Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It IsIs It Effective?What to ExpectReducing CelluliteFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Is
Is It Effective?
What to Expect
Reducing Cellulite
Frequently Asked Questions
Wood therapy, also calledmaderotherapyormaderoterapia, is a form ofmassagethat uses various hand-held wooden tools. Practitioners of wood therapy claim that it has benefits such as breaking down fat and cellulite, promoting blood circulation, smoothing the skin, andreducing stress.
Wood therapy lacks scientific research. Information about it comes largely from the spas and clinics that provide it rather than from established institutions.
This article will discuss what wood therapy is said to do and if it works. Other methods aimed at reducing cellulite will also be explored.
COROIMAGE / Getty Images
What Does Wood Therapy Do?
People who provide wood therapy claim it has benefits such as:
Reduce Cellulite
Wood therapy is purported to help break down fat and cellulite, which the practitioner then moves to where it can be eliminated through thelymphatic systemwith other waste products.
While there is no scientific evidence to support this effect from wood therapy specifically, there is an established history of using specializedmassage techniquesto address cellulite, including the use of tools similar to those used in wood therapy. These techniques typically “knead” the skin using vacuum suction or a roller.
The reported smoothing effect from this technique is temporary and likely due to mild inflammation in the area.
Increase Lymphatic Circulation
Thelymphatic systemis part of the immune system. It consists of a network of vessels,nodes, and organs that carry lymph fluid throughout the body. Lymph fluid contains white blood cells that fight infection. It also helps rid the body of waste and excess fluid.
Manual lymphatic drainage is a specific type of massage used to encourage the natural movement of lymph fluid.
Wood therapy is different than manual lymphatic drainage massage. While it has not been tested with scientific studies, one claim for wood therapy is that it stimulates the lymph system.
Alleviate Stress
Is Wood Therapy Effective?
As an umbrella term, “massage therapy” describes various techniques that vary in how touch, pressure, and treatment intensity are applied.
Research on massage therapy shows it may help:
What to Expect at a Wood Therapy Session
During a wood therapy session, specialized woodentoolsare used with repetitive motions on certain areas of the body, such as the face, torso, arms, and legs. Deep, continuous, direct pressure is placed on “problem areas.” The tools are sanitized between uses.
The first few sessions may cause discomfort as you work with your practitioner to figure out the right amount of pressure for you. Sessions may become more comfortable over time.
Wood therapy may causebruisingfor some people. Check with your healthcare provider before starting wood therapy.
Other Ways to Reduce Cellulite
Cellulite is very common. About 85% to 90% of adult females have cellulite.
Cellulite is found most commonly on the outer thighs, back of the thighs, and butt.
Multiple treatments exist aiming at reducing cellulite, with varying degrees of efficacy. No procedures have been proven to be successful long-term, and cellulite can’t be fully eradicated, but there are ways to lessen the appearance of cellulite.
Medical Treatments for Cellulite
There are several ways cellulite may be treated.
Acoustic wave therapy:
Carboxytherapy:
Cryolipolysis/Cool Sculpting:
Laser treatment:
Radiofrequency:
Subcision/Cellfina:
Ultrasound:
Vacuum-assisted precise tissue release:
Home Remedies for Cellulite
These remedies have been tried:
Other Therapies for Cellulite
Endermologie:
Retinol topicals:
Other creams and lotions:
Summary
Wood therapy is a massage technique that uses a collection of specialized wooden tools. Practitioners of wood therapy claim it has positive effects, such as improving blood and lymph circulation and reducing cellulite.
Wood therapy has no scientific research to back these claims. Several other treatments have shown to be somewhat effective at reducing the appearance of cellulite, but none exists that can eliminate it.
Before trying wood therapy, make sure to do your research on the practitioner, ask lots of questions, and check with your healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked QuestionsPractitioners of wood therapy claim it can help reduce cellulite on the butt, but this has not been proven.Learn MorePurpose of BBL SurgerySome practitioners of wood therapy say that wood therapy gives the butt a natural boost. Wood therapy may involve vacuum lifting with cups.However, this effect has not been proven.Learn MoreShould You Try Vacuum Therapy?Practitioners of wood therapy claim it can help break up fat, but this has not been proven with evidence.Learn MoreAdipose Tissue Around Your OrgansIt is possible for wood therapy to cause bruising. Talk to your healthcare provider before trying wood therapy to be sure it is appropriate for you.Learn MoreCupping Therapy: What You Should Know
Practitioners of wood therapy claim it can help reduce cellulite on the butt, but this has not been proven.Learn MorePurpose of BBL Surgery
Practitioners of wood therapy claim it can help reduce cellulite on the butt, but this has not been proven.
Learn MorePurpose of BBL Surgery
Some practitioners of wood therapy say that wood therapy gives the butt a natural boost. Wood therapy may involve vacuum lifting with cups.However, this effect has not been proven.Learn MoreShould You Try Vacuum Therapy?
Some practitioners of wood therapy say that wood therapy gives the butt a natural boost. Wood therapy may involve vacuum lifting with cups.However, this effect has not been proven.
Some practitioners of wood therapy say that wood therapy gives the butt a natural boost. Wood therapy may involve vacuum lifting with cups.
However, this effect has not been proven.
Learn MoreShould You Try Vacuum Therapy?
Practitioners of wood therapy claim it can help break up fat, but this has not been proven with evidence.Learn MoreAdipose Tissue Around Your Organs
Practitioners of wood therapy claim it can help break up fat, but this has not been proven with evidence.
Learn MoreAdipose Tissue Around Your Organs
It is possible for wood therapy to cause bruising. Talk to your healthcare provider before trying wood therapy to be sure it is appropriate for you.Learn MoreCupping Therapy: What You Should Know
It is possible for wood therapy to cause bruising. Talk to your healthcare provider before trying wood therapy to be sure it is appropriate for you.
Learn MoreCupping Therapy: What You Should Know
17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.KBH Training Academy.Wood therapy aka maderoterapia.Skin Envy Cosmetic and Laser Center.Is wood therapy good for weight loss?American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.Cellulite treatments.American Massage Therapy Association.Go with the flow: manual lymphatic drainage.National University of Health Sciences.Top 5 health benefits of regular massage therapy.BetterHealth.Massage.The Dermatologist.The cellulite treatment toolbox.Bervoets DC, Luijsterburg PA, Alessie JJ, Buijs MJ, Verhagen AP.Massage therapy has short-term benefits for people with common musculoskeletal disorders compared to no treatment: a systematic review.Journal of Physiotherapy. 2015;61(3):106-116. doi:10.1016/j.jphys.2015.05.018University of Minnesota.How does massage work?Arthritis Foundation.Benefits of massage.Friedmann DP, Vick GL, Mishra V.Cellulite: a review with a focus on subcision.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2017;10:17-23. doi:10.2147/CCID.S95830Sadick N.Treatment for cellulite.International Journal of Women’s Dermatology. 2019;5(1):68-72. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2018.09.002American Academy of Dermatology Association.Cellulite treatments: what really works?Arora G, Patil A, Hooshanginezhad Z, et al.Cellulite: presentation and management.J of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2022;21(4):1393-1401. doi:10.1111/jocd.14815Guida S, Bovani B, Canta Pier L, et al.Multicenter study of vacuum-assisted precise tissue release for the treatment of cellulite in a cohort of 112 Italian women assessed with cellulite dimples scale at rest.J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2019;21(7-8):404-407. doi:10.1080/14764172.2019.1683209Harvard Health.Does apple cider vinegar have any proven health benefits?Food and Drug Administration.Thigh creams (cellulite creams).
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.KBH Training Academy.Wood therapy aka maderoterapia.Skin Envy Cosmetic and Laser Center.Is wood therapy good for weight loss?American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.Cellulite treatments.American Massage Therapy Association.Go with the flow: manual lymphatic drainage.National University of Health Sciences.Top 5 health benefits of regular massage therapy.BetterHealth.Massage.The Dermatologist.The cellulite treatment toolbox.Bervoets DC, Luijsterburg PA, Alessie JJ, Buijs MJ, Verhagen AP.Massage therapy has short-term benefits for people with common musculoskeletal disorders compared to no treatment: a systematic review.Journal of Physiotherapy. 2015;61(3):106-116. doi:10.1016/j.jphys.2015.05.018University of Minnesota.How does massage work?Arthritis Foundation.Benefits of massage.Friedmann DP, Vick GL, Mishra V.Cellulite: a review with a focus on subcision.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2017;10:17-23. doi:10.2147/CCID.S95830Sadick N.Treatment for cellulite.International Journal of Women’s Dermatology. 2019;5(1):68-72. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2018.09.002American Academy of Dermatology Association.Cellulite treatments: what really works?Arora G, Patil A, Hooshanginezhad Z, et al.Cellulite: presentation and management.J of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2022;21(4):1393-1401. doi:10.1111/jocd.14815Guida S, Bovani B, Canta Pier L, et al.Multicenter study of vacuum-assisted precise tissue release for the treatment of cellulite in a cohort of 112 Italian women assessed with cellulite dimples scale at rest.J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2019;21(7-8):404-407. doi:10.1080/14764172.2019.1683209Harvard Health.Does apple cider vinegar have any proven health benefits?Food and Drug Administration.Thigh creams (cellulite creams).
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
KBH Training Academy.Wood therapy aka maderoterapia.Skin Envy Cosmetic and Laser Center.Is wood therapy good for weight loss?American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.Cellulite treatments.American Massage Therapy Association.Go with the flow: manual lymphatic drainage.National University of Health Sciences.Top 5 health benefits of regular massage therapy.BetterHealth.Massage.The Dermatologist.The cellulite treatment toolbox.Bervoets DC, Luijsterburg PA, Alessie JJ, Buijs MJ, Verhagen AP.Massage therapy has short-term benefits for people with common musculoskeletal disorders compared to no treatment: a systematic review.Journal of Physiotherapy. 2015;61(3):106-116. doi:10.1016/j.jphys.2015.05.018University of Minnesota.How does massage work?Arthritis Foundation.Benefits of massage.Friedmann DP, Vick GL, Mishra V.Cellulite: a review with a focus on subcision.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2017;10:17-23. doi:10.2147/CCID.S95830Sadick N.Treatment for cellulite.International Journal of Women’s Dermatology. 2019;5(1):68-72. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2018.09.002American Academy of Dermatology Association.Cellulite treatments: what really works?Arora G, Patil A, Hooshanginezhad Z, et al.Cellulite: presentation and management.J of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2022;21(4):1393-1401. doi:10.1111/jocd.14815Guida S, Bovani B, Canta Pier L, et al.Multicenter study of vacuum-assisted precise tissue release for the treatment of cellulite in a cohort of 112 Italian women assessed with cellulite dimples scale at rest.J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2019;21(7-8):404-407. doi:10.1080/14764172.2019.1683209Harvard Health.Does apple cider vinegar have any proven health benefits?Food and Drug Administration.Thigh creams (cellulite creams).
KBH Training Academy.Wood therapy aka maderoterapia.
Skin Envy Cosmetic and Laser Center.Is wood therapy good for weight loss?
American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.Cellulite treatments.
American Massage Therapy Association.Go with the flow: manual lymphatic drainage.
National University of Health Sciences.Top 5 health benefits of regular massage therapy.
BetterHealth.Massage.
The Dermatologist.The cellulite treatment toolbox.
Bervoets DC, Luijsterburg PA, Alessie JJ, Buijs MJ, Verhagen AP.Massage therapy has short-term benefits for people with common musculoskeletal disorders compared to no treatment: a systematic review.Journal of Physiotherapy. 2015;61(3):106-116. doi:10.1016/j.jphys.2015.05.018
University of Minnesota.How does massage work?
Arthritis Foundation.Benefits of massage.
Friedmann DP, Vick GL, Mishra V.Cellulite: a review with a focus on subcision.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2017;10:17-23. doi:10.2147/CCID.S95830
Sadick N.Treatment for cellulite.International Journal of Women’s Dermatology. 2019;5(1):68-72. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2018.09.002
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Cellulite treatments: what really works?
Arora G, Patil A, Hooshanginezhad Z, et al.Cellulite: presentation and management.J of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2022;21(4):1393-1401. doi:10.1111/jocd.14815
Guida S, Bovani B, Canta Pier L, et al.Multicenter study of vacuum-assisted precise tissue release for the treatment of cellulite in a cohort of 112 Italian women assessed with cellulite dimples scale at rest.J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2019;21(7-8):404-407. doi:10.1080/14764172.2019.1683209
Harvard Health.Does apple cider vinegar have any proven health benefits?
Food and Drug Administration.Thigh creams (cellulite creams).
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
