Venous drainage of the face in a cosmetologist's office

Evgenia Radionova, head of the massage school (Ukraine, Kiev)

The technique of venous drainage of the face is aimed at activating blood circulation and accelerating redox processes in tissues. The main emphasis in it is on working with the vascular system of the face: its arterial, venous and capillary components. At the same time, other metabolic systems are also indirectly affected.

The role of blood vessels
Every cell in our body breathes, eats and gets rid of waste products. Nutrients and oxygen enter the cell through its membrane from the intercellular fluid. It releases waste products that the cell does not need into the intercellular space. Nutrition and oxygen are supplied to the intercellular space by the smallest vessels - arterial capillaries. Venous capillaries and venules (as well as lymphatic vessels) “take away” the products of cell metabolism from the intercellular space.

The metabolism of all substances in the body depends on the movement of blood in the circulatory system (especially in the capillary and venous networks). The most important processes of nutrition and cleansing of cells occur through capillaries. The heart directs blood of the appropriate quality and quantity required by organs and systems. Vessels (arteries, arterioles) supply blood from the heart to the capillaries, and the capillaries, in turn, ensure metabolism in each cell.

Stagnation of blood in capillaries and venous vessels opens up the possibility of invasion of various microbes, while actively moving blood helps disinfect the body. Often, disruption of capillary circulation and slower movement of intercellular fluids are the cause of cardiovascular diseases and many other functional disorders of the human body. These same reasons generally lead to many other, less “life-threatening” diseases.

Facts without comment. The total cross-sectional area of the capillaries is 50 m², which is 25 times the surface of the body. There are 100-160 billion capillaries in the human body. The total length of the capillaries of the average adult is approximately 100,000 km. The total length of the capillaries exceeds twice the perimeter of the Earth, i.e. The capillaries of an adult can wrap our planet around the equator more than twice

Range of solutions
Figuratively speaking, blood vessels are the source of life energy in the body. Their health and condition determine health, beauty and life expectancy. An indispensable condition for maintaining human beauty and health are well-known factors, such as proper and high-quality nutrition, moderate physical activity, and the absence of bad habits. At the same time, the fast pace of life, the environment and other conditions in which modern man exists do not always allow him to meet the demands put forward. Nowadays it is very rare to meet a person whose blood vessels, in particular the capillaries, are truly healthy.

The use of venous drainage of the face will help solve a number of problems:

• cure rosacea (poor blood circulation in the skin);
• reduce gravitational ptosis (tissue drooping under the influence of gravity);
• eliminate vascular fragility;
• relieve swelling;
• improve skin color and elasticity;
• achieve a lifting effect;
• restore microcirculation of tissues and the integrity of blood vessels after plastic surgery, dermabrasion, resurfacing, in case of side effects of mesotherapy, etc.

In addition, stimulation of the superficial and deep vessels of the neck and head activates lymph and blood circulation, accelerates metabolic processes, allows to some extent relieve headaches, heart pain, improve vision, eliminate shortness of breath, and prevent the formation of congestion.

Execution method
Venous facial drainage can be used as an independent massage procedure or in combination with other facial massage techniques. For example, in combination with chiromassage, muscular-vascular manipulations can be used to enhance venous outflow; combined use with the lymphatic drainage technique will allow you to use the processes of activation of the excretory system in a complex.

The work can be done both with cosmetic moisturizing and nourishing products, and without them - using massage oil or cream.

The technique for performing venous drainage includes a set of manipulations that can be divided into basic (drainage, pumping) and additional (friction, vasoconstriction, passes, reformado, etc.). Depending on the task at hand and the characteristics of the client’s body condition, the specialist can create a massage regimen that will be most optimal in each specific case. Let's give an example. If the client’s skin is reactive, vulnerable, or has increased sensitivity; in hot, cold or windy weather it becomes covered with spots, peels and turns red, then we build a massage scheme as follows.

We perform all additional manipulations in zones, rising from bottom to top. We increase the intensity of vasoconstriction and venous-vascular friction from 4 to 6. We perform the main manipulations alternately, first on one half of the face, then on the other, then change sides again. Finally, we combine the manipulations with reforsado (strengthening), passing through the massaged area from bottom to top, while increasing the intensity from 6 to 8 times. At the end of the session, we combine the entire scheme with global vasoconstriction, unilateral and bilateral. Intensity – from 2 to 4 times.
Areas where venous drainage manipulations are performed: head, neck, cervical-occipital zone, décolleté, collarbones, shoulders, elbows.

Photo: Evgenia Radionova (c)

Subject to the rules

To perform a venous drainage technique correctly, four main factors must be taken into account.

1. Speed. The speed of pumping should correspond to the speed of blood flow in the veins and capillaries and lymph in the lymphatic vessels at rest. That is, the speed of movement of the massage therapist’s hands over the surface of the massaged person’s skin should not exceed 0.5-1.0 cm/sec.
2. Intensity. The number of pumpings by zone depends on the nature of the massaged zone. The more delicate the structure, the less intensity.
3. Pressure force. Pressure is conventionally divided into superficial (for peripheral circulation) and deep (for deep circulation). The more capillaries that cover the muscles, the more tension the muscle mass can withstand, and especially those muscles that are constantly in a state of activity and mobility (facial muscles), the more difficult the process of removing residual metabolic products is. Stiff muscle mass tension of the facial muscles causes an increase in its obstruction.
4. Direction. With an intensive form of impact, work is performed from top to bottom (from distal to proximal), an impulse is produced throughout the entire blood flow. And for problems such as rosacea, recovery after surgery, work must be carried out from proximal to distal, dividing the blood flow into parts.

First published: KOSMETIK international journal, No. 2/2011