When we talk about breasts, we usually talk about breast cancer, bras or implants. Rarely do we talk about breast massage and why it’s so important for women. Is it a taboo topic? Is it just something we don’t do in Western societies? It’s probably a bit of both, but it’s time to change that. There are many amazing benefits of breast massage and here’s how you can do it yourself.
Where does breast massage come from?
If breast massage is unfamiliar to you, that’s probably because it’s something Western medicine tends to overlook. According to, Aarya Carolan, massage therapist and holistic health practitioner at the Chopra Center, “The breasts are totally ignored in most [Western] massage.”
In Ayurveda, however, massage is a commonplace practice to both prevent disease and support recovery.
According to Jennifer Johnson, the spa director at the Chopra Center, “Ayrvedic breast massage helps regulate lymph flow and facilitates myofascial release.”
What is myofascial release? Myofascial release is a safe technique that uses gentle sustained pressure on the myofascial connective tissue throughout the breast area to both reduce pain and improve motion.
Therefore, breast massage can be useful to both prevent disease and also help cancer survivors. It can also break up scar tissue following breast reconstruction or mastectomy.
How to do breast massage yourself
- Combine sesame oil with one of the following essential oils: frankincense, rosemary, chamomile, oregano.
- Gently hold one breast from below. With the oils on the other hand, create a V shape with the thumb and middle finger, and starting on the outside of the breast, draw your fingers toward the nipple.
- Raise one arm above you and gently massage the lymphatic area between the chest and armpit.
- Gently massage above the breasts, below the neck. Then, move your massage up alongside your throat and right below the ears.
