Simple movements like climbing into her husband’s truck were an ordeal for Carla Bricotto, who suffered from chronic inflammation. Then she discovered Brazilian lymphatic drainage massage from Stacey Row, owner of Naturally Well by Stacey in Lewes.
A method that employs a hand-held device to manipulate the body’s lymphatic system, Brazilian lymphatic drainage massage helps move excess fluid out of the body. While celebrities like Kendall Jenner and Elle MacPherson rely on the massage to help them temporarily look slimmer and sculpted for the red carpet, the effects are more than just cosmetic.
“Your lymphatic system is what fights off illness and disease,” explains Row, who first tried the method herself while recovering from breast cancer two years ago. “If your lymphatic system becomes stagnant, toxins get stuck in there.”
Not wanting to undergo hormone-blocking therapy, Row looked for natural remedies. She connected with Rebecca Faria, a Los Angeles-based therapist credited with bringing Brazilian lymphatic drainage massage to the United States. Row enrolled in her training class and soon opened her spa.
The Brazilian method instantly targets bloating, puffiness, and water retention, and can even help reduce the appearance of cellulite. At Naturally Well, therapists use vacuum therapy to provide gentle suction that gets lymphatic fluid moving. Some clients enjoy an infrared sauna afterward, since heat helps the body to sweat out the toxins.
Bricotto, 60, says she immediately saw a difference in her legs and torso after her first treatment with Row. “They weren’t as puffy,” the Middletown resident notes. After the second treatment, she was back to walking 3 miles a day. “That was profound to me.” The fact that her clothes felt looser was just a bonus.
While Row’s wellness spa also offers popular treatments like wood therapy (a type of massage using various wooden tools), cupping, medical-grade red- and blue-light therapies, lymphatic drainage is a top seller. But it’s not a miracle, she cautions. Row coaches patients on diet and exercise to enhance and prolong their results.
