How Many Lymphatic Drainage Sessions Do You Need After Surgery?
It's the first question almost every post-surgical client asks me before booking: how many sessions am I actually going to need? The honest, slightly unsatisfying answer is that it isn't a number I set — it comes from your surgeon's plan, and I build the course of treatment around that.
Why there's no fixed number
A tummy tuck, a BBL, a mommy makeover and a C-section all carry different aftercare plans, and I've seen two clients with the same procedure end up on quite different schedules once their surgeons weighed in. That's why I don't quote a generic session count on the website or in a first message: the number in your protocol is set by your surgeon, not estimated over WhatsApp.
What I do instead
At the first consultation, I go through your surgeon's aftercare instructions in detail, ask about the procedure and any areas you've been told to protect, and confirm the cadence your surgeon wants before anything is booked. If you don't yet have written instructions, I'll tell you exactly what to go back and ask your surgeon, rather than filling the gap with my own guess.
If your surgeon hasn't given you a session count yet
Some surgeons hand over a detailed weekly plan; others simply say "lymphatic drainage is recommended" and leave the specifics to whoever provides it. If that's your situation, I won't invent a number to fill the silence — I'll ask you to go back to your surgeon's team with a specific question ("how many sessions and at what interval would you recommend?") rather than starting a course based on a guess from either side. It's a slower first step, but it means the plan you end up on actually came from the person who did your surgery.
Your surgeon's clearance comes first
Regardless of how many sessions end up being right for you, I don't book a first post-operative appointment without your surgeon's clearance to start — that timing is entirely their decision, not something I'll estimate for you.
Why consistency is what I actually charge for
A single 60-minute session (£80) can feel good, but the value of post-operative lymphatic drainage comes from following the full course your surgeon has recommended, consistently, rather than dropping in once. I keep notes from session to session — what I worked on, anything you mentioned, anything that changed — so we're not starting from scratch each week and so I can flag anything worth raising with your surgeon at your next follow-up. If a week genuinely doesn't work, tell me early so we can move it rather than skip it outright; a gap in the middle of a course isn't something I'd recommend without checking in on why first.
What it costs to find out
Because the number of sessions depends on your specific procedure and surgeon's plan, the most direct way to get an answer is to book a consultation and bring your surgeon's aftercare notes. Single sessions are £80 for 60 minutes; if you already know you'll need an ongoing course, the introductory packages (5 sessions for £275, 10 for £500) work out cheaper per visit — worth asking about once your surgeon's cadence is confirmed, since they're new-client introductory pricing rather than a permanent rate.
Where sessions happen
Ella Beauty Studio is a small, private one-to-one space inside Beauty Desire on Stockwell Green — no waiting room full of other clients, no rushing between appointments. I see clients from Stockwell, Brixton, Clapham, Vauxhall and Oval, and work in English or Portuguese depending on what's more comfortable for you.
For the full picture of the protocol — what a first session involves, pricing, and how to book — see the Pre & Post-Operative Lymphatic Drainage page. If you're deciding between the surgical protocol and a non-surgical wellness routine, Manual Lymphatic Drainage for Wellness covers the difference.
Book a consultation via WhatsApp on 07889 809678, or through the bookings page — Wednesday 11am–7pm or Sunday 11am–4pm, Unit 1 & 2 Oak Square, Stockwell Green SW9 9JF.
