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I’ve been something of a self-designated test subject when it comes to lymphatic drainage; I’ve tried dozens of lymphatic drainage-boosting treatments over the years, running the gamut from DIY home solutions like dry brushing, compression boots and my trusty vibration plate to professional modalities, including the coveted in-office Icoone machine. I’m extremely prone to edema (the proper medical term for fluid retention), and thanks to my very sedentary professional lifestyle, my lymphatic system often needs a little extra TLC, to say the least. A couple of years ago, Instagram served me an ad for Elastique’s lymphatic-boosting compression leggings, and I felt equal parts seen and downright called out.
As someone who is often on the hunt for wellness shortcuts that do the work for me while I’m doing my actual work, these massaging leggings sounded like an absolute dream—especially since I was a few months away from my summer wedding. A pair of depuffing leggings promising to give me a lymph-moving micro-massage just by wearing them while I walk (OK, sit) around the house? It took three minutes before the brand’s O.G. L’Original Legging was in my cart.
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Possible Benefits of Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) Modalities
Our lymphatic system is critical to proper body processing and functioning—it operates as our body’s built-in detoxifying center, helping to remove bacteria, toxins, and excess fat buildup. In some studies, techniques used to jumpstart the drainage process, including Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) performed by a licensed massage therapist and more invasive measures like nonsurgical complete decongestive therapy (CDT), have been shown to offer a slew of beauty and health benefits, including boosting immunity, increasing energy levels, combatting fatigue, and even decreasing cellulite.
Unfortunately, getting these clinical-level benefits from lymphatic-supporting interventions requires consistency, time, and money to reap the results, which can be time-consuming and expensive, which is what led Elastique’s founder and CEO, Emeline Kuhner-Stout to launch her brand as a new mother back in 2016. Inspired by the Vodder method of manual lymphatic drainage created in France during the early 1930s, Kuhner-Stout set out to offer “cutting-edge compression garments that facilitate proper lymphatic flow, enabling our community to unleash their most potent built-in detox system while prioritizing their busy lifestyles.”
How Elastique’s Leggings Work
I was already familiar with compression leggings (which are much more popular in Kuhner-Stout’s native country of France). They have been known to, or at least have claimed to, help reduce swelling and boost circulation. But Elastique’s functional garments are uniquely engineered to go above and beyond its peers in the burgeoning wellness-wear category, thanks to the brand’s proprietary MicroPerle technology. The leggings (and other garments in the MicroPerle collection) are designed with gradient compression (with an impressive compression range of 8-13 mmHg, which is tough to find in the States) and built-in MicroPerle massage beads strategically placed to align with your lymph nodes.
As you move, the MicroPerles (built into the garments’ inner lining) massage you and promote fluid release. I’ve been wearing Elastique’s L’original MicroPerle leggings for well over a year now, and I can confirm that, while admittedly pricey, they’re worth every penny. I’ve owned the brand’s O.G. L’Original Leggings for almost two years and have found that I have basically never reached for any other leggings since I first tried them on.
Recently, I was able to try out Elastique’s latest addition to the MicroPerle family, the L’Original Stirrup Leggings. I absolutely love the full-body support of the longer version (including feet!) even more than the 25-inch version—and I’m not alone.
Doctor-endorsed and Editor-Approved Tech
“I love Elastique’s products because they’re actually backed by science and medicine,” says board-certified NYC-based internist Dr. Amanda Kahn, MD (who also serves on Elastique’s medical advisory board). “[The brand] has done the clinical studies to prove its effectiveness, and I am really impressed by how well the MicroPerles work to help reduce lymphatic congestion.” The doctor, who specializes in longevity, anti-aging and weight management, is also a big fan of the Stirrup legging—for both herself and her weight loss patients because they not only help keep lymph movement in flow, but also help improve cellulite.
Dr. Kahn also appreciates how the MicroPerle leggings offer both instant graduation and cumulative, gradual results with long-term use. “I love that they make my skin look good after just wearing them for a day, but I find they really help reduce lymphatic congestion in the long term, which can help my patients struggling with post-weight-loss cellulite and loose skin,” she tells the Daily Beast.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Stylish and figure-flatting.
- Slimming effect courtesy of gradient compression tech.
- MicroPerles are not easily visible when worn.
- Soft, comfortable fabric that is snug but not overly restrictive.
- Clinically-tested.
Cons:
- Relatively expensive.
- The MicroPerle beads leave behind slight “micro-kisses,” or indentations on the skin after wearing them, which may set off airport, court, government, or some concert security sensors.
My Overall Thoughts
I try to wear my L’Original Stirrup Leggings as much as possible and I especially love to wear them when flying because they kind of serve as a gentler compression sock for your full legs (though, in my experience, they can also set off the TSA detectors in airport security!). I also wear them to walk around my house, to hot pilates classes, and just lounging, relaxing, and living. They not only make my legs look firmer and tighter during and after use, but they also feel good. It may be a placebo effect, but when I wear my Elastique leggings, I feel like my circulatory system is much happier and operating more smoothly.
And, while it may be a dirty word these days, the gradient compression in Elastique’s garments provides a serious slimming effect—and does it without the sausage-like suffocation I sometimes experience with other snatching shapewear and activewear brands. They’re tight enough to feel snatched and tucked in yet sublimely comfortable—even in ever-compromising yoga positions!
If the MicroPerle’s potential downsides are giving you pause, the brand also offers plenty of options without that unique technology in the sculpting and circulation-boosting Lisse capsule. This collection is still powered with the brand’s propriety gradient compression tech, which is strategically designed to fit more snugly in the ankle and looser at the upper leg to promote blood and fluid flow back up to the heart—the same upward motion you’d experience in an IRL lymphatic massage conducted by a pro.
There’s no denying that Elastique’s leggings are expensive compared to inferior entries in this space, but unlike your usual basic athletic leggings, they feel more like an investment in your health than your activewear lineup. Personally, I would rather shell out an extra $50 or so dollars for performance apparel that benefits my body, reduces cellulite *and* makes me feel like a million bucks rather than a premium pair at a slightly lower price point that is cute but ultimately does nothing for my body other than covering it while I work out. In short, while Elastique’s lavish leggings are supple, elevated, and chic, you’re paying up for a piece (or two or three) of industry-disrupting wearable wellness with unparalleled performance, visible skin-enhancing benefits, and long-term lymphatic support. Worth. Every. Penny.
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