Lymphatic massage protocols often involve a progression from light touch and rubbing to gentle tapping and then light patting of the skin, particularly around the clavicles.

“Very important that you start with light touch and move up towards a more forceful touch, although never particularly forceful, because you don't want to collapse those lymphatic vessels. They're very small. You don't want to crush them, you don't want to pinch them, because then the lymphatic fluid won't move through them. So, there's kind of this progression from lighter touch and kind of gentle rubbing, or shearing of the skin, very, very light, to maybe some light tapping to encourage movement of the fluid along, and then maybe some slightly more vigorous, it's not really slapping, but kind of like a patting of the skin.”