Recovery is a method,
not luck.
I am Neiva Cimini , founder of the Maison Ipanema Institute in Belgium. My work is dedicated to applied lymphology, integrating postoperative rehabilitation in plastic surgery, conservative treatment of lipedema, management of lymphatic disorders and functional lymphatic drainage, always grounded in the physiology of the body.
The surgery ends. The result begins.
Unrelenting swelling, fibrosis, seroma, skin that won't settle. And the feeling that something is wrong, but nobody knows how to explain what.
Many people undergo surgery, sometimes on the other side of the world, and return without anyone qualified to care for what comes next. Without protocol, without method, without someone who understands what happens inside the body at each healing stage.
It's then, in the weeks no one photographs, that the result is either won or lost.
"Surgery is science. Postoperative care must be too."
Where I can help you.
Post-operative recovery
Care guided by the phase of healing, in collaboration with your surgeon.
Lymphatic drainage
Lymphatic drainage promotes deep relaxation and reduces fluid retention.
Lipedema
Conservative management of a chronic disorder of fat tissue.
Lymphedema
Long-term control of lymphatic build-up, with technique and compression.
The Neiva Cimini® Method
Postoperative recovery based on the biology of healing, lymphology and mechanobiology.
Recovery after plastic surgery depends on the interplay between inflammation, lymphatic drainage, tissue perfusion, extracellular matrix remodeling, mechanobiology and nervous system adaptation. The Método Neiva Cimini® integrates these principles to choose the most appropriate intervention at each stage of healing, respecting the biology of the tissue instead of applying standardized protocols.
Each intervention is defined by the biology of the tissue, not by the surgery's calendar.
Lymphatic Anatomy & Tissue Precision
Every maneuver respects the pathway of the lymphatic system, the vascularization and the anatomical changes produced by the surgery. The direction of movement is determined by physiology, never by a fixed protocol.
Mechanobiology & Fascial Remodeling
Connective tissue remodeling depends on the right mechanical stimulus. The goal is not to “break fibrosis”, but to promote gliding between tissue planes and guide an organized healing process.
Neurophysiology of Recovery
Pain, stress, sleep quality and autonomic nervous system activity directly influence tissue recovery. Treatment considers the body as an integrated system.
"The Brazilian recovery technique, with European scientific rigor."
Understand the full Method →The trust of those who operate. And of those who recognize.
ISAPS Body Masters 2026
Invited speaker at the elite plastic-surgery course, in Barcelona.
Marie Claire Belgium
The Method among the treatments that “really work”.
Shiseido Ginza Tokyo Institute
Adopted the drainage she developed, and she trained the whole team.
International congresses
Beyond The Scalpel, Dermatis and Estética in São Paulo.
The trust of those who have no need for pretty words.
“What is happening to my body?”
Before getting to know my work, many people come to me asking exactly that question.
Some feel constantly swollen. Others live with leg pain, fluid retention, a feeling of heaviness or changes that began after surgery, an illness, a pregnancy or simply with the passing years.
Some have received a diagnosis of lipedema or lymphedema and don't know where to start. Some have had plastic surgery and are worried about edema, tissue hardening, scars or a recovery slower than they imagined. And there are also those who simply feel they have lost their body's balance: they sleep poorly, live under stress, feel less energy and no longer recognize themselves the same way.
Despite their different stories, almost all of them share the same doubt: “Is it still possible to get better?”
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It was in search of an answer to that question that I built my entire professional journey.
When I arrived in Belgium, in 2015, I had to start over from scratch. To practice legally, I completed my training in Massage Therapy, recognized by the Belgian Federation of Massage Therapy. At the same time, I kept investing in my scientific education, completing a postgraduate degree in Dermatofunctional Physiotherapy in Brazil and deepening my studies in lymphology, the physiology of healing, mechanobiology and the functioning of the lymphatic system.
I started with home visits and a single portable table. Each person I cared for reinforced the same perception: behind seemingly different complaints there was one thing in common. The lymphatic system took part in tissue recovery, edema control, the inflammatory response and the body's balance.
It was this understanding that gave rise to the Método Neiva Cimini®.
Today I dedicate my work to recovery after plastic surgery, to the conservative treatment of lipedema in partnership with a multidisciplinary network of doctors, to the care of people with lymphatic disorders and to the development of my own approach to functional lymphatic drainage, based on the body's physiology and respect for each person's individuality.
I am the founder of the Maison Ipanema Institute, with locations in Maasmechelen and Meise, Belgium, currently expanding. I also share this knowledge through the Neiva Cimini Academy, training professionals and taking part in international scientific events.
Along this journey, my method has also come to be recognized outside the healthcare field, being adopted by luxury hotels and highlighted by Marie Claire magazine as a wellbeing experience based on a deep understanding of human physiology.
But above any recognition, there is something that continues to guide every session.
I believe that caring for the lymphatic system does not just mean reducing swelling. It means understanding how the body responds to inflammation, surgery, stress, hormonal changes and the conditions that affect quality of life.
Because, in the end, my work has never been just about lymphatic drainage.
It has always been about helping people understand their own body and creating the best conditions for it to find its balance again.
You are here to…
Recover safely after surgery.
Postoperative care for lipo, abdominoplasty, BBL, facelift, lipedema, lymphedema, and more. With the specialist trusted by Belgian surgeons.
See how it works →Learn a science-based method.
The Neiva Cimini Academy trains professionals who want to understand the physiology of healing, applied lymphology and postoperative recovery beyond traditional techniques. A hands-on training grounded in scientific evidence and applicable to everyday professional practice.
Discover the Academy →





