What Is Fascia Blasting — And Should You Try It?
Is this procedure for you?
getty What is fascia blasting? Everyone is talking about it, but not everyone knows what it is. Well, fascia blasting is an all-natural way to get rid of cellulite, but it's also a tool that reduces muscle soreness and improves circulation.
It’s impossible not to be intrigued, except its true purpose can still be confusing, especially with how it works.
“The fascia blaster is a class 1 FDA approved medical device with patented claws that comb through our bound connective tissue to alleviate pain, increase circulation, and help with muscular activation,” says Lauren Cornea, a fasica blasting expert and technician.
“It is like a very deep tissue massage, but instead of just applying pressure to the muscle to relieve inflammation, you are actually healing the muscle by breaking down and smoothing out the fascia that is causing the inflammation,” Cornea continues.
The fascia blaster combs through the connective tissue, releasing the inflammation and smoothing it out, which is why there is the aesthetic benefit of cellulite reduction.
But there is no such thing as having a “knot” in your muscle. Muscles cannot tie themselves together.
“That knot is actually a ball of inflammation caused by bound fascia — aka connective tissue... Let’s think of bound fascia as a knot in your hair. If you use the back of your hair brush, you will just mash the knot — similar to what happens when you get a massage. You actually comb through the knot, healing your connective tissue, opening up circulation, increasing muscular activation, and giving a smoother aesthetic look,” says Cornea.
Cellulite is simply bound fascia. When our connective tissue gets bound, it causes distortions that create the look of cellulite.
1. Should you get it?
According to Cornea, “Since the body goes through a detoxification process, fascia blasting is not recommended for people with cancer, autoimmune diseases, or people who are pregnant or breast feeding.” If you have any concerns or are not sure if you suffer from any of the above conditions, speak with your healthcare professional before attempting to try fascia blasting.
2. Keep in mind, there are risks.
“Fascia blasting causes bruising, emotional detox, fatigue, dehydration, and many people have reported a worse before better phase as the body heals,” warns Cornera. It's also better to start during the winter months if you are uncomfortable being out in public with bruises on the areas you blast.
3. Bruising is normal.
And it’s a good thing. It’s a sign that you broke down an adhesionm and healing blood is rushing to the area. If you don’t bruise, that’s okay. “You may not have bound fascia in that area or maybe it’s too deep and you will need more time,” Cornea advises.
4. Don’t go too aggressively.
It’s not an overnight miracle. It takes time and you want to allow your body to heal.
Cornea says, “You may feel discomfort on areas that are more bound than others. Apply less pressure and ease into it. You should never feel more than a 4 on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being extreme pain. Blast each area 3-5 minutes to start, then increase as you become more comfortable.”
Aly Walansky is a NY-based lifestyles writer. Her work appears in dozens of digital and print publications regularly. Visit her on Twitter or email her at alywalansky@gmail.com.