Lymphology · Postoperative recovery · Lipedema · Lymphatic drainage
Postoperative recovery and lymphatic care in Limburg, Belgium, by method.
Maison Ipanema Institute supports recovery after plastic surgery, lipedema and lymphedema, guided by the physiology of the tissue. Founded by Neiva Cimini, creator of the NCT Method®. Locations in Maasmechelen and Meise.
Neiva Cimini
What no one tells you
The surgery ends. The result begins.
Persistent swelling, hardening, seroma, skin that will not settle. And the feeling that something is wrong, without anyone being able to explain what.
After surgery, a biological process unfolds over weeks to months: inflammation, tissue repair and remodelling. A poorly modulated inflammatory response sustains oedema, burdens lymphatic drainage and promotes the disorganised collagen deposition that leads to fibrosis.
The result is won or lost in the weeks no one photographs.
“Surgery is science. Postoperative care must be too.”
Areas of practice
Where we can support you.
Postoperative recovery
Aftercare following liposuction, abdominoplasty, BBL, facelift and breast surgery, adapted to the phase of wound healing and coordinated with your surgeon.
Learn more →Lipedema
Conservative, multidisciplinary support for a chronic disorder of adipose tissue, focused on pain, mobility and tissue glide.
Learn more →Lymphedema
Long-term support of lymphatic drainage with manual lymphatic drainage and compression, in collaboration with your treating physician.
Learn more →Functional lymphatic drainage
Lymphatic modulation and regulation of the autonomic nervous system, for those experiencing heaviness, fluid retention or exhaustion.
Learn more →The difference
The NCT Method®
Recovery after plastic surgery depends on the interplay between inflammation, lymphatic drainage, tissue perfusion, remodelling of the extracellular matrix, mechanobiology and the adaptation of the nervous system. The NCT Method® translates these principles into one question: which intervention does the tissue need now?
Every intervention is defined by the biology of the tissue, not by the surgery’s calendar.
01 · Day 0 – 7/10
Inflammatory phase
Very light touch, gentle manual lymphatic drainage and photobiomodulation. No deep pressure: the inflammatory response is modulated, not amplified.
02 · Day 7/10 – 21
Proliferative phase
Manual lymphatic drainage with controlled progression, early fascial mobilisation and taping, to preserve glide between tissue layers.
03 · From day 21
Remodelling phase
Progressive scar therapy and technology such as TECAR and pulsed ultrasound, once the tissue is ready. Mechanical stimuli guide an organised collagen structure.
- Lymphatic anatomy & precision Every movement follows the lymphatic pathways, the vascularisation and the anatomical changes caused by surgery.
- Mechanobiology & fascial remodelling Not “breaking fibrosis”, but restoring glide and guiding organised healing.
- Neurophysiology of recovery Pain, stress, sleep and the autonomic nervous system directly influence tissue recovery.
“The Brazilian recovery technique, with European scientific rigour.”
Recovery by procedure
Every surgery leaves a different body behind.
Body contouring
Abdominoplasty · Liposuction 360 / HD · BBL · Renuvion
Facial surgery
Deep plane facelift · Neck lift · Blepharoplasty
Breast surgery
Mastopexy · Implant exchange · Breast reduction
Revision & complications
Postoperative fibrosis · Persistent oedema · Difficult scarring
Operated abroad? We guide your recovery here, in coordination with your surgeon or, where needed, through your general practitioner.
Verifiable recognition
The trust of those who operate. And of those who recognise.
ISAPS Body Masters 2026
Invited speaker in Barcelona at the international course for plastic surgeons, as one of the rare non-medical speakers.
Beyond The Scalpel, Brussels
Speaker and member of the scientific committee.
Marie Claire Belgium
The method featured in an editorial selection of treatments that work (December 2025).
Shiseido Ginza Tokyo Institute
Developed the institute’s lymphatic drainage and trained its team.
The voice of those who operate
The trust of those who need no pretty words.
“The operation is a moment. The result is a process. Neiva Cimini is helping raise the standards of postoperative recovery in Belgium.”
Dr. Alan Rwigemera
Plastic surgeon · Belgium
“Her approach is unique because it is grounded in scientific principles. Her protocols follow the physiological changes of each phase of healing.”
Dr. Ahmad Saad
Plastic surgeon · Barcelona
“She combines real clinical rigour with a genuinely warm, patient-first approach.”
Dr. Jamil Hayek
Plastic surgeon · New Image Europe, UK
Excerpts. Full testimonials at neivacimini.com.
Who cares for you
Neiva Cimini
Neiva Cimini is the founder and director of Maison Ipanema Institute and the creator of the NCT Method®. She came to Belgium from Rio de Janeiro in 2015 and began with home visits and a single portable treatment table.
She is a certified massage therapist recognised by the Belgian Federation of Massage Therapy, holds a postgraduate degree in dermatofunctional physiotherapy from Brazil, and has deepened her expertise in lymphology, the physiology of wound healing and mechanobiology. Through the Neiva Cimini Academy she trains professionals in Belgium and abroad.
Neiva Cimini is not a physician or physiotherapist. Her care is conservative and complementary to medical treatment.
The institute
Two treatment locations in Belgium.
Maasmechelen · Limburg
Maison Ipanema Institute
Koninginnelaan 72, 3630 Maasmechelen
Meise · Flemish Brabant
Within a plastic surgery clinic
Two days a week
For surgeons
Your surgical result ends in recovery.
A conservative recovery partner who follows your protocol and restrictions, works from the operative report and the tissue phase, and keeps you informed. Anything medical is referred back to you.
Frequently asked questions
Answered honestly.
When should I start postoperative care?
Ideally in the first week after surgery, with your surgeon's approval. During the inflammatory phase the approach is very gentle.
How many sessions do I need after liposuction?
There is no standard number. It depends on the procedure, your tissue and how healing progresses. After the first assessment you receive a tailored plan.
My surgery was months ago and I still have swelling or hard areas. Can I still be helped?
Often, yes. Even in the remodelling phase, tissue responds to targeted mechanical stimuli. An assessment shows what is achievable.
Is postoperative lymphatic drainage painful?
It should not be. Strong pressure at the wrong moment can amplify the inflammatory response.
What is the difference between lipedema and lymphedema?
Lipedema is a chronic disorder of adipose tissue; lymphedema is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid due to impaired drainage. The diagnosis is always made by a physician.
Where do treatments take place?
In Maasmechelen (Limburg) and Meise (Flemish Brabant). Appointments are made via WhatsApp.
In which languages can I be helped?
Dutch, English, French and Portuguese.
Begin your recovery, by method.
A first conversation is free of obligation.
Maison Ipanema Institute does not perform medical procedures, diagnoses or prescriptions. All care is non-medical, conservative and complementary to the treatment provided by your physician.
Maison Ipanema
Institute
Postoperative recovery, lymphology and lipedema care in Limburg and Belgium. Founded by Neiva Cimini.
© 2026 Maison Ipanema BV · KBO/VAT BE1003.133.517 · RPR Antwerp, Tongeren division