Udvartana (Herbal Powder Massage)
Udvartana is a vigorous massage with dry or slightly moistened herbal powders, applied in upward strokes against the direction of hair growth. Unlike oil massage, it is drying and stimulating, and is traditionally used for Kapha conditions such as heaviness, sluggishness and excess weight.
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- Weight management, as part of diet and activity changes
- Feeling heavy, sluggish or puffy
- Oily skin and Kapha imbalance
Precautions & Safety
Udvartana is vigorous and may irritate sensitive skin. It is avoided over broken skin, rashes, varicose veins and in pregnancy, and needs care in very thin or frail people. Tell us about skin sensitivity or allergies.
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What to Expect
- You lie on a treatment table; warm herbal powder is massaged firmly over the body for about 30 to 45 minutes.
- Herbal steam may follow.
- You shower afterwards as advised.
What the Evidence Shows
The evidence for Udvartana is very limited. A single case study reported lower cholesterol and weight after a programme including buttermilk and Udvartana [1], but a case study cannot show cause and effect. Udvartana has also been used within multi-therapy programmes in children with cerebral palsy [2]. Weight management depends mainly on diet, activity and medical care where needed; Udvartana is at most a supportive therapy.
Prepared by the AyurSoul Healthcare team from the published research listed below. Medical review by Dr. Hemlata Soni, BAMS is in progress. This page is for education and does not replace individual medical advice. Medical disclaimer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Udvartana make me lose weight?
We do not promise weight loss from Udvartana. It may support a plan built on diet, activity and medical care where needed.
Is it painful?
It is firm and stimulating, but should not hurt. The pressure can be adjusted.
How often is it done?
Commonly as a course of several sessions, decided by the doctor.
Clinical Research
2 studies: 1 case report, 1 narrative article.
Show the 2 studies
Numbers in the text refer to this list. Each study is labelled by type: systematic reviews and randomised trials are stronger evidence than pilot studies or single case reports.
- Patel B, Kamble SB, Vyas HA, et al.. Hypolipidemic effect of Rukshana Upakrama in the management of dyslipidemia – A case study. Ayu, 2018. Case report: low evidential weight PubMed
- Bhinde SM, Patel KS, Kori VK, et al.. Management of spastic cerebral palsy through multiple Ayurveda treatment modalities. Ayu, 2014. Perspective / narrative article PubMed