A massage session combines relaxation with supporting the body’s natural lymphatic flow. Photo: Paige Victoria Kendall at Fruitful Studio
Brazilian lymphatic drainage supports healing and wellness.
When Macy Grishaw opened Lymph Lounge in Edina in 2025, she introduced a wellness service unfamiliar to many Minnesotans: Brazilian lymphatic drainage massage. A licensed massage therapist with a background in social work and Reiki, Grishaw was inspired to explore Brazilian lymphatic drainage after realizing it could address emotional, mental and physical well-being all in one approach. She shares how lymphatic drainage works and the benefits it provides.
What is lymphatic massage? In simplest terms, lymphatic drainage massage helps speed up the lymphatic system. Your lymphatic system is your sewer system, so it’s the pipes and drains of the body. The lymph fluid is the toxins of the body that get processed out of the body, but there’s no pump system. So we speed up the lymphatic system through the massage by pushing the fluid out of the lymph vessels toward the lymph nodes. Your body takes over from there, processing it out through the whole cycle through your kidneys, liver and then eventually you urinate it out.
How is Brazilian lymphatic drainage different from traditional lymphatic drainage massage? The Vodder method (traditional lymphatic drainage) is like a feather—you are very gently touching. You do some stretching. You don’t really use oil or lotion. That’s what most people are familiar with. It was created for when people were already sick, so it’s effective for people who have major illnesses and should be done by a medical provider. Brazilian lymphatic massage is for someone who has a “healthy” lymphatic system—where you don’t have any major health conditions, but maybe you are dehydrated, you sit a lot, you eat a lot of processed foods, things like that that commonly congest us. The Brazilian method is used as more of a preventative method so that we don’t get sick [and] we don’t have stagnant fluid just sitting in our bodies because it’s a breeding ground for diseases.
The reception area sets the tone for a peaceful visit. Photo: ShotbyAmi
What symptoms might someone be experiencing that indicate they may benefit from this technique? The main thing clients come to us for is feeling puffy, even though they feel like they’re doing all the right things—drinking water, eating clean, working out—but they still feel foggy-headed or have migraines. Also swelling, brain fog, minor fatigue … bloating and congestion are also big ones.
How do clients typically feel after a session? They feel lighter, a clearer head, a little more energized. The main thing is you feel that heaviness is a lot different because the fluid is literally pushed out of the vessels, so you feel that lightness in your legs, your arms and your stomach.
How can lymphatic drainage help people recovering from surgeries? Any time there’s trauma or any kind of disruption to the lymphatic system or you cut through tissue, you are disrupting that flow. With the massage, we are redirecting that flow, so we can decrease swelling. It helps so you don’t have fibrosis, which is basically fluid piled up. It speeds up post-surgery recovery by up to 40 percent if you are doing the massage consistently.
This article is meant for informational purposes only.
Lymph Lounge
Instagram: @lymphlounge.co
