Undergoing cosmetic or reconstructive surgery is one of the biggest life decisions a woman will make. Hours upon hours are spent researching plastic surgeons, gathering data on different procedures and analyzing costs. Women often travel thousands of miles - even outside the US - to have their surgery performed, making important sacrifices to their personal and professional lives in the process.
Yet, once the surgery is finished, women realize that they did not dedicate nearly enough attention to the recovery stage of the process. They can find themselves in a lot of pain, struggling with support garments and having difficulty sleeping or performing basic tasks. Post-op support from the surgeon can sometimes be weak, and can leave women feeling abandoned, isolated, and overcome with second thoughts. Compounding the problem is the persistent swelling, tender bruises, and the appearance of scar tissue that threatens to cancel out the important benefits gained during their surgery!
How can Kneaders INC help me during my post-operative recovery phase?
At Kneaders Inc, we work with women going through this delicate recovery phase, and we help accelerate the healing process using Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD). Manual Lymphatic Drainage is the ideal post-operative treatment for those who have recently undergone plastic surgery, including:
- liposuction
- breast augmentation or breast reduction
- breast reconstruction
- facelifts
- forehead lift, brow lift
- blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)
- abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)
- fat injections (e.g. Brazilian butt lift)
Manual Lymphatic Drainage greatly aids in reducing swelling and bruising, and limits the development of unsightly scars that these procedures can leave.
Why is Post-Operative Manual Lymphatic Drainage important?
As can be imagined, the lymphatic system is naturally compromised following the trauma of surgery, with fluids tending to accumulate, leading to swelling, mobility problems and general discomfort. Tetyana Smith, a Clinical Manual Lymphatic Drainage therapist, is trained to use MLD to restore the natural working capacity of the lymphatic system, minimizing your swelling, bruising and soreness, and helping your wounds heal with minimal scarring.
Lymph drainage around the areas of liposuction and other plastic-surgery treatments greatly facilitates healing, helps to smoothen areas and eliminate lumps and indentations, contouring the skin so that your procedure is less noticeable over time.
In Europe and South America, surgeons have been prescribing MLD on a pre- and post-operative basis for decades, and the treatment has been established as standard practice. In the US, the benefits of the treatments are only now being fully appreciated.
A major part of my healing practice is offering lymphatic drainage services to clients within days of their surgeries. My training and certification is as a lymphatic drainage therapist. In every day terms, lymphatic drainage helps to assist in the healing process of the body post surgery.
The lymphatic system is our body's fluid transport system. It's what is draining from ports and open wounds post surgery. The lymph, a milky liquid, is produced and circulated by the body to detoxify every cell. This fluid often builds up after a surgery. The volume of lymph produced post surgery varies based on the level of trauma upon the body and the lymphatic system. In surgeries like liposuction, tummy tucks, breast lifts, etc... their effect is often invasive, traumatic damage to soft tissue. As a result, fluid build up and the patients experience fluid retention, swelling and ridging and pockets of fluid around incision sites.
Lymphatic Drainage is an essential item on the road to recovery from any type of surgery; be it cosmetic or medically necessary. It is imperative to get lymphatic drainage immediately post surgery to help alleviate the swelling and enhance the drainage of fluid that can pose post surgery challenges.
Lymphatic drainage detoxifies and helps rid the body of excess fluid retained after surgery. This process begins a few days after surgery and optimally occurs over a minimum of 10 visits.
The results a patient will receive of smoother, healthier, firmer and tighter skin.
Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) is essential both pre and post surgery.
Patients experience discomfort, swelling, and bruising after surgery and have few
options to handle these uncomfortable symptoms.
Decongestion of the lymphatic system
is important in bringing back normal texture, definition and tone of
skin. If multiple procedures are performed simutaneously (liposuction, Brazilian butt lift, breast enhancement and tummy tuck)
MLD will be even more necessary to address swelling and tissue hardness.
Lymph drainage around the areas of liposuction and other plastic-surgery procedures
helps healing and the improves of the hardness and lumps, especially in the abdominal region,
contouring the skin so that your procedure looks and feels better faster. In Europe and South America,
surgeons have been prescribing MLD on a pre- and post-op basis for
decades.
It is very important to understand that MLD is
not a deep tissue or Swedish type of massage. It is a very gentle, subtle method of moving lymph fluid based
on how the anatomy and physiology of the Lymphatic System works.