This Trending Treatment Made Us Look 30 Years Older

Usually, when you see a skin therapist to have some sort of treatment, you expect it to make you look younger, right? Well, that wasn't exactly our experience when we visited @teganmac.skin for Lymphatic Therapy (also known as Enzyme Therapy).

Now, I don't want to freak you out - the advanced ageing effect (reflective of the recent Face App challenge) was only temporary. Once you shed the hardened snakeskin-like mask, you'll be G-L-O-W-I-N-G, my friends.

I bet you've seen this treatment on social media if you follow any skin or beauty clinics on Instagram, and you might be wondering what Lymphatic Therapy actually does. Apart from giving you a crystal ball vision into the future and a decent laugh, it also has some fantastic benefits for the skin.

This treatment is designed to work with your circulatory system, which provides nutrients such as amino acids, water and oxygen to our cells and tissues to promote healthier skin. It's actually the pressure of the hardened mask which activates the processes of the circulatory system, delivering oxygenated and nutrient-rich blood to the cells via increased circulation, while flushing out toxins *inhales deeply*. Are we getting to science-y?

During the 45-minute treatment, the mask will harden (to the point where you literally can't move) and you'll feel pulsating through the areas where the mask has been applied, particularly the neck. While it isn't painful (unless you're trying not to laugh), it can feel a bit restrictive, so if you're claustrophobic this is your trigger warning.

When we had this treatment done, one of my questions to Tegan was "what's actually in this stuff?". We had the Prin Lymphatic Therapy Mask, which is an Australian brand that uses botanicals like Kakadu Plum and Tasmanian Pepper Leaf Extract, as well as amino acids to promote healing and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

There's also an egg-white component (sorry, vegans) that contributes to the extreme hardening of the mask - to get an idea of how it feels, imagine the sensation of a dried mud mask x 4000. But it's really only the final 20 minutes which are a little uncomfortable.

According to Tegan, Lymphatic Therapy is ideal for acne-prone skin, dull complexions (especially in smokers), and is amazing for prepping the skin prior to an event. This treatment is also suitable for pregnant and breast-feeding women (hint: it's a great baby shower present).

You can expect the following results from your Lymphatic Therapy treatment:

After our treatment, Tegan slathered on PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum 28g and Aspect Gold Probiotic Sleep Mask(two of my personal favourites). She says Aspect Extreme B 17 is the perfect serum to help maintain your results post-treatment.