How beneficial are lymphatic massages after lipo?

torileenie1.  I am not a fan of lymphatic massage after liposuction because it can be extremely painful, expensive and there is no scientific proof that it greatly reduces swelling any quicker than gentle soft massage performed by the patient, my preferred recommendation. Some practitioners offer it as part of the overall fee for surgery, and that is OK.  I personally have a problem with practitioners pushing lymphatic massage as an add on expense after surgery, performed by a massage therapist working for them in their office. Best of luck

Each Doctor will have their own after care protocols following liposuction. I recommend lymphatic massage after liposuction. For liposuction after care, I recommend adding hyperbaric oxygen with lymphatic massage along with your compression to help decrease swelling. To improve your final results, I also recommend adding vanquish for further fat removal, exilis/venus legacy for skin tightening, cellutone/z wave to make the skin smooth, remove scar tissue, and improve the skin’s appearance. Best, Dr. Emer

Thanks for the question, in my practice which is focused on liposuction we have a full time massage therapist for our patients. I truly believe that the plastic surgery journey is important for the overall well being of the patient and that post-operative management is just as important as the surgery itself. Lymphatic massage when done right helps both physically and mentally heal. We have also found that the aromatherapy employed helps reduce anxiety and pain levels. 

Hi, thank you for your question. I have not found that lymphatic massage is very helpful after liposuction. Your swelling should be dramatically reduced in 9 weeks. Enjoy your cruise!

I do not recommend massages for my patients after liposuction procedures but many PSs do.  My patients typically wear adjustable compression garments 24/7 for six weeks.  Recommend that you follow the post-operative protocols recommended by your PS.Kenneth Hughes, MD, ABPS Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Thank you fo ryour question. Lymphatic massages are helpul to reduce sweeling after liposuction. I  have my liposuction patients do lymphatic massages and wear a compression garment (faja) covering all treated 24/7 except to shower for 4 weeks post op.  This helps ontrol swelling as the compression on your tissues helps your body to reabsorb the edema fluid that accumulates in the tissues after any procedure. This can take quite some time to happen without help from the compression garments.  It also helps improve  contour.  Compression helps to keep the tissues adherent to the underlying structures while healing, this can help prevent the wrinkled skin appearance that can happen when the tissues heal in ways we don't want them to.

Hello and thank you for your question.  First and foremost, I would recommend speaking with your plastic surgeon before starting lymphatic massage, as every surgeon has their own postoperative protocol.  In my practice, I do recommend daily lymphatic massage to help increase the recovery process.  Compression, hydration and lymphatic massage can be helpful.  Best of luck!

Thank you very much for this interesting question. After Liposuction usually creates pooling of excess lymphatic fluids. This results in swelling, Lymphatic Drainage Massage is a specialized massage technique that is recommended by plastic surgeons, after liposuction, to accelerate the recuperation period.  I recommend daily lymphatic drainage massage therapy 5 times at week for the next two months, and wear a postoperative girdle for two months at least.Kind regards,Dr. Emmanuel Mallol Cotes.-

Hello torileenie1,
It’s a pleasure to answer your questions! Plastic surgeons have different post-operative protocols, customized for every patient to achieve the best results. I typically advise my patients that, without lymphatic drainage massages, there is a risk that the swelling and inflammation could turn into fibrosis, which is a permanent hardening of the area. At least ten lymphatic drainage massage sessions are required, starting 24 hours after the procedure, to eliminate excess lymph fluid, alleviate swelling and discomfort, and also prevent complications such as seromas (fluid collection) and contour irregularities (indentations, and/or fibrosis). Best wishes! Dr. De La Cruz.

Thank you for your question! The lymphatic drainage is very important after a liposuction, this Will help you with the swelling a Lot, the pain after surgery and Will help you to sculpt the shape of your body better. I always recommend to my patients at least 10 massages daily a week after the surgery, but this Will depend on every surgeon. Good luck!