Manual Lymphatic Drainage

How does a light, soothing alternative to massage sound? One that helps reduce bloating and rid the body of harmful toxins at the same time? A technique called Manual Lymphatic Drainage may be what you’re looking for. While its name might sound imposing, MLD is actually a very comforting way to treat problem cellulite and reduce swelling of the face, ankles and legs.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage is also a necessary post-operative treatment for those who have recently undergone plastic surgery, including breast augmentation or breast reduction, breast reconstruction, facelifts, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), and liposuction. Many of our clients are patients of plastic surgeons that do not have their own MLD specialists on site. Recovery is often painful and swelling and bruising can be unsightly. If this is your case, please contact us for immediate attention!

Never heard of MLD? Developed in France in the 1930s to treat swelling on patients recovering from surgery, today MLD is the best known manual technique to assist lymph flow and aid in drainage in the tissues. Body-conscious European and South American women swear by it as a weight-reducing treatment, as excess water and fluids are flushed from the body while receiving a gentle massage. Nevertheless, in the United States, practitioners of MLD are generally found in hospitals or doctor’s offices, hardly inviting settings for those who seek the relaxing aspects of the treatment. The Total Body Clinic in Morristown bridges stress reduction with the many therapeutic benefits of Manual Lymphatic Drainage.

Isabel’s MLD credentials

Before offering MLD treatments in Wayne, Isabel Viveros Ciampi was a sought-after practitioner in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her training there was extensive, as MLD is not a simple technique and requires years of mastery. Each area of the body requires an exact sequence of precise hand movements applied in a specific series of repetitions. MLD must be performed in accordance with the body's natural direction of lymph flow.

Isabel dedicated nearly a year to exclusive training in Manual Lymphatic Drainage at the Dr. Vodder School of Argentina, in a course supervised by Virginia Cool of France, one of the earliest and longest practitioners of MLD. She has perfected her skills with follow-up courses with Cool, as well as with international experts Dr. Didier Tomson of the Foldi Clinic of Germany, Dr. Alberto Leduc of Belgium, Prof. Jean Michel Salétes of France, and Dr. Enrique Castells Garcia of Barcelona.

Manual lymphatic drainage is performed similarly to a massage. MLD treatments at the Total Body Clinic in Wayne NJ can be targeted toward a certain part of the body (for example the face and legs), or be general in nature as an overall relaxing, stress-reducing and detoxifying massage.

The treatment must be performed bare skin, with no oil. Draping of clients according to established industry guidelines is practiced.

You can expect an increased need to urinate soon after a treatment and for several hours thereafter, as excess fluids that were moved from the tissues are now ready to be excreted as urine. We recommend that you drink water after an MLD session to replenish fluids mobilized during this treatment.