Manual Lymph Drainage For Cosmetic Surgery Procedures

With common cosmetic surgery procedures such as tummy tuck, liposuction,  BBL etc., surgeons will often recommend Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) to accelerate healing and maximize the overall outcome. 

The postoperative period is a critical phase. According to the Aesthetic Surgery Journal (The Utility of Lymphatic Massage in Cosmetic Procedures Troy Marxen, BS et al.) general postoperative MLD recommendations consist of treatment 2 to 3 times per week during the initial 3 to 4 weeks of recovery.

These procedures result in postoperative swelling that can take between 3 and 6 months for the body's lymphatic system to resolve. Inflammation is a natural and useful consequence to the trauma of surgery, a way of the body regulating its healing process. Still, one of the major concerns for recovery is an inflammatory process called fibrosis, a fluid accumulation that can create hardened lumps and bumps in the skin. However, unlike fibrosis from disease processes, fibrosis after surgery can be resolved with MLD and compression garments. This is because patients undergoing elective cosmetic procedures usually have healthy intact lymphatic systems and consequently respond very quickly to treatment. During the postoperative phase, MLD can be beneficial in maximizing the lymphatic system's ability to filter fluid, proteins and bacteria in order to accelerate the recuperation period. 

The recovery process can be lengthy, between 3 and 6 months. Every patient is different, but doctors often recommend starting MLD a few days after surgery for the best and fastest result. A one hour treatment is recommended once or twice weekly during the first month, followed by shorter treatments once weekly thereafter.

Lymph drainage techniques require specific hand movements to direct the lymph fluid from one area of the body to another, via a connection of drains and pathways. It basically moves fluid from an area where the lymphatics are impaired and reroutes to another region of the body where the lymphatics are functioning. The connective pathways called anastomoses are likened to highways in the body and other areas of the body are designated as drains. After a treatment, the overall rate of lymph flow has the potential to increase tremendously for a period of time.

by Natja Richardson

Physical Therapist and Manual Lymphatic Drainage Technician