The lymphatic system does not get the attention it deserves. It is the body’s primary waste management and immune support network, responsible for clearing cellular debris, regulating fluid balance and maintaining the conditions in which the immune system can operate effectively. When it functions well, you rarely notice it. When it slows down or becomes compromised, the effects spread: as swelling and puffiness, as a sense of heaviness and fatigue, as skin that has lost its clarity and tone, as an immune system that seems to need more recovery time than it once did.
Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) is a specialist technique that stimulates and restores lymphatic flow. Gentle, rhythmic and deeply effective, it supports the body in clearing what has accumulated and returning to its natural state of fluid balance and vitality.
Meet Catherine Davidson, MLD Specialist
I’m Catherine Davidson, and I provide manual lymphatic drainage at Hever Health near Edenbridge. I’m ITEC and FHT accredited, with a gentle, patient-centred approach. MLD is a specialist technique, not a firm “sports” massage, and it is worth seeing someone trained specifically in it.
How Manual Lymphatic Drainage Works
Unlike the cardiovascular system, the lymphatic system has no central pump. It relies on movement, breathing and the rhythmic contraction of smooth muscle to keep lymph circulating. When this circulation slows, lymph fluid can accumulate in the interstitial spaces of the tissue, causing swelling, congestion and reduced immune activity.
MLD uses a specific sequence of very gentle, rhythmic skin movements to activate the lymphatic vessels just beneath the skin’s surface, encouraging them to contract and move lymph towards the lymph nodes for processing. The pressure used is deliberately light. It is the rhythm and the specific direction of movement that produces the therapeutic effect.
What is the lymphatic system and why does it matter provides the physiological foundation that makes the value of MLD immediately clear. Signs your lymphatic system needs support identifies the common presentations that suggest lymphatic drainage would be beneficial, several of which patients frequently attribute to other causes. Lymphatic drainage after surgery is essential reading for anyone considering MLD in a post-surgical context. And skin health and the lymphatic system explains the connection between lymphatic function and skin clarity that most skincare conversations never address.
What Lymphatic Drainage Can Help With
Catherine’s MLD sessions are particularly valuable for post-surgical oedema and swelling including following cosmetic and orthopaedic procedures, lymphoedema management as part of a broader care plan, chronic puffiness and fluid retention in the face and limbs, immune system support during periods of illness or recovery, skin health, clarity and texture improvement, and fatigue and a general sense of systemic sluggishness.
Please note that MLD is not appropriate for all individuals. If you have a known lymphatic or cardiovascular condition, please contact us before booking so we can confirm the treatment is suitable for you.
Post-Surgery Lymphatic Drainage
Many people come to me after surgery, cosmetic, orthopaedic, or reconstructive, when the body is holding swelling and oedema in the healing area. Manual lymphatic drainage after an operation uses very light, rhythmic strokes to ease that fluid away from the site, which can support comfort and recovery. I always work to your surgeon’s guidance on timing, and I will not begin until it is safe to do so.
Lymphatic Drainage and Broader Bodywork
For patients who want to combine lymphatic drainage with muscular recovery or relaxation, holistic massage with Catherine offers a natural extension of the same therapeutic relationship. For those managing the systemic effects of chronic stress alongside lymphatic concerns, reiki provides complementary nervous system support.
Fees
A one-hour manual lymphatic drainage session is £60. At your first appointment we talk through what you are coming for, and if a short course of sessions would help, we plan that together rather than assume it.
What to Expect
Sessions take place in our private treatment room at Hever Castle. Catherine begins with a consultation to understand your medical history, current concerns and goals. The work takes place across the body in a specific sequence designed to open the central lymphatic channels before working outward to the peripheries.
The experience is remarkably gentle and deeply relaxing. In the days that follow, most patients notice a visible reduction in puffiness, improved skin tone and a renewed sense of lightness and energy.
Areas we Cover Across Kent
The clinic is at Hever Castle Golf Club, How Green, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 7NP, within easy reach of Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Westerham and the surrounding villages. People travel from across west Kent for treatment.
H2: Frequently asked questions
Does lymphatic drainage massage actually work? For specific situations, yes. MLD is well established for managing post-surgical swelling and lymphoedema, and many people find it eases fluid retention and puffiness. It is a wellbeing and recovery treatment, not a weight-loss method or a medical cure.
Is it painful? No. MLD is deliberately very light. The pressure is far gentler than a typical massage, because the lymphatic vessels sit just under the skin.
How many sessions will I need? It depends on what you are coming for. Post-surgery recovery and fluid retention often need a short course rather than a single session. We agree a plan at your first appointment.
Can I have MLD after surgery? Often yes, once your surgeon is happy and it is safe to start. [CONFIRM Catherine’s timing guidance.] Bring any post-op advice you have been given.
Who should not have MLD? MLD is not suitable for everyone, including some people with cardiovascular, kidney, or active lymphatic conditions. We check your history first and will refer you back to your GP if MLD is not appropriate.
How much does a session cost? A one-hour manual lymphatic drainage session is £60.
Where are you based and which areas do you cover? At Hever Castle Golf Club near Edenbridge, serving Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Westerham and the wider west Kent area.
Restore your body’s natural flow. Book a lymphatic drainage session with Catherine at Hever Health today.
Explore the full range of beauty and bodywork available at Hever Health.