How Many Lymphatic Drainage Massages Do You Need After a Tummy Tuck and BBL?
Lymphatic drainage massage is a gentle massage that is essential in recovery after procedures such as tummy tucks and Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBL).
Your lymphatic system helps to remove toxins and excess fluid from your body, and this specific massage can help boost your system and reduce your recovery time.
The question remains, How many lymphatic drainage massages do you need after your procedure?
I will answer these questions and others regarding the importance of lymphatic drainage, how often you need to have your sessions, and how long they will last.
Why Is Lymphatic Drainage Massage Important for Your Tummy Tuck and BBL Recovery?
Some people believe that once the surgery is done, you do not have to worry about aftercare, but that is not the case. Lymphatic drainage is very important for you after your surgery because it will help make sure that your body recovers quickly and without further issues.
Firstly, lymphatic drainage will help reduce the swelling that happens after your surgery. Tummy tucks and BBL creates a lot of swelling post-surgery. Once the swelling is removed, you will also notice that your pain lessens. This will help your mental health stay positive after surgery.
Another reason why it is important is that lymphatic drainage helps to increase your flexibility. A lot of my clients complain that they battle to move, specifically after a tummy tuck. The massage will help the muscles stretch in those areas which will make it easier to move around.
Finally, lymphatic drainage will help to speed up your recovery. By removing the swelling, your body will heal quicker than if you do not have the lymphatic drainage treatments.
How Soon After Your Surgery Should You Start Lymphatic Drainage after Tummy Tuck and BBL?
This is a question I get asked all the time from my clients. The rule of thumb is as follows:
If your tummy tuck of BBL was successful and you do not have any post-surgical complications, you can start lymphatic drainage 48 hours after you have been discharged from the hospital.
In my personal opinion, I do not treat clients until they have been home recovering for at least a week. I say this because a week will allow your body to heal, and my treatment won’t add extra stress to my client.
Unfortunately, sometimes after your surgery, severe swelling happens. In these cases, you will need to start treatment as soon as possible.
How Many Lymphatic Drainage Treatments Will You Need After Tummy Tuck and BBL?
Once you have had a tummy tuck, you will need between 6 to 12 lymphatic drainage treatments before your body begins to drain the excess fluid properly.
If you have had complications after your surgery or your healing is taking longer than the average person, you might need a few extra sessions.
BBL surgery is more complicated than a tummy tuck, so you need more lymphatic massage sessions. That’s why the healing process is longer. You need to have at least 15 lymphatic drainage massages before your body begins to function optimally.
How Long Should the Gap Between Each Lymphatic Drainage After Tummy Tuck and BBL?
The gap between each session will depend on how your body is healing. In some cases, you will start off with two sessions a week and slowly lower down to one session a week. During your session, your therapist can tell if you are healing well or if you need more sessions to ‘jump start’ your lymphatic system so that you begin to heal faster.
I tell my clients that we will be able to determine when the next session should be after each session. With that being said, if there are no complications, you will have a gap of at least two days between your sessions.
When clients develop low-grade fevers, inflammation around the surgical area, swelling around the joints, and so on, you can have a session every day until the infection is under control.
Homecare Advice to Use Between Your Lymphatic Drainage Massage after Tummy Tuck and BBL
No matter how big or small the gap between your sessions is, there are a few things you need to do to ensure you get the most out of your lymphatic drainage sessions to help you recover from your tummy tuck and BBL surgery.
- Drink at least 1.5 liters of water daily so your body can get rid of the excess toxins from your system.
- Compression socks and bandages are ideal tools to have if your BBL has caused swelling in your legs and feet. Use bandages and socks between treatments so that you can keep the swelling at bay.
- Try to cut down on the amount of cigarettes you smoke between treatments. Smoking increases swelling.
- Reduce your alcohol and sugar intake.
What is the Duration of Lymphatic Drainage Massage Treatment after Tummy Tuck and BBL?
The duration of your treatment will vary from time to time, depending on how often you are going and the size of the area that needs to be treated. Your first session will be between 30-45 minutes, and thereafter, you can have a session up to 90 minutes.
When I treat clients after a BBL or a tummy tuck, I will not do longer than an hour as I need to assess how their body responds to the treatment. Once I have a better understanding of how their body responds, I will then lengthen the treatment.
If you start to feel nauseous or get a headache during your treatment, let your therapist know, and they will end your session. This is a normal reaction to have as it is a sign that your body is beginning to detox the excess fluids. Go home, relax, and drink some water.
Conclusion
I always tell my clients to continue their treatments at least once a month to ensure their lymphatic system works optimally after they have fully recovered from their surgery.
Make sure you go to a trained Lymphatic Drainage therapist and let your surgeon know you are going for these treatments. It is always important for your team to be on the same time.
