010 at 10:44 am
I think it’s quite common…I have them too and they’re unsightly when we wear certain clothes. This is why I hardly wear sleeveless these days.

Try these techniques but I can’t promise they’ll get rid of the fats though…

[Reply]
evelyn M Says:
January 9th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
Hello Sesame,

How often do you think we should do these techniques for result ?
thanks

[Reply]
sesame Reply:
January 10th, 2010 at 9:57 am
It’ll be good if you can do this every day, once a day. But I can’t guarantee results. It’ll add on to whatever goodness you’re doing for your skin I suppose.

[Reply]
tallis Says:
January 11th, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Nice! this sounds good

[Reply]
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January 15th, 2010 at 10:01 am
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