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Gentle & Rhythmic
Lymphatic Drainage Massage
Feather-light, rhythmic work that follows the body's own lymph pathways. A calming treatment for puffiness, fluid retention and recovery after surgery, with your surgeon's go-ahead.
30 min / $8960 min / $12990 min / $179
Surgeon's approval for post-op sessions · Licensed MM 47569
- Duration30 · 60 · 90 minutes
- PressureVery light, about the weight of a coin
- OilLittle or none
- Best forPost-op recovery, puffiness, a gentle hour
What It Is
Light hands, by design
The lymphatic system is the body's quiet drainage network. It runs alongside the blood vessels, returns two to four litres of fluid a day from the tissues to the bloodstream, and filters it through the nodes in the neck, armpits and groin. It has no pump of its own. It relies on movement, breathing and the slow contractions of the vessels themselves, and its finest vessels sit just beneath the skin.
Manual lymphatic drainage was developed in the 1930s by the Danish therapists Emil and Estrid Vodder, and it works with that anatomy rather than against it: slow, rhythmic stretches of the skin, repeated about once a second, always in order and always toward the nodes. The neck and collarbone are cleared first, then the trunk, then the limbs. The pressure is a fraction of a normal massage. If it feels like a regular massage, it is too deep.
What it is, and what it is not
It is not "lymphatic sculpting", and it is not a fat-loss treatment: you may look less puffy for a while, which is not the same as losing fat. It is not a detox; the liver and kidneys do that. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system, but no study shows massage "boosting" immunity, so we do not say it. And one thing we will never do: push fluid out of incisions or open wounds. That is not massage, Florida's Board of Massage Therapy does not permit it, and surgeons consider it dangerous.
What to Expect
Your session, start to finish
Guests expecting a massage are sometimes surprised by how little they feel. That is the technique working.
- Arrive
The intake covers your health, medications, where you are swollen and, after surgery, the procedure, the date and your surgeon's instructions. Post-op guests should bring their compression garment.
- Settle in
Wear loose clothes. You stay in underwear or disposable shorts and are draped with a sheet; very little or no oil is used, because the technique stretches the skin rather than gliding over it.
- The treatment
The neck and collarbone area comes first, to open the pathways, then the trunk, then the limbs. Each area receives slow, repeated skin stretches at a steady rhythm. It is deeply calming; most guests drift.
- Afterwards
You may feel lighter and sleepy. Expect to need the bathroom more often for a few hours. Put your compression garment back on as directed and walk gently; movement is the real lymph pump.
30 minutes
$89
One region: the neck and face, one limb, or the abdomen after opening the neck. Useful for maintenance or a short post-op follow-up.
60 minutes
$129
The neck and nodes, then the torso or both legs. The standard session for post-op recovery or puffiness.
90 minutes
$179
The whole body in the proper clearing order, or extensive post-op work across the abdomen, flanks, back and thighs.
Why Guests Book It
Less puffy, more rested
This is one of the gentlest treatments on our menu, and the one with the most myths attached. Here is what we will and will not promise.
- Eases fluid-related puffinessThe heaviness after a flight, a long drive, a salty week or a late pregnancy. Temporary, and often very welcome.
- Comfort during post-op recoverySwelling and tightness after surgery, worked within your surgeon's plan and timing.
- Deeply calmingThe slow rhythm has the same effect on the nervous system as it does on the tissues. Many guests fall asleep.
- A light option for sensitive bodiesFor older guests, pressure-sensitive guests, and people with fibromyalgia who have their doctor's OK.
What the research says, and what it doesn't
Lymphatic drainage has a long clinical history and a modest trial record. This is the honest version.
- The 2015 Cochrane review (six small trials) found manual lymphatic drainage "safe and may offer additional benefit" alongside compression bandaging in mild to moderate lymphedema, and called for more data. Lymphedema is a medical condition: if you have a diagnosis, we work alongside your lymphedema therapist, not instead of them.
- A 2023 review in Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum (Marxen et al.) reports that after liposuction lymphatic drainage can reduce swelling and fibrosis and ease discomfort, while noting a "paucity of research" and suggesting two to three sessions a week for three to four weeks.
- In a study of 20 women after a tummy tuck with liposuction (Maningas et al. 2020), three weeks of lymphatic drainage reduced swelling more than compression garments alone, but not by a statistically significant margin.
- The Cleveland Clinic puts it plainly: "If you don't have lymphedema, you may not see meaningful results." Claims of detoxing, immune boosting, weight loss or cellulite removal are not supported, and you will not find them here.
New swelling in one leg, or swelling with breathlessness, is a doctor's visit today, not a massage.
Is It Right for You?
Who it suits
A good fit if you…
- You are recovering from liposuction, a tummy tuck, a BBL, breast or facial surgery, and your surgeon has given the go-ahead
- You feel puffy or heavy after a flight, a long drive, a salty week on vacation, or at a certain point in your cycle
- You want a very gentle, calming hour rather than deep work
- You have fibromyalgia and your doctor is happy for you to try it; one small 2009 study found lymphatic drainage eased fatigue and anxiety scores
- You are a pressure-sensitive or older guest who finds ordinary massage too much
Please do not book until you have been cleared if…
- You have an active infection anywhere, a fever, cellulitis or an infected incision
- You have, or may have, a blood clot
- You have acute heart failure or kidney failure
- You have unhealed incisions or an unresolved seroma in the area
- You have active cancer or radiation-damaged skin in the area, unless your oncologist has approved
- Ask your doctor first if you have stable heart failure, thyroid disease, low blood pressure, take anticoagulants, are pregnant, or have had lymph nodes removed
For post-surgical sessions we ask for your surgeon's go-ahead and follow their timing and garment instructions. For general wellness, no note is needed.
Practical Notes
Before and after your session
Before you come
- After surgery: have your surgeon's OK, and tell us the procedure and date when booking
- Bring your compression garment, and a spare if you have one
- Eat lightly and drink water as normal; no lotion on the area to be worked
- Wear loose, comfortable clothes
Afterwards
- Drink water normally; there is nothing to "flush"
- Put your compression garment back on as directed
- Walk gently; movement keeps lymph moving
- Skip hot tubs and saunas for the rest of the day, and follow your surgeon's rules on bathing
How often? For puffiness or a reset: one session, then as needed, anywhere from weekly to monthly. After surgery your surgeon's plan sets the pace; most people land between four and twelve sessions over several weeks.
Questions Guests Ask
Good to know
Does it hurt?
No. If it hurts, it is too deep. The pressure is about that of a coin resting on the skin.
Why is it so light?
Lymph vessels sit just under the skin and collapse under firm pressure. The technique gently stretches the skin to move fluid along; pressing harder works against it.
Is it like a Thai or deep-tissue massage?
Not at all. Different goal, a fraction of the pressure, little or no oil, and a strict order of work. If you want muscle work, book one of our other treatments.
How soon after surgery can I come?
Only when your surgeon says so. Common windows range from a few days to about two weeks after surgery, depending on the procedure, your drains and how your incisions are healing.
Do I need a doctor's note?
For post-surgery sessions we ask for your surgeon's approval. For conditions on our screening list, a doctor's OK. For general wellness, no.
How many sessions will I need?
After surgery, surgeons commonly suggest somewhere between four and twelve sessions over several weeks, varying by procedure. For wellness, try one and see how you feel.
Will I lose weight?
No. The treatment moves fluid, not fat. You may look and feel less puffy for a while.
Can it help bloating?
It may ease fluid-related puffiness and heaviness, and it is very relaxing. Persistent bloating is a question for your doctor; we make no claims about digestion.
Can it help lymphedema?
If you have been diagnosed, ask your lymphedema therapist or doctor. Manual lymphatic drainage is one part of a medically supervised programme, and we offer a gentle session, not lymphedema treatment.
What should I wear?
Loose clothes to arrive in. During the session you stay in underwear or disposable shorts under a sheet. Bring your compression garment if you have one.
Should I shower afterwards?
If you like. There is little or no oil to wash off. Avoid very hot water for the rest of the day.
Will I need the bathroom?
Probably. Needing to go more often for a few hours is commonly reported.
Who should not have it?
Anyone with an active infection or fever, a known or suspected blood clot, acute heart or kidney failure, unhealed wounds, or active cancer in the area without an oncologist's OK. Ask first if you have thyroid disease, heart conditions or are pregnant.
Do you drain fluid from incisions?
Never. That is outside what massage is, Florida does not allow it, and it is dangerous. If an incision is leaking, call your surgeon.
Does it detox you or boost your immune system?
The lymphatic system is part of the immune system, but massage has not been shown to detox anyone or boost immunity. The liver and kidneys handle the detoxing, all day, without help.
Is it good for swollen legs after travel?
Often yes, after a quick screening. New swelling in one leg only is a medical emergency until a clot has been ruled out, so that one needs a doctor, not us.
“…My search is over! Best massage I had in a long time. But before the massage even started I was won over by how clean it was and how good it smelled. I am a fan!”
Reserve Your Time
Light touch. Real rest.
Booking after surgery? Have your surgeon's go-ahead to hand and tell us the procedure and date. For everything else, simply choose a time.
Massage therapy is for relaxation and wellness. It is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for persistent, severe or unexplained symptoms.