Lymphatic drainage

A network that has long been difficult to see

The history of drainage begins with a discrete network. Unlike blood-filled vessels, lymphatic vessels are often difficult to distinguish. In 1622, Gaspare Aselli observed whitish ducts in a dog in the region of the intestine: the chyliferous vessels. Their content, loaded with fats absorbed after a meal, makes them visible. This observation became an important milestone in the discovery of the lymphatic system.

In the 17th century, several anatomists gradually completed this picture. Jean Pecquet notably describes the chyle reservoir, while Thomas Bartholin and Olof Rudbeck explore the lymphatic vessels beyond the intestine. The network gradually ceases to be understood as a particularity of digestion. It appears as a transport pathway present in the body, connected to the blood circulation.

From fluid in tissues to a massage method

Understanding this network helps to better explain certain edemas: fluid accumulates when exchanges and its evacuation are no longer balanced. This opens the way to treatments seeking to facilitate its movement. However, there remains a difference between knowing the anatomy of a network and demonstrating that a gesture improves a given situation. Massage techniques develop gradually, with their indications and limitations.

In the 1930s, Emil Vodder and his wife Estrid participated in the development of a massage method based on very gentle and rhythmic movements. According to the story reported by the Vodder school, Emil presented his method in Paris in 1936. The particularity of the gesture is its lightness: it moves away from muscular kneading to work on the skin and superficial tissues.

The method is then taught, adapted and integrated into certain lymphedema treatments. Other approaches, such as those of Földi or Casley-Smith, are also developing. In this context, drainage is part of a set of treatments that may include compression, movements and maintenance of the skin. His medical history is therefore not limited to an isolated massage session.

Gua sha comes from another tradition

Gua sha is a traditional East Asian practice that relies on friction with a tool. In its traditional forms studied, it can cause transient skin marks. Its gesture and its history are distinct from those of European manual drainage. The small tool sold today for the face borrows from this tradition, but gentle cosmetic use should not be confused with the more vigorous techniques practiced on the body.

This distinction also matters when reading the studies. In 2007, a pilot test on eleven people observed an increase in microcirculation after gua sha applied to the back. It measures local blood circulation, not facial refinement or directly measured acceleration of lymphatic drainage. A study can therefore show a real effect without demonstrating the promise appearing on the packaging of a facial accessory.

What recent research adds

In 2025, an eight-week trial compared roller skating to gua sha in 34 women and observed changes in certain measures of facial contour, muscle tone and elasticity. It provides interesting data, but both groups receive a massage: one group is missing without intervention. These results therefore do not allow us to attribute all the changes to drainage, nor to conclude that there has been a lasting transformation of the face.