Daily Skin Care Routine
You will have been taught how to moisturise the skin on your arm daily, and remember by doing so, you are helping your lymph system to clear and also to reduce the risk of infection.
It is better to use a cream than a lotion and you can use any thick cream that you do not react to for this. Ideally, this should be done at the end of the day before bed.
Start by placing cream in the palm of your non affected hand. Put your hand in position one, the shoulder, sweep up towards the neck in slow, rhythmical strokes covering the whole area. This is a light and gentle movement. Then move to position two and continue to sweep upwards. Work your way down your arm until you reach the hand. Place your hand on the back of your affected hand, pull your fingers through the web spaces and pull backwards over the back of the hand. Finish by sweeping up the arm to position one. Ensure the hair on the arm is stroked back down to the normal growing position.
Lymphoedema patients seen by the lymphoedema team (Nightingale Centre)
If you have been seen in the lymphoedema clinic and have been taught simple lymphatic drainage (SLD) techniques here are some video clips done by the team to help remind you of how to do your drainage. If you need further help please contact the Nightingale Lymphoedema Clinic on 0161 291 4104
Simple Lymph Drainage following Left Armpit Surgery (lymph node clearance)
This section is for those of you that have had axillary node clearance. If you have any questions, to the suitability of this routine please contact your Lymphoedema team at the Nightingale Centre.
Simple Lymph Drainage is generally done in the evenings before you go to bed and particularly when you have been exercising. This technique is best done on bare skin without any oil or cream.
Before starting your drainage, place your hands gently on your tummy, take a deep breath in, allowing your tummy to rise. Hold for the count of two. Breathe out, allowing your tummy to fall. Do this three times.
- Position your hands with your fingers touching your ear lobes and your hands flat on your skin. The flatter your hand, the more skin surface you will cover. Start by pushing the skin on your neck gently backwards and down. Release the pressure and let the elasticity of your skin take your fingers back to the starting position. Repeat ten times.
- Move to a lower position in your neck and do exactly the same movement ten times. Repeat this in both positions.
- Place your fingertips behind your collarbone. Very gently, move your fingers down and in towards your neck. Let the elasticity of your skin take your fingers back to the starting position. Do this ten times.
- Put your right hand behind your head; place your left hand in your right armpit. Make ten circles in the armpit.
- Using your left hand, start on the right side of the chest wall. Stroke towards the right armpit ten times.
- Stroke from the breast bone to the right armpit ten times.
- Place your right hand over the breast bone, continue stroking in the same direction across the breast bone, ten times.
- Stroke all the way from the left arm to the right armpit ten times. If you have swelling underneath the affected area, stroke this fluid to the right armpit ten times.
Place your hands gently on your tummy, take a deep breath in, allowing your tummy to rise. Hold for the count of two. Breathe out, allowing your tummy to fall. Do this five times.
Simple Lymph Drainage following Right Armpit Surgery (lymph node clearance)
This section is for those of you that have had axillary node clearance. If you have any questions, to the suitability of this routine please contact your Lymphoedema team at the Nightingale centre Centre.
Simple Lymph Drainage is generally done in the evenings before you go to bed and particularly when you have been exercising. This technique is best done on bare skin without any oil or cream.
Before starting your drainage, place your hands gently on your tummy, take a deep breath in, allowing your tummy to rise. Hold for the count of two. Breathe out, allowing your tummy to fall. Do this three times.
- Position your hands with your fingers touching your ear lobes and your hands flat on your skin. The flatter your hand, the more skin surface you will cover. Start by pushing the skin on your neck gently backwards and down. Release the pressure and let the elasticity of your skin take your fingers back to the starting position. Repeat ten times.
- Move to a lower position in your neck and do exactly the same movement ten times. Repeat this in both positions.
- Place your fingertips behind your collarbone. Very gently, move your fingers down and in towards your neck. Let the elasticity of your skin take your fingers back to the starting position. Do this ten times.
- Put your left hand behind your head; place your right hand in your left armpit. Make ten circles in the armpit.
- Using your right hand, stroke the left side of the chest wall towards the armpit ten times.
- Stroke from the breast bone to the left armpit ten times.
- Place your left hand over the breast bone, continue stroking in the same direction across the breast bone, ten times.
- Stroke all the way from the right arm to the left armpit ten times. If you have swelling underneath the affected area, stroke this fluid to the left armpit ten times.
Place your hands gently on your tummy, take a deep breath in, allowing your tummy to rise. Hold for the count of two. Breathe out, allowing your tummy to fall. Do this five times.
Breast Oedema
If you have breast oedema you can moisturise the breast as well. Start by clearing the top of the breast towards the neck and the collar bone. Always stroke gently and clear up towards your nearest lymph nodes. Then move down lower into the breast and stroke up, going round the nipple. This may take several minutes.
Remember wear a good supportive bra, not underwired during the day to stop the lymph from pooling in the breast. Sleep in a light soft bra for support at night.
Watch the video to remind you how to do this.