How Many Lymphatic Massages
Do You Need After Plastic Surgery?
The Very First Visit
I recommend that people try to come in for lymph drainage therapy a couple of days before their surgery to clear out their lymphatic system beforehand.
This makes your recovery easier.
This isn’t always an option for people, but it will give you the best possible result.
Why?
Think of it like cleaning out a bathtub drain before pouring a bucket of sludge down it. That is kind of what happens to our lymphatic system after surgery.
There is a lot of waste (dead cells) that the lymphatic system needs to move. If the “pipes” (lymphatic vessels) are clean before the surgery, the swelling can go down easier afterwards. For most people this is the thing that most concerns them after surgery.
During your first visit we talk about your lymphatic system and what to expect after surgery, wearing your faja, etc.
Didn’t have plastic surgery?
Don’t worry. Lymphatic drainage is still helpful for everyone! I routinely work on hip, knee, and shoulder replacements as well as hysterectomy and c-section scars. You can read more about general surgery recovery with lymphatic massage here. You can read about the general health benefits of lymphatic massage here.
Subsequent Visits
After that most people will buy a package deal.
Most people come to see me about 10 times total. I have packages of 3 visits to help save you money. Healing is a process that happens over many months. You will likely go through 10 visits in 4-6 weeks. Many people choose to keep coming to see me through about 10-12 weeks. In those last few weeks we are down to once every two weeks.
The first week I recommend coming 3 times and then 2 times a week for the next couple of weeks. After that we go to once a week. Despite what you may have read or seen online, it is not necessary to come every single day for lymphatic massage. I have recommended visit frequencies below, but first a little explanation of an important concept…
My Doctor Said I Need One Massage Every Day After Surgery
I hear this sometimes. This is simply unnecessary – and expensive! Usually coming a couple to three times a week right after surgery is plenty. Let me explain why. (In addition to all of the stuff below, coming every day will burn through your budget very fast – and you will likely still be having issues for 6-8 weeks. I can’t stress this strongly enough: Make sure you don’t spend all of your recovery lymphatic massage budget the first week!)
Understanding the Swelling that Goes Along with Healing
When your body has an injury – let’s say a sprained ankle – it rushes fluid to the site of trauma. Why? First, it tries (on purpose!) to make the body stiff so that further injury is not possible. Think about that – if you had actually broken a bone and just kept on moving around, that bone could slip and slice through an artery and you could bleed to death. To try to prevent that, the body makes the area stiff so you can’t move.
Next, let’s talk about what is going on in the tissue. When swelling occurs, your body is delivering specialized cells and nutrients to make repairs. You can think of these things as “workers” and “fuel.” Without swelling, these things can’t get out of the bloodstream to get to the tissues to do their work. This process is called inflammation – and as much as it doesn’t feel good, it is absolutely necessary.
That all being said, we don’t want this fluid hanging around for too long. It tends to overstay its welcome because the “evacuation route” (the lymphatic system) has been damaged during surgery. The lymphatic system responsible for draining swelling from the area of surgery happens to get ‘sliced and diced.’ Don’t worry – it will heal, but in the meantime you need someone (like me) who can find the remaining functional channels and route that fluid back into your bloodstream (not push it outside of your body – that’s illegal and NOT lymphatic work). Drainage back into the bloodstream is what goes on throughout your body 24 x 7.
Also what is going on in your swollen tissues is that the cells that are trying to make the repairs eat those nutrients that were delivered with the fluid that rushed into the area after injury. Just like us, cells eat and then ‘poop’ to get rid of waste. This waste is protein that can’t be used and it is the lymphatic system’s job to take it up, send it back to the bloodstream so that it makes it to the liver for either recycling or expulsion through the bile duct into the intestines where you then poop it out. Failure to remove the protein can lead to fibrosis. Don’t panic – the Internet would have you believe that you have ruined yourself if you get any fibrosis, but it’s totally normal also. No, you don’t have to have the crap beaten out of you to get rid of it either. It CAN absolutely be done gently and without pain. (Note also that the protein I mention here does not mean the protein you eat. This is different stuff – keep eating your protein!)
So, when we are talking about post-surgical lymphatic drainage, we want to give time for the area to swell with nutrient-rich fluid, but then we want to move it and the ‘cell poop’ away (since the lymphatic system has been damaged and it can’t do it on its own very well). Moving the ‘old fluid’ out allows for new fluid to return to the area to bring more nutrients and repair cells to the area. That means you swell, get a massage to make it go down, then you swell again, then you get a massage, then you swell again. Yay? Yeah, not fun, but that’s ideal for a healing body.
Swelling is not your enemy – it’s part of healing.
In terms of scheduling, this means an appointment roughly every other day is ideal post-op for the first week or two. Don’t panic if you can’t fit this schedule exactly, you’ll still be fine. Just do your best and come regularly.
Here are a couple of examples of recommended schedules:
Schedule for
10 Visits
Prior to Surgery = 1 visit
Week 1 = 3 visits
Week 2 = 2 visits
Week 3 = 2 visits
Week 4 = 1 visits
Week 5 = 1 visit
_________________
Total = 10 visits
(First Visit + 3 x Package of 3)
Schedule for
13 Visits
Prior to Surgery = 1 visit
Week 1 = 3 visits
Week 2 = 2 visits
Week 3 = 2 visits
Week 4 = 2 visits
Week 5 = 1 visit
Week 6 = 1 visit
Week 7 = 1 visit
_________________
Total = 13 visits
(First Visit + 4 x Package of 3)
As you can see, the visits get used up pretty quickly. Your schedule may vary from these suggestions due to your availability and mine. These are just guidelines based on where I’ve seen clients get the most benefit from their massages.
How Many Lymphatic Drainage Massages After Plastic Surgery and
For How Many Weeks?
If money were no object, I’d say plan to come for 3-4 months. But, most of us are on a budget, so if you can come for the first 6-8 weeks or so, then you will be through the worst of it. (If you are starting late in the game – at 6 weeks, for example, plan on about 4 weeks worth of sessions. You have some catching up to do.)
There is no reason you can’t come back afterwards, if you just feel you would benefit from it, so don’t think that since you came for 8 weeks that you are “done” and that you can’t come back after that. Many clients do return after 8 weeks, just not as often. They usually pop in once every 2-3 weeks and then once a month to help reduce the swelling and tightness that often is still present to some degree for a few more months. (What you experience as problematic changes throughout your recovery.)
Discounted Package Prices Available
For Lymphatic Massage
For clients who need to come frequently (such as my lipo, BBL, Mommy Makeover, etc. recovery clients), I offer package deals to help make getting your post op massages more affordable.
Packages save you money because you buy in bulk. Some people opt to buy 9 visits after their first visit, so they buy 3 packages of 3 visits for a total of 9 visits. This means that you can customize your package deal to fit your budget. This way you can also better control how long you come for therapy. Some people heal faster than others. This way you don’t over-spend on your recovery. Get only what you need.
Click Here to View the Package Deals Discounted Pricing.
Next up…
When Should I Start Getting My Lymphatic Massages?
In an ideal world, a person would hear about lymphatic massage before they got their surgery. Many people don’t know to do lymphatic drainage massage, and most doctors won’t tell you to budget for it in advance.
So, if you are reading this in preparation for your surgery, I very strongly recommend that you set some money aside for your care once the surgery is done. You will thank me later for it. Trust me.
Not everyone is able to afford an extra massage before surgery, and that’s ok. Don’t panic if you can’t – or if you are hearing about this after your surgery. The most important thing is to get started as soon as you can.
Based on how soon you start and how quickly you are healing determines exactly how many sessions you need.
In general, people don’t feel like coming the day after surgery, and that’s fine. Lipo and BBL’s usually come to me around day 4. Tummy tuck, brachioplasty, and thigh lift clients usually come at around day 7 due to mobility challenges. Facelift recovery usually starts after the first or second week, depending on how extensive of a procedure and what type. Shoot me a text to chat if you have had a facelift.
Based on how soon you start and how quickly you are healing determines exactly how many sessions you need.
In general, people don’t feel like coming the day after surgery, and that’s fine. Lipo and BBL’s usually come to me around day 4. Tummy tuck, brachioplasty, and thigh lift clients usually come at around day 7 due to mobility challenges. Facelift recovery usually starts after the first or second week, depending on how extensive of a procedure and what type. Shoot me a text to chat if you have had a facelift.
What Else Do I Need to Know About
Post Op Lymphatic Massage?
There are a few other important things to think about when answering the questions of “How Many Lymphatic Massages After Plastic Surgery Are Necessary?” and “Where to get post op lymphatic massage in Albuquerque?”
Great news! You have landed in the right place. This website is full of free factual information about navigating your plastic surgery recovery, but here are some very important things to consider before choosing a therapist.
Great news! You have landed in the right place. This website is full of free factual information about navigating your plastic surgery recovery, but here are some very important things to consider before choosing a therapist.
Who Would Be My Therapist at Pain & Swelling Solutions?
Shannon Goins-Blair is a LANA Certified Lymphedema Therapist (the highest-ranking lymphatic credential you can hold) who specializes in plastic surgery post op massages. This level of training guarantees that you will receive true professional care. The massages are effective and DON’T HURT! (Training does make a difference.)
At Pain & Swelling Solutions, you can rest assured that you are in capable hands. Average massage therapists are not trained in post op work, so be sure to seek out someone with advanced credentials. (Shannon’s certifications and training can be seen here.) By contrast, most therapists in the Albuquerque area only have an introductory class in lymphatic training, and no advanced training in how to work with people in a fragile state.
When you are in pain and are miserable, it is important to find a therapist who truly is able to make you feel better than when you walked in the door. Sadly, much of the hype around post operative work on social media promotes “therapies” that are damaging, painful, and can potentially lead to deadly infections.
When you are in pain and are miserable, it is important to find a therapist who truly is able to make you feel better than when you walked in the door. Sadly, much of the hype around post operative work on social media promotes “therapies” that are damaging, painful, and can potentially lead to deadly infections.
Shannon also attends plastic surgeries locally and is very well-informed about what has happened during surgery as well as what a normal healing process is like. She is a fountain of information – good information based in science – not social media. Pick her brain during your session. You’ll be happy that you did. She can answer most questions and can let you know if everything is healing according to plan or if you need to speak with your surgeon.
Trust your healing journey to Albuquerque’s Plastic Surgery Recovery expert, Shannon Goins-Blair, CLT-LANA.
