What you’ll learn

The difference between starting manual lymphatic drainage on day two versus week four shows up directly in tissue quality and fibrosis development. This session covers how MLD works, why it should begin within one to three days of surgery, and how session frequency is structured across the first six weeks and beyond. Compression dosage, the widespread misconception that tighter garments sculpt the body, how seromas form and when they require medical intervention, and how low sodium, high protein, and hydration support lymphatic drainage are all addressed in practical detail. The conversation also covers the surgery blues, the cortisol drop that affects most patients around days six to ten, why mental health and support systems need to be part of recovery planning from the start, and how to find a qualified post-operative MLD therapist when a surgical team is not nearby.