How to Massage Your Face to Reduce Swelling Safely

Wash your hands and cleanse your face before applying a nickel-sized amount of facial oil, serum, or moisturizer. The product should provide enough slip for your fingers to glide without pulling the skin; avoid fragranced formulas if your complexion is sensitive.

Remove contact lenses and keep pressure light, especially around the eyes. For a complete technique overview, visit how to massage your face to reduce swelling.

Place two fingers just above each collarbone and make five to ten slow, gentle circles. Then glide your fingertips from below the ears down the sides of the neck toward the collarbones, repeating each stroke five times.

Use only the weight of your fingertips rather than pressing into the muscles. Stop if the movement causes pain, dizziness, or skin irritation.

Beginning beside the nose, sweep two or three fingers across the cheeks toward the ears. Repeat five times, then glide from the center of the chin along the jawline to the earlobes using slow, outward strokes.

A facial roller or gua sha tool can also be used, but its edge should remain nearly flat against the skin. Clean the tool with soap and water before and after every use.

Use your ring fingers to tap lightly from the inner under-eye area toward the temples, staying on the orbital bone rather than the soft tissue directly beneath the eye. Complete three to five passes per side without dragging the delicate skin.

A clean, cool roller may feel soothing, but it should not be frozen. Avoid massaging unexplained, one-sided, painful, or injury-related swelling; seek medical care for swelling accompanied by breathing difficulty, hives, fever, vision changes, or severe pain.