Self-lymphatic Drainage After Surgery for Facelifts
Self-lymphatic Drainage After Surgery for Facelifts
Self-lymphatic drainage after a facelift is a vital part of recovery. After a facelift, it is important to assist the body in lymphatic drainage through the use of massage. How exactly do you do self-lymphatic drainage for facelifts, though? Read on to find out!
What is the Lymphatic System?
The lymphatic system in your body is a series of lymph nodes and lymph vessels that work together to remove fluid build up in the body. This can be inhibited during surgery if lymph nodes are removed and some lymph vessels may naturally be cut during major surgery. Though they grow back with time, this makes it an especially important concern as to how to help assist your body in the lymphatic process post-op in order to reduce swelling, pain, and complications after surgery. To learn more about the lymphatic system and how it works, read last week’s blog! (LINK HERE).
Why After Facelifts?
After a facelift, bruising, swelling, and pain are common side effects. Using lymphatic massage after facelifts can help decrease pain and increase circulation, leading to better healing. Manually moving the fluid in the face that can build up after a major surgery like a facelift can help swelling decrease much quicker, leading to a faster and less painful facelift recovery. The massage also increases the amount of oxygen that gets to the tissues after a facelift which helps promote healing. While facelift scars are usually minimal with elite plastic surgeons, massages can also help decrease scarring in the facial area.
How to Perform Self-lymphatic Drainage After a Facelift
To perform self-lymphatic drainage after a facelift, you will want to use gentle, light pressure. You will also want to use unscented moisturizer. Applying the moisturizer to your face, you will use your palms or fingers to lightly massage the area. For a facelift, an area of great importance to focus on is the neck as many lymph nodes reside here. You want to work onward and upward, massaging the area in gentle circles. You will massage your neck, face, and forehead after a facelift. Doing this about five times in each area will provide optimal results, but the length and time may vary per individual.
When Should it Occur?
After a facelift, it is imperative that facial massages are only performed after your wounds have closed and the incisions begin to heal. It is important to make sure you do not do a self-lymphatic massage too soon post-op, as this could actually have negative effects on your health and your healing. Performing the massage with too much pressure can also inhibit the healing process. In most cases, lymphatic massages only occur in facelift patients after a surgeon has cleared a patient. This may be a few days after surgery or even a month after– it really depends on the individual patient and their surgeon.
Performing self-lymphatic drainage assistance through massage on an area you recently had surgery on may sound overwhelming. It is completely normal to be hesitant to touch near an area that has just undergone major surgery. You may be nervous about doing the massage incorrectly, doing it too soon, or impacting the healing process in doing so. VIP Concierge Care nurses are highly trained post-operative nurses skilled and experienced in taking care of plastic surgery patients post-operatively. WIth us, you do not have to worry about doing the lymphatic massage yourself, doing it incorrectly, or doing it too soon. We take care of that part! Book an appointment or a free consultation with VIP Concierge Care today! Our nurses are experienced in performing lymphatic drainage massages postoperatively to give you a better healing experience after a facelift. With our gentle and knowing hands, your facelift recovery will be a more safe and pleasant experience.