Frequently asked questions,
answered with honesty.

There is no standard number. And any professional who gives you one before assessing your case is simply guessing.

What determines the number of sessions is: the type and extent of the surgery, the condition of the tissue at the time of assessment, your body's individual healing response, and what you want to protect or achieve. A straightforward lipo that heals well may need 8 to 12 sessions. A case with established fibrosis, seroma, or persistent edema may need more, with different intervals and protocols.

We define this together at the initial assessment, with honesty about what to expect.

The sooner, the better. But "soon" doesn't mean "the day after surgery with maximum pressure." It means starting care while the tissue is still in the early stages of healing, when photobiomodulation and light touch already make a difference without causing harm.

In practice: ideally within the first week, with your surgeon's clearance. If you're already past that window (whether by two weeks, two months, or a year), it's still worthwhile. The protocol changes according to the tissue's stage; it doesn't disappear.

Yes. Recovery from plastic surgery can take up to a year, and in some cases longer. Fibrosis, residual edema, and adhesions respond to a clinical approach even when they have been established for months.

The protocol for late cases is different from the immediate post-op (the technologies and techniques change), but results are possible. I have handled cases of dense fibrosis and skin retraction that arrived months after surgery and responded well to conservative treatment.

Yes, and this is one of the most common profiles in my practice. People who have surgery in Turkey, Brazil, Colombia, or Spain and return to Belgium are often left without support for their post-operative recovery.

What I need at the initial assessment is to understand what was done (type of surgery, the technique when you know it, how long ago) and the current condition of the tissue. If you have the surgeon's report or the operative protocol, all the better. But it isn't mandatory. We work from what is in front of us.

Fibrosis is the excessive, disorganized buildup of collagen in the tissue, resulting in hardening, adhesions, and sometimes pain or contour deformity.

It forms when the post-surgical inflammatory process is not well managed. The most common mistake: intervention with excessive pressure before the right time. Strong pressure on still-inflamed tissue can aggravate it, and the body may respond with more firmness. The classic trap is to push harder to "fix it" — which only irritates the tissue further. It becomes a cycle that feeds itself until someone understands what is driving it.

Fibrosis is not broken down by force. It resolves with the right clinical approach: technology (TECAR, ultrasound) at the right moment, progressive fascial release, and respected timing.

A seroma is the buildup of serous fluid (a yellowish liquid) in the space between tissues after surgery. It is relatively common after abdominoplasty and extensive liposuction.

It needs to be monitored and, in some cases, drained by the doctor with a puncture. My role is to support the process: specific lymphatic drainage to mobilize the fluid, appropriate compression, and communication with the surgeon about how it evolves. It is not something to treat alone at home, and not something to ignore.

It shouldn't. Pain during post-operative drainage is a sign that something is wrong: either the pressure is too high for the tissue's stage, or the technique isn't respecting the physiology.

The correct protocol is comfortable. The client may feel pressure, movement, sometimes a sense of "release," but not pain. If you have had post-op care and it hurt, the approach was probably inappropriate for your stage.

Yes, and it isn't mere bureaucracy. I always work in partnership with the responsible doctor, because post-operative care must be consistent with what was done in surgery. If your surgeon is on the other side of the world, we discuss at the assessment how to establish that communication or how to work with your local general practitioner as a bridge.

Yes. Very much so. Each surgery creates a different tissue map, and an abdominoplasty with lipo has specific challenges: extensive fascial redistribution, a higher risk of seroma, and two fields of intervention with healing stages that aren't always synchronized.

The protocol takes into account what was done in each area: there is no generic approach for combined surgeries.

Persistent facial edema after a facelift is more common than most people expect, and lasts longer than on the body. The cervical and auricular lymph nodes are manipulated during surgery, which temporarily compromises the face's natural drainage.

The facial protocol is completely different from the body protocol: no radiofrequency, minimal pressure, guiding the lymph along the cervical chains. Cases of persistent facial edema respond well to this approach, but they require patience and a professional who understands the difference.

Lipedema is a chronic condition characterized by inflammation of the adipose tissue, resulting in a disproportionate accumulation of fat, usually in both legs, thighs, and hips, while sparing the feet. It affects almost exclusively women and has a strong hormonal component.

The most common signs: legs disproportionate to the rest of the body, a feeling of heaviness and pain to the touch (sometimes even shower water is uncomfortable), easy bruising, worsening during menstruation and menopause, and the sense that no matter how much weight you lose, your legs don't change.

The diagnosis is medical, made by a specialist (vascular surgeon, endocrinologist). My role is conservative support after diagnosis, and referral to the right doctor when there is a suspicion.

They are different conditions with different treatments. And confusing them is one of the most common mistakes in the field.

Lipedema: affects both legs (and sometimes the arms), involves inflammation of the adipose tissue (not the lymphatic system itself), has a strong hormonal component, and its main treatment is inflammation control, nutrition, and hormonal regulation. The lymphatic system may be affected secondarily, but it is not the cause.

Lymphedema: usually affects one limb, involves structural damage to the lymphatic system (from surgery, infection, trauma, or a congenital cause), and its main treatment is mechanical compression and drainage specific to the compromised lymphatic pathway.

Treating lipedema as if it were lymphedema (with compression alone) does not resolve the inflammation of the adipocyte. It can even worsen the condition if the compression is excessive.

There is no cure in the sense of definitive elimination, but there is management. With the right diagnosis and proper care, progression is controlled and quality of life improves significantly.

The most honest analogy is diabetes: when you don't know you have it and manage it wrongly, it worsens progressively. When you know, have access to treatment, and maintain the right habits, you live well: the disease is present, but controlled.

About 80% of managing lipedema is hormonal control and nutrition. Conservative care (drainage, compression when indicated, modulation of inflammation) complements and sustains that control.

No. Cellulite is an aesthetic change in the skin, with no systemic inflammatory component. Lipedema is a medical condition recognized by the WHO, with chronic inflammation of the adipose tissue, pain, progression, and functional impact.

The problem is that for years lipedema was treated as cellulite, which led to aggressive aesthetic treatments that worsen the inflammation and, consequently, the disease.

No. And that difference is critical. Tissue with lipedema already has an underlying chronic inflammation. When it undergoes liposuction, the inflammatory response is significantly greater than in healthy tissue.

The protocol has to reflect this: more photobiomodulation from the start, more sessions, functional goals (preserving mobility, reducing pain) alongside the aesthetic ones, and ideally preparing the tissue before surgery to reduce the baseline inflammation.

The main risk in the post-op of lipo with lipedema is not aesthetic: it is pain and loss of mobility. Handling such a case without understanding the biology of the tissue is a serious mistake.

It depends on the stage and the individual response. In general, the frequency starts higher (weekly or biweekly in the first months) and is calibrated as the condition stabilizes.

A practical reference I use: the frequency is adjusted based on feedback: "for how many days after the session do you feel lighter?" When the lightness lasts only a short while, the frequency is higher. When it lasts longer, we space the sessions out.

Follow-up for lipedema and lymphedema is ongoing; it is not a protocol with a discharge. It is long-term management.

Aesthetic drainage focuses on the immediate visual and sensory effect: contouring, reduction of visible swelling, relaxation. The result is real, but transient (24 to 72 hours) and does not necessarily respect the direction of the lymphatic system.

Clinical lymphatic drainage starts from the real anatomy of the lymphatic system: the pressure is minimal, the rhythm is specific, the direction is precise. The goal is to genuinely stimulate lymphatic flow, with an impact on immunity, sleep, modulation of the autonomic nervous system, and reduction of structural (not just superficial) edema.

It isn't more expensive than the other because it's more elegant. It's more expensive because it demands more knowledge and more precision.

For those who want to care for the body's physiology, not just its appearance.

The most common profiles in my practice: women in pre-menopause or post-menopause with a persistent sensation of swelling, fluid retention, and fatigue; people with chronic stress and difficulty sleeping; those who want to support their immune system regularly; and those who simply want to feel that the body is working well, not just being "in shape."

For progressive and lasting results, the most effective model is to start with a higher frequency (4 sessions over 2 to 3 weeks) and then space them out as the body responds. Many people settle into 1 maintenance session per month.

Clinical health drainage done once just to "see what it's like" will produce well-being, but not a change of pattern in the lymphatic system.

No, but you do need a foundational background in health or aesthetics (massage therapy, esthetics, nursing, manual therapies, or a related field). Module 01 was designed for those who have that base but little or no specific experience in clinical post-op.

If you already treat post-op cases but without a defined method, you will recognize in Module 01 what was missing. And Module 02 is where everything truly comes together.

It's important to be honest here: the certification is for the Método Neiva Cimini®, a proprietary method, not an academic degree regulated by professional boards.

The value of the certificate comes from who signs it and what it represents: training by an internationally recognized specialist, with a verifiable clinical methodology and the endorsement of plastic surgeons. For regulated titles (physiotherapist, specialist nurse), the routes are the formal undergraduate and postgraduate programs of the respective professions.

The format will be confirmed before the first cohort opens. The likely approach is recorded modules with live sessions for questions and clinical case analysis. The final certification may include an in-person component.

Join the waiting list to receive the details before the public opening.

Yes. The content is in Portuguese and applicable in any context. The Directory of Certified Professionals is international.

Prices will be announced when each cohort opens. The waiting list receives priority access and special launch conditions before the public opening.

Yes to both options. I have already delivered in-company training for surgical teams in Belgium and Germany. For this kind of request, the path is a direct conversation: the format is tailored to the team's profile and to what the surgeon wants to implement.

I practice in two locations: Maasmechelen and Meise. The address and availability details are shared at the time of booking.

Dutch, English, French, and Portuguese. No language barrier. Choose whichever is most comfortable for you.

Booking is done via WhatsApp. The first conversation is to understand your case before scheduling the assessment, with no obligation.

Prices are shared in direct contact. There is no standard package: the number of sessions and the investment are defined at the assessment, according to your case.

Yes. Billing details are arranged during the appointment.

To be confirmed during booking, depending on the coverage of your insurance plan (mutualiteiten/mutuelles).