What to expect from Post-Surgery Lymphatic Massage

The do's and don'ts

Realities, Misnomers and Misinformation

A short synopsis of the lymphatic system

Lymphatic fluid begins as plasma as a part of the blood.

With each beat of your heart your body releases oxygen and nutrients to the tissue, a small part is left behind, it's a protein, part of the plasma. It's a viscous fluid which absorbs larger cellular debris.

Lymphatic capillaries carries the fluid from the interstitial spaces to the vessels which are attached to and move with the skin

The fluids then move through the vessels, like a freeway system, towards the lymph nodes and are purified.

On the other side is purified plasma that rejoins the blood system at the heart.

What Lymphatic Massage IS!!

The Lymphatic technique is the weight of the nickel the rhythm of a heartbeat. Deeper pressure would collapse the vessels and inhibit lymphatic flow.

Lymphatic massage is not painful or aggressive, it is designed to move the excess fluid, caused by the trauma to the body, to move through the lymphatic system and process more quickly.

Lymphatic massage is a gentle stroke. It stretches across the lymphatic vessel then movement towards the node with a gentle release.

It is a closed system that processes the fluids internally leaving no waste matter.

What lymphatic massage is NOT

It is not a deep squeezing of the tissue, like squeezing an orange, forcing the fluids through the incisions.

These fluids that come out the first couple days after surgery are wetting fluids and anesthetic mixed with blood.

These fluids are injected Under the Skin preparing the body for liposuction.

The first couple days after surgery the nurses will do a squeezing type of massage to remove the wetting fluids and anesthetic through the open incisions. This is a medical procedure and is not lymphatic massage.

To expect the swelling to be squeezed externally from the body is a misnomer. It must process through the body's normal systematic process.

Patience and Care is essential.

Good luck with your healing!!