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Anti-aging products are trending. According to Vantage Market Research, in 2022, the global anti-aging market was valued at $63 billion, and it’s projected to reach a value of $106.65 Billion by 2030. With the consumer’s desire to delay or reverse the aging process, many subcategories are emerging to capitalize on the demand.
From red-light therapy and microcurrent devices to supplements and dieting hacks, many anti-aging trends have gone viral in the last few years. One of the more recent fads to enter the conversation is lymphatic drainage massages. The reported health benefits include proper blood circulation, body fluid balance and maintenance of immune functions.
And of the various types of lymphatic drainage massages you can receive, one, in particular, has been gaining popularity: wood therapy.
Though wood therapy, also known as Maderoterapia, is an ancient massage technique, the practice recently went viral after Hollywood A-lister Tracee Ellis Ross credited it for her lifted and smooth physique. Ross, who is over 50, has routinely made headlines for her youthful glow, but now, we may know exactly how she stays so vibrant.
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In the social video, Ross thanks Paris-based massage spa Olfa Perbal Paris for gifting her a pair of wood therapy tools. Ross can also be seen using the suction cup, which is said to suction fat from areas of the body where it has been broken down and transfer it to the lymph glands to be removed.
Though Ross’s video has amassed over 400,00 likes on both Instagram and TikTok, many are still asking: What exactly is wood therapy? Glossy spoke with Nathalie Fust, founder of Body Vision Lab, a spa focused on detoxifying the body and sculpting curves through Brazilian Lymphatic Drainage techniques. Body Vision Lab also sells a Debloat and Detox supplement that retails for $40.
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“Wood therapy is a non-invasive and natural treatment that will trigger your body to do what it naturally does to reduce tension and toxins and create blood circulation. The technique uses wooden tools to stimulate and manipulate the body’s soft tissues,” Fust said.
Fust noted that the technique “will speed up the metabolism if you do manual lymphatic first on the stomach.” If you choose to get it done professionally, she recommended making sure the therapist is also certified and licensed in Brazilian lymphatic massage and they start with that technique to get rid of the toxins in the intestines. “Then, they can use the wooden tools to do touch-up work for body contour benefits,” she said.
The best part about wood therapy, which Ross captured in her video, is that it can be self-administered. According to Fust, “If people want to do the wood therapy at home … [they should do so] one to three times a week. … And I always recommend that everyone get a professional one done first and ask the therapist to show them how to do it at home.”
She added, “We all have different bodies and they are very unique in how they respond to different treatments. I tell my clients to come bi-weekly or every three weeks for a Brazilian lymphatic [massage] with wood therapy included.”
While Olfa Perbal Paris products are not currently for sale, we’ve found some affordable dupes on Amazon, below. Consider giving yourself an at-home lymphatic drainage massage with a set of these wood therapy tools.
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