Does It Work? Lymphatic Drainage

Some products are meant to ease puffiness and bloat-here's which claims hold water.

- By Ginny Graves

If you've ever looked into what to do about that extra water weight, you may have heard that “lymphatic drainage can help. Here's the story: Your body's lymphatic system includes a network of vessels, from your feet to your head, that collects excess fluid from your tissues and returns it to your bloodstream. The system typically works fine on its own, but when a lot of extra fluid accumulates-after surgery, for instance-doctors may recommend certain treatments and products to help the drainage along. But are they a good idea for healthy people with more typical bloating? Read on for expert advice.

MANUAL LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE (MLD)

WHAT IT IS: A specially trained massage therapist stimulates the lymphatic vessels, which lie just below the skin, by gently stretching the tissue above them.