WHY SHOULD YOU RECEIVE MANUAL LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE AFTER YOUR COSMETIC (OR ORTHOPEDIC) SURGERY?

Oftentimes after surgery, the body will swell with excessive edema both at and proximal to the surgical site.  This postoperative swelling, while completely normal, can be quite uncomfortable.  Sluggishness, decreased range of motion, increased sensitivity, inability to sleep comfortably, and an overall feeling of puffiness can occur during the surgical recovery process.

Reducing postsurgical swelling is one of the most common ways that Manual Lymphatic Drainage is used.  Because of its ability to directly move excessive postsurgical edema while using the most gentle of touch, Manual Lymphatic Drainage is frequently regarded as an imperative part of the surgical recovery process by surgeons worldwide.

What Is Lymphatic Massage?

First, let’s look at the lymphatic system and what it does to better understand how the massage works. The lymphatic system is the system of tissues, vessels, and organs that work in conjunction to maintain fluid levels in our body, support immune function, and keep blood circulating. The system carries lymph, a clear fluid that contains proteins, waste, fat cells, and metabolized cells through the body which is filtered through the lymph nodes. Waste is removed from the body as clean lymph circulates back through. When the lymphatic system isn’t moving lymph through the body properly, excess fluid in the body builds up, causing edema and creating a puffy, uncomfortable look and feel.

Lymphatic drainage massage was developed to treat lymphedema, a condition of accumulated fluid within the body that often develops after removing lymph nodes. A trained massage therapist can manually massage the body in a way to push lymph through the body, breaking up areas of swelling and reducing excess fluid in the body.

Benefits of Manual Lymphatic Drainage

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

 

WHAT IS/IS NOT MANUAL LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE (MLD)?

Postsurgical Manual Lymphatic Drainage is a gentle yet powerful form of bodywork that is intended to stimulate and encourage the natural movement of the lymph, which carries waste products away from the tissues back towards the heart. It is a technique based on gentle, rhythmic and constant movements that mimic the rhythm of the body’s lymphatic system. During a postsurgical MLD session, the therapist gently massages the lymph nodes and then guides post surgical edema towards those correlating lymph nodes.

*Postsurgical Manual Lymphatic Drainage is NOT deep tissue massage.  MLD should NEVER hurt to receive.  MLD is also NOT opening up incision wounds to push edema out of the body.

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, including Dr. Ortiz, 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.

 

FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, CARMELA WIESE, CMLDT, HAS BEEN PROVIDING POSTOPERATIVE MANUAL LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE TO CLIENTS RECOVERING FROM A WIDE RANGE OF SURGERIES INCLUDING:

• Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)

• Tummy Tuck/Abdominoplasty

• Liposuction

• Fat Transfer

• Arm/Leg Lift

• Facelift

• Breast Implant

• Chin Liposuction

• Mastectomy/Breast Reconstruction

DO YOU HAVE TISSUE FIBROSIS OR LUMPS AND BUMPS AFTER SURGERY?

Fibrosis is a build up of scar tissue that can occur as a result of cosmetic surgery which can cause lumps and bumps in the subdermal tissues.  It can sometimes be found in the lateral torso, lower abdomen, and back after liposuction.  While this consequence of liposuction is not ideal, not to worry.  Fibrosis can be treated!

Through various techniques, fibrosis and scar tissue can be gently treated causing any lumps and bumps that may have settled during the recovery process to get smoothed out.  Using warm oil and lymphatic cupping, myofascial decompression allows for scarring and edema build-up to gently be reduced allowing the patient to feel more comfortable and confident in their new body.