Before Your Surgery: How to Prepare for Post-Operative Lymphatic Drainage
Yes — I offer lymphatic drainage before surgery, not just after, when a surgeon has specifically suggested it as part of their own pre-op guidance. It's not something I offer as a default add-on, and it follows the same consultation process as any new client: your procedure, your surgeon's instructions, and any relevant health information confirmed before we book anything.
Book the consultation early
My diary runs Wednesday and Sunday only, by appointment — so if your surgery date is set, getting a pre-surgery consultation booked in advance means you're not trying to arrange your first post-operative session in a rush during recovery week. The consultation itself is where I review the health questionnaire, talk through your procedure, and confirm I have everything I'll need once your surgeon clears you to start.
If your surgery date moves
Surgery dates shift more than people expect — a pre-op appointment gets pushed, a surgeon reschedules, or the procedure itself changes scope. If that happens after you've already booked a consultation, message me directly rather than just not showing up; I'd rather move your slot to match the new date than treat a reschedule as a no-show.
What to bring to the consultation
Your surgeon's aftercare plan or any written instructions about drainage, garments, or activity restrictions are the most useful thing to bring — I build the post-operative sessions around that plan rather than a generic template. If you don't have anything in writing yet, that's fine; the consultation itself is a chance to note down what you'll need once you do.
The studio you'll be coming back to
It's worth checking the journey now, not after surgery — Ella Beauty Studio is a private, one-to-one room inside Beauty Desire on Stockwell Green, open Wednesdays and Sundays only, and I work in English or Portuguese depending on what's easier for you. Clients travel in from Stockwell, Brixton, Clapham, Vauxhall and Oval; if you'll be recovering somewhere further out, working out the route and how you'll get here in the early weeks is easier to sort now than the week you actually need a session.
What you won't get asked to decide
You won't be asked to guess how many sessions you'll need or when you can safely start after surgery — both of those come from your surgeon, and I'll wait for that clearance before booking your first post-operative appointment. What the consultation does settle is everything on my side: your slot, your questionnaire, and a plan that's ready to activate the moment your surgeon says go.
Cost of getting ahead of it
A single session is £80 for 60 minutes; if you already know from your surgeon that you'll need an ongoing course, it's worth asking about the introductory packages (5 sessions for £275, 10 for £500) at the consultation stage rather than after your first visit.
Full protocol details are on the Pre & Post-Operative Lymphatic Drainage page. Not sure this is the right treatment for your situation? The services page breaks down the full treatment menu.
One therapist, one diary
Ella Beauty Studio has operated from Stockwell Green since August 2025, and because it's a one-therapist, appointment-only studio — no other practitioners, no overlapping bookings — there's only ever one diary to fit into. That's exactly why booking ahead of your surgery date matters: you're not competing with other clients for a slot in the specific week you'll actually need one. If you want a preview of the room before your first visit, the studio's Instagram, @ellastudiobeautyuk, shows the space and how sessions are set up.
To book a pre-surgery consultation, message WhatsApp 07889 809678, or use the bookings page — Wednesday 11am–7pm, Sunday 11am–4pm, Stockwell Green SW9 9JF.
