Manual Lymph Drainage

Why Is Lymphatic Massage Important After Cosmetic Surgery? One of the side effects of cosmetic surgery is swelling. This is a normal inflammatory response and a part of the healing process as fluid rushes to the area to nourish it with white blood cells. Body procedures, particularly tummy tucks and liposuction, often cause additional swelling as excess fluid and fat cells will harden within a few weeks of surgery.  Lymphatic massage helps to move the fluid that’s built up and allows it to move back into the lymphatic passages where excess waste and fluid can be flushed from the body. This prevents fibrosis, which is the development of thick, fibrous scar tissue under the skin as well as reduces swelling and bruising. Many doctors, highly recommend lymphatic drainage after surgery for both their patients’ comfort as well as to help them get the best possible results after their procedure.  

The lymph system is the body’s natural cleansing mechanism, ridding our cells of toxic fluids. Without a functional lymphatic system, the body swells and aches, and we feel sluggish and even sick. Lymphatic drainage massage can help the lymphatic system flush these fluids, and jump start the cleansing process when the body has built up too much swelling.

(This blog was written by Precision MD, a cosmetic surgery center serving the entire Sacramento area).

A working lymphatic system is essential to the body’s ability to regenerate tissues, drain fluids, filter out foreign substances and toxins, detoxify, and maintain a healthy immune system. The lymphatic system is complex and made up mostly of nodes and lymph vessels working together to achieve these aims. The lymph itself carries fatty acids, hormone cells, immune cells, proteins, and toxins to be processed by the lymph nodes. When the body is under stress, fatigued, experiencing infections, fighting a disease process, or—in certain cases—recovering from surgery, the process may be slowed down. Lymphatic drainage massage benefits include enhanced quality of the skin, particularly in the face. Skin looks more youthful and alive when its cells are bathed in fluid, as when the lymph is flowing. That puffiness you might experience beneath your eyes after a hard night or a long cry? It’s lymphatic drainage that solves these kinds of problems. For all of these reasons, lymphatic drainage massage can be very important for those who need it.

Vodder Technique is used effectively for Lymphedema and Lipedema, Post-Surgical and Post-Traumatic Swelling, Fibromyalgia, Migraines, Detoxification, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Cellulite, and more!  MLD removes metabolic waste, excess water, toxins, bacteria, large protein molecules and foreign substances from the tissues. 

Your lymphatic system is key to healing, regenerating tissues, and removing toxins from the body. When the body has experienced stress, such as fighting off illness, healing from an infection, or experiencing emotional stress, the lymphatic system can slow down. Manual lymphatic massage helps “re-start” the system of moving lymph through the body and can provide a variety of benefits, including:

• More efficient healing from illness, injury, or surgery
• Supports relaxation and relieves stress
• Reduces scar formation by boosting healing responses
• Removes excess water and metabolic waste from the tissues in the body
• Reduces swelling and fluid retention
• Improves skin quality and provides a more vibrant appearance

Cosmetic surgeries all produce swelling to some extent because it is part of the body’s normal healing process. Some cosmetic surgeries, such as liposuction procedures and tummy tucks, disrupt the natural pathways taken by the lymphatic system because of the location of the surgery. Other regions of the body, such as the nose after rhinoplasty, produce swelling that can last for a long time—even up to one year. Other cosmetic procedures that impact the face can also produce months of swelling. However, because of the extensive areas of disruption, tummy tucks and liposuction procedures are usually the cosmetic surgeries with the greatest amount of lymphatic swelling. When the lymph drifts out into surrounding tissue after a surgical procedure disrupts the normal lymphatic pathways, swelling is the result, but there are ways to combat this problem.

Compression garments help the entire process. They prevent the buildup of too many toxin-carrying fluids in any one area of the body and help the body keep excess fluids from sticking around where they don’t belong. They also make lymphatic drainage massage more effective, keeping the body more receptive and ready for the process. It’s easy to find the right kinds of compression garments for after your procedure, and your cosmetic surgeon will be able to recommend the right garments for you. If you have questions about lymphatic drainage massage after cosmetic surgery or what to expect after a cosmetic procedure you’re considering, the best thing you can do is have a conversation with your surgeon. Clearly, lymphatic drainage massage is helpful in the prevention of excessive swelling and pain which will make your overall healing from cosmetic surgery much faster and more comfortable.

You may not be a candidate for MLD if you have a heart condition, kidney failure, or blood clots.  Doctors permission required.