How Often Should I Get Lymphatic Massage After Liposuction
Lymphatic massage is a great way to help your body recover after liposuction. It can help remove fluids that may have built up in your tissues, which can reduce swelling and help prevent fluid accumulation back into the tissues after surgery. Lymphatic massage is also helpful in keeping your lymphatic system functioning properly because it helps cleanse waste products from your system. We recommend getting lymphatic massages after liposuction starting 3-4 days after surgery, as this can help with healthy healing during recovery (and even beyond).
In this guide, we find out How Often Should I Get Lymphatic Massage After Liposuction, what happens if you don’t get lymphatic massage after liposuction, can i do my own lymphatic massage after lipo, and how to self massage after lipo.
How Often Should I Get Lymphatic Massage After Liposuction
Liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the United States, with more than 300,000 people undergoing liposuction each year. Despite its popularity, many patients don’t realize that it’s not just about removing fat from a specific area of your body—it’s also about removing waste products from your body and helping your lymphatic system function properly. That’s where lymphatic massage comes in: it focuses on your lymph system, which removes waste products from your body by moving them through channels called lymph vessels and eventually into larger blood vessels that lead back to our heart. We recommend getting a professional lymphatic massage starting 3-4 days after surgery because this can help prevent fluid buildup while also promoting healthy healing during recovery (and even beyond).
Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure that removes unwanted fat from specific areas of your body.
Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure that removes unwanted fat from specific areas of your body. It’s often performed on the abdomen, hips, thighs and buttocks. Liposuction can also be used to treat cellulite and stretch marks.
Liposuction is most commonly performed with an outpatient procedure known as tumescent liposuction; however, some surgeries are done under general anesthesia in a hospital operating room or center. The length of your surgery depends on the area being treated—for example, tumescent liposuction can take about two hours for one treatment area (such as the waistline), while full body liposuction may take up to eight hours or longer depending on how many areas are treated at once. The average cost of tumescent liposuction is $3,000-$5,000 per treatment region; however this varies by physician and location based on things like experience level or type of equipment used (some practices use less expensive machinery).
Lymphatic massage focuses on your lymph system, which removes waste products from your body.
The lymphatic system is part of the circulatory system, but it’s different from blood circulation in that it doesn’t carry oxygen. The lymphatic system removes waste products from your body and helps fight infection by carrying white blood cells to areas where they’re needed. It also helps maintain proper fluid levels in your body, which is why getting regular massages can help keep you hydrated!
Lymphatic massage focuses on moving the lymph fluid through your body and removing any toxins or other waste products that may have accumulated there over time. This can be done by pressing gently into the lymph nodes—which are located near major organs—and massaging them until they begin to feel warm and loose under your fingers.
Patients can schedule their first lymphatic massage three to four days after surgery.
Lymphatic massage is a treatment that helps the body to drain excess fluid, improve circulation and reduce swelling after liposuction procedures. Patients can schedule their first lymphatic massage three to four days after surgery, but they may not need it right away if they have little bruising or swelling. If you have pain or discomfort, however, you should be able to get a massage sooner so that your body will start draining the fluid on its own.
You may need to receive a lymphatic massage every day for a week, or every other day for two weeks.
Lymphatic massage is a type of bodywork that helps to stimulate the lymphatic system—the network of vessels, nodes and organs responsible for removing toxins from your body. The lymphatic system has a lot to do with your immune system, as it’s essential for health and well-being.
In order to properly remove waste products from our bodies, we need a properly functioning lymphatic system. This is why it’s so important to get regular lymphatic massages after liposuction surgery: because lipo can clog up the lymph pathways by causing scar tissue formation around them. As you know, scar tissue is stiffer than normal skin and muscle tissue; therefore, if there is too much scarring in the area where fat was removed during liposuction surgery then this can lead to discomfort or pain when moving certain muscles (and even when just sitting still).
We may also recommend that you perform self-massage at home.
We may also recommend that you perform self-massage at home. This is a great way to speed up recovery and make sure that you’re doing your best to help the lymphatic system do its job. It’s ideal to have someone help you with this, but it can be done alone if necessary. Self-massage techniques include using a tennis ball or foam roller on your back, abdomen and legs in order to increase circulation and break down any fluid buildup in the area.
To avoid hurting yourself when performing self-massage for liposuction recovery, follow these steps:
- Start slowly! Massaging sore muscles will only cause more pain unless done carefully
- Use very gentle pressure when massaging over incision sites or areas where scar tissue has formed (like around an abdominal crease)
You can get a professional lymphatic massage starting 3-4 days after liposuction surgery.
The best way to ensure that you get a professional lymphatic massage after liposuction surgery is to do it within 3-4 days. The reason why it’s so important to wait at least 2 weeks after your surgery before getting a lymphatic massage is because the skin and tissues need time to heal. If anything, you should not get a lymphatic massage before surgery.
You should also have an open dialogue with your doctor about whether or not they recommend getting a lymphatic massage post-surgery. For example, if you have any concerns about swelling or bruising and want an alternative treatment for these issues, then having one may be in your best interest. However, if there’s no real concern about either swelling or bruising then skipping one could help reduce any risk of infection from the procedure itself (which could be caused by germs from another person).
what happens if you don’t get lymphatic massage after liposuction
Do I need massage therapy after my liposuction?
The short answer is that it depends on what method was used to do your liposuction.
Patients are constantly asking me this question and they always seem surprised when I tell them that my liposuction technique does not require post-operative massages.
There are some liposuction techniques that really do benefit from massage therapy (often referred to as a lymphatic massage, MLD, or manual lymphatic drainage massage).
On the other hand, small cannula liposuction techniques do not need massage therapy to get the desired results.
Let me go into more detail to explain why massage techniques are helpful in some cases and not needed in others.
To understand what causes swelling and internal adhesions during liposuction, you have to think about what happens during the procedure. A hollow or solid metal tube called a “cannula” is inserted into the subcutaneous space above the muscle and below the skin like this:
As the cannula glides back and forth in the subcutaneous tissue, it will break up some of the connective tissue to various degrees. Depending on the amount of damage there can be swelling, and the attempt to repair the damage sometimes leads to scar formation and internal adhesions.
Swelling
Normally, fluid comes out of the blood vessel (arteries and veins) and accumulates in the spaces that are in between cells and organs. This is called the interstitial space. The Lymphatic vessels are small fragile vessels that absorb this fluid in the interstitial space and return it to the veins. These fragile lymphatic vessels can be injured during liposuction. When this happens, you get swelling as the tissues are soaked with fluid that is not being drained by the damaged lymphatics.
Larger cannulas will create more ‘open space’ (than a thin cannula). The increased open space gives more opportunity for more fluid to collect there. “Lymphatic massage” is a massage technique used to help the fluid move along to areas where the lymphatic system is intact and, as such, the extra fluid can be drained.
Another method used to control swelling is compression. I personally believe that if you use compression early on, and continuously, you can reduce or eliminate the need for lymphatic massage.
Internal Adhesions
Internal adhesions happen after liposuction when a significant amount of tissue has been damaged or taken out and the hole left by the cannula has to be repaired or filled in by scar tissue. The larger the hole (from the cannula), the more repair there is to do. Larger cannulas leave larger holes.
Internal adhesions can cause dimpling or furrows in the skin after liposuction. The scar tissue binds to the edges of the remaining healthy tissue. This is called an adhesion. It can form a hard mass and in time starts contracting. This contraction of the scar pulls in the skin, creating a dimple or a furrow in the skin.
To prevent this dimpling, a stronger massage technique is used to “break up the scar.” Massage techniques, such as rollers, are used to break up this scar as it is being formed to prevent formation of adhesions that pull on the skin.
Types of Liposuction and when massage is necessary
There are three common liposuction techniques where we can plan for whether lymphatic massage will be needed or not. The only technique which does not require massage after the surgery is when surgery is performed with thin cannulas. This is because the tunnels (from the fat extraction) made by the thin cannula are so small that they do not accumulate fluid like big tunnels made by bigger cannulas.
Liposuction performed with thin cannulas does not need post operative massage to attain a smooth result.
Ultrasonic / Laser Lipo
An ultrasonic cannula or a laser cannula works by emitting energy that will liquefy, or “melt,” fat cells along the path of the cannula. These dead fat cells are then sucked out.
Unfortunately, that same energy can damage some cells that do not get sucked out. The body then creates an inflammatory response around these dead or damaged cells which, in turn, creates further tissue destruction. The result is large tissue gaps that have to be repaired or get filled in by scar tissue. Postoperatively , many surgeons performing this technique will recommend massage therapy . In many cases, unfortunatley, massage therapy is the only way to get a final result that is smooth.
Conventional Suction Cannulas
Conventional suction cannulas suck whatever is surrounding the cannula. The larger the cannula, the larger the gap of missing tissue that is left behind. Any cannula above 4 millimeters in diameter can leave tissue gaps that have to be filled in by scar tissue. Sometimes these large tissue gaps get filled in with fluids * and that is called a seroma.
Small Suction Cannulas
When you use small cannulas, 3 millimeters in diameter or less with small suction holes, it is virtually impossible to leave large tissue gaps that will result in scar tissue. The reason is that by taking out the tissue in multiple small fragments, you leave normal tissue in between that can repair the tissue without creating scar masses or internal adhesions.
Summary: small suction cannulas do not need lymphatic massage afterwards
Needless to say, any surgeons who are using large cannulas, Laser lipo, or ultrasonic lipo should consider massage therapy for all of their patients.
I have been performing liposuction in my practice since the early 90’s and I have never referred any liposuction patient for massage therapy after surgery. I would never depend on a massage therapist to smooth out my surgical result. Likewise, I have not had any patients develop seroma after liposuction in years.
can i do my own lymphatic massage after lipo
Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) massage is frequently recommended by plastic surgeons during the recovery phase following cosmetic liposuction. This specialized form of massage is generally believed to decrease recovery time and improve results, by reducing post-surgical swelling and fibrosis (scar tissue formation). But is manual lymphatic drainage after liposuction really warranted? If so, for which patients?
Liposuction causes swelling and tissue damage that needs to be managed for best results
During the early period following liposuction surgery patients will experience swelling, bruising and discomfort. This is to be expected since liposuction is a relatively invasive procedure (see Figure 1). Common forms of liposuction involve either injecting a significant amount of medicated fluid into the area (‘tumescent’ or ‘super wet’ techniques) or using ultrasonic vibration or laser to liquefy the fat, before suctioning it out using a sharp-ended vacuum tube (a ‘cannula’). These procedures can create significant tissue damage.
Figure 1: Abdominal liposuction being performed using a cannula connected to vacuum pump. Photo adapted from ref 1.
Some side-effects of liposuction are experienced by every patient – and should be managed for every patient
The popular opinion of fat is that it’s simply an undesirable lumpy white mass of stored calories, but this is far from the truth. Fat is an important and active living tissue. Comprised primarily of adipocyte cells (which store lipids) and connective tissue (the glue that holds tissues together), fat is heavily vascularized (lots of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels) and plays key roles in energy storage and hormonal regulation. Removing fat by liposuction causes damage to blood and lymphatic vessels as well as the destruction of cells and connective tissue. This has the double effect of causing blood and lymph fluids to accumulate, while also creating more space for it to pool.
[Interesting side note: The circulatory system (arteries and veins) and the lymphatic system (lymph vessels and nodes) work together to maintain the fluid balance in tissues. Arteries deliver blood to the tissue, a nutrient rich fluid bathes the cells, and then this fluid returns to the circulatory system via the veins, AND via the lymphatics (where it is known as ‘lymph’). Both venous and lymphatic systems need to be functional to maintain an appropriate fluid balance in tissues, and when either fail, swelling results (chronic venous insufficiency or lymphedema, respectively).]
Post-surgical pooling of blood and lymph fluid should be monitored for every liposuction patient, and when necessary, treated, as should tissue separation caused by the sweeping action of the suction tube. Without proper management of these side effects poor aesthetic outcomes can result, along with the possibility of longer recovery times, greater pain, and health complications. The abdominal compression garment put on in the operating room and worn thereafter (as per surgeon instructions) accomplishes the dual tasks of decreasing the pooling of blood and lymph (much like applying pressure to a wound stops the bleeding) and bringing the separated tissue in close proximity to encourage healing. Insertion of small drainage tubes into the spaces where fat was removed can further prevent pooling over the first few days following surgery.
Other side-effects of liposuction can vary person-to-person and so individual post-operative needs vary
For some patients, standard interventions will suffice, recovery will be fast, and aesthetic outcomes optimal. Unfortunately, not every patient will have this experience. The post-surgical recovery process varies person-to-person according to a variety of factors including the type and extent of liposuction, age, health and physical activity levels, skin characteristics, smoking, complications such as infection, and so on.
Variable side effects include:
Scarring
Inflammation and repair processes bring immune cells to the area to help clean out dead tissue and waste, and new connective tissue is laid down to help knit the tissue back together. When the accumulation of connective tissue is significant (known as ‘fibrosis’ or scarring) this process thickens the tissue and decreases its pliability. Excessive fibrosis may be felt by hand, may restrict motion or produce feelings of tightness, and may even be visually noticeable. Scarring will naturally diminish with time as the tissue gradually remodels itself, but this process can be long and some scarring is likely to be permanent.
Prolonged swelling or swelling pockets
In general, swelling may be greater than necessary if compression garments are removed too early, not applied properly or consistently, or not sized appropriately. Excessive fluid presence or localized pockets of fluid may slow recovery and/or make the results less aesthetically optimal by encouraging uneven healing and fibrosis. Uncontrolled swelling could potentially create other complications such as small pockets of fluid becoming trapped (called a ‘seroma’), inflammation, and infection.
How should these variable side effects be managed?
Judicious adherence to your surgeon’s recommendations, including follow-up, is the best way for you to minimize your recovery time, optimize your results, and avoid potential complications. Surgeons often recommend that their patients supplement their recovery with manual lymphatic drainage as early as possible, ideally within the first few days post-surgery. The idea behind this recommendation is that manual lymphatic drainage could potentially help prevent and alleviate the build-up of fluid and formation of scar tissue. But where does this recommendation come from? Some of the surgeons who recommend manual lymphatic drainage also benefit financially from offering it to their patients as an add-on service. So how do we know this is a worthwhile recommendation?
Should we expect manual lymphatic drainage after liposuction to be beneficial?
Plastic surgeons frequently recommend manual lymphatic drainage after liposuction, or after abdominoplasty with liposuction (a ‘tummy-tuck’). It’s also recommended as a post-liposuction treatment by the Dr. Vodder School, the largest manual lymphatic drainage massage training and certification body. Nevertheless, why should we expect it to help?
What is manual lymphatic drainage, and what does it do?
Manual lymphatic drainage massage is offered by registered physiotherapists and massage therapists (and other health professionals) who have received additional training and certification. Using sequences of gentle massage strokes, manual lymphatic drainage helps to stimulate the flow of fluid through the lymphatic system, thus relieving swelling. This technique is routinely offered along with compression garments and education as part of Combined Decongestive Therapy (CDT), the standard treatment for patients with chronic lymphatic insufficiency (lymphedema). But should we expect it to help patients recovering from liposuction?
Should it benefit liposuction patients?
While many plastic surgeons recommend it, some don’t. I noticed one plastic surgeon commented online that they didn’t believe it was ‘possible’ to manually push fluid through the lymphatic system. They went on to say that many patients describe lymphatic massage to be ‘excruciatingly painful’. Perhaps this could be the case if the technique was performed incorrectly, or by someone who is not certified, but otherwise it is easy to demonstrate that both of these comments are incorrect. Here’s why:
Manual lymphatic drainage is a central component of CDT, which is the treatment recommended by the International Society of Lymphology for managing chronic swelling in patients with lymphatic insufficiency (lymphedema). Imaging studies confirm that manual lymphatic drainage massage significantly increases the flow of fluid in lymphatic vessels in normal individuals (ref 2). This finding explains the large number of clinical studies and anecdotal observations collected over decades of use that demonstrate its clinical effectiveness (for a recent systematic review see ref 3). It’s also important to note that pain is not described as a side-effect of manual lymphatic drainage massage in these studies, nor is it mentioned by any knowledgeable publication or web article. To the contrary, manual lymphatic drainage is more gentle than conventional massage and is frequently described as enjoyable. This also coincides with our own experience.
But this same surgeon is correct in suggesting that there is likely little to no scientific evidence supporting massage of any type after liposuction. The question isn’t whether manual lymphatic drainage can reduce swelling – it can. The question is whether manual lymphatic drainage after liposuction can offer patients a quantifiable clinical benefit over standard care. Unfortunately, we can’t answer this question with clinical study data; I can find only primarily anecdotal support in the clinical literature rather than proper clinical studies (for example, see ref 4).
The jury is still out. There is insufficient evidence to suggest that manual lymphatic drainage should be recommended to all liposuction patients, and I would suspect that it would have little benefit in some patients. But is there a group of liposuction patients we would expect it to benefit? Yes. The available information suggests that manual lymphatic drainage would help relieve swelling in liposuction patients who are having difficulty controlling swelling otherwise, and furthermore, that eliminating excessive swelling would be expected to speed recovery and improve results (such as less fibrosis and improved skin texture).
What is it like to receive manual lymphatic drainage after liposuction?
Manual lymphatic drainage is usually delivered in one-hour sessions, and should include some education on self-care practices. It is not painful, much more gentle than regular massage, and is usually described as being pleasant. No oils or other products are used on the skin during these sessions.
Surgeons typically recommend for best results that care be initiated in the first few days following surgery (within the first 5 days), and some recommend that patients come for a standard number of treatment sessions. However, the number of sessions should ideally be determined by the therapist in conversation with the patient and based on: the amount of swelling; patient responsiveness to treatment; patient commitment to self-care practices; and of course, on the patient’s perception of benefit and financial considerations. Patients should experience some benefit from the very first treatment, and may find that this benefit increases upon subsequent visits, but typically no more than a handful of sessions are required to achieve maximal benefit.
*Possible* benefits of manual lymphatic drainage after liposuction
Why do I say *possible*? Even though manual lymphatic drainage has been shown in clinical studies to offer these benefits in other contexts (such as for lymphedema, lipedema, ligamentous sprains, etc.). Clinical evidence for its use in liposuction patients is inadequate to draw strong conclusions. With that said, it is likely that at least some liposuction patients would see benefit from adding manual lymphatic drainage to their post-operative care.
Possible negative side effects of manual lymphatic drainage after liposuction
Manual lymphatic drainage has been shown to be a safe technique with very few complications or contraindications. This includes for patients who have recently undergo breast cancer surgery (a common risk factor for lymphedema). The same holds true for liposuction patients, with the caveat that liposuction patients seen shortly after their procedure have wounds that are actively healing and appropriate care should be taken.
Which liposuction patients might benefit most from manual lymphatic drainage?
The patients who stand to benefit most from manual lymphatic drainage would be those with a lot of swelling, and/or with swelling that is difficult to reduce. Typically, these are patients where compression garments couldn’t be used, weren’t used effectively, or weren’t used at all. Liposuction patients that experience fluid build-up away from the surgical site, such as in the legs, could also benefit. With respect to fibrosis, patients with more extensive procedures are more likely to benefit from the fibrosis-reducing effects of manual lymphatic drainage.
Other patients may benefit psychologically. Since it is a safe and enjoyable massage technique, it may be beneficial to consider it for patients who might otherwise wonder or worry that their recovery could have been easier, or their results better, or for patients who exhibit fear-based touch-avoidance after this sort of procedure, and who can afford the additional expense.
how to self massage after lipo
Dr. Jones and Nip & Tuck Plastic Surgery in Atlanta are proud to offer Lymphatic Massages. This specialized procedure improves circulation and can help with faster recovery from surgery, while also breaking down deposits of fat around the body, for a smoother contour.
What Does Lymphatic Massage Do?
Lymphatic massages have many uses. It was first developed to reduce swelling and fluid accumulation after surgery, especially in the arms following a mastectomy for breast cancer.
Improving circulation and reducing post-surgical swelling allows for faster healing and less strain on the body’s internal organs, as well as veins and arteries.
The lymph system, along with the body’s circulatory system, is responsible for moving fluid through tissues and around the body. Surgery can put additional strain on these systems during healing. Lymphatic massage helps the body work more efficiently and can reduce swelling and improve healing time for a smoother and more comfortable recovery.
What can Lymphatic Massage Do for Me?
Dr. Jones recommends his lymphatic massage & cavitation in Atlanta to help the body achieve an ideal recovery after surgery, especially for body contouring procedures. Our licensed massage therapist offers gentle, hands-on lymphatic massage to aid with the following:
What is Cavitation?
Cavitation is a non-invasive cosmetic procedure that utilizes the power of ultrasound therapy to break up fat cells around the body, including the abdomen, back, thighs, and upper arms.
It is an effective option for patients who do not wish to undergo traditional liposuction, and for most patients who undergo multiple treatments, the results are permanent.
Lymphatic Massage Combined with Cavitation
Lymphatic massage, along with cavitation, is an effective adjuvant therapy that can improve healing time, reduce scarring and bruising, and smooth out lumpiness to help you recover from your surgical procedure.
After any surgery, the body is stimulated to begin the healing process. As lymphatic massage & cavitation is comfortable and safe, it also uses cutting edge technology to enhance the body’s natural healing abilities to create a synergistic approach to wellness and restoration.
Who is a Candidate for Cavitation Therapy?
Cavitation cannot be performed on patients in their first trimester of pregnancy, those with certain types of heart problems or a pacemaker, and those with certain types of metal implants. Further, cavitation is open to patients of all skin types and leaves no scarring. When scheduling your surgery, ask Dr. Jones if Cavitation is right for you.
How Much Does Lymphatic Massage & Cavitation Cost?
After your consultation for lymphatic Massage & cavitation Atlanta plastic surgeon, Dr. Jones determines your post-surgical needs, and recommends a treatment course that will optimize recovery and wellness. Afterward, you will meet with a member of our team, who can provide a cost breakdown, including surgery, anesthesia, and recovery.
Why Choose Nip & Tuck Plastic Surgery for Lymphatic Massage & Cavitation?
Dr. Jones is a highly qualified and specialized plastic surgeon in Atlanta. With the highest care and regard for the quality of his work, Atlanta lymphatic massage & cavitation can enhance your results and recovery, getting you back to your life with less discomfort and sooner results. By having your treatments under one roof, Dr. Jones can closely monitor your progress and customize a plan especially built around your individual needs.
How long are the treatments?
Lymphatic massage treatments are typically 30-45 minutes each, depending on the type of surgery you’ve had. If cavitation is added, this can increase treatment time by an additional hour. You should expect to spend approximately 2 hours in the office if both treatments are being done.
How soon after surgery can I receive Lymphatic Massage & Cavitation?
Depending on the type of surgery that you’ve had, Dr. Jones typically recommends lymphatic massages within the first 2-3 days after most body contouring procedures (liposuction, BBL, tummy tucks). Cavitation can begin in as little as two weeks after surgery. Dr. Jones and his team will carefully monitor your postoperative recovery and let you know when the time is right for you to begin.
How should I prepare for my lymphatic massage?
Try to relax, wear comfortable clothing, and drink plenty of fluids prior to your massage. Make sure you have a chaperone for your first few massages, as you may not be suitable to drive after completing your massage.
Is Lymphatic Massage & Cavitation covered by insurance?
There are several instances where lymphatic massage is covered by insurance; however, when being utilized as an adjunct treatment for aesthetic surgical recovery, it is not able to be covered.
Cavitation is always considered a cosmetic procedure, and therefore, also not covered by insurance. However, you will be notified of the costs of each treatment upfront, in order to plan accordingly.
How many massages should I get after liposuction or a BBL?
For all our body contouring procedures, two sessions are included in your pricing. Each patient’s individual needs vary, but in general, most patients benefit from at least 6-8 sessions.
We also highly recommend that you book additional sessions prior to surgery because the slots fill up fast.
Is Lymphatic Massage & Cavitation painful?
While lymphatic massage has the reputation for being painful and uncomfortable, when performed for the purposes of enhancing surgical healing, it is actually quite gentle. Our massage therapist has a reputation for being extremely gentle.
Most patients describe the initial massage as the most uncomfortable session. However, our licensed therapist understands the healing process and the first massage is usually shorter in time and less intense just to get our patients acclimated to the treatments.
Using a combination of both long and circular strokes, the body’s circulatory and lymphatic systems are kicked into high gear, to make each system more efficient, and shorten your recovery.