Question: I hate my cellulite! My thighs are all puckered. Is there anything that actually works?
Answer:
Yes. Cellulite is caused by fibers that connect the skin to muscle. They don’t lengthen with time, but skin and the fat under the skin do change with time. Skin loosens and we tend to gain weight. The result is the puckering of skin around these fibrous bands.
This is chiefly on the buttocks and thighs, where we tend to put on fat. It can be a few dimples or lots of indentations. Liposuction does not break down the fibers – it goes around them, so liposuction can make cellulite worse. We can, however, treat cellulite in the office. Here’s what’s involved –
The cellulite dimples are marked. The tissue is injected with local anesthetic. A tiny incision is made and a tiny blade is placed under the skin. The fibers are cut and the skin smoothes out.
Does this work? Yes, it does – not on every single band, but on most. It is an office surgical procedure. You usually will be lightly sedated and need a ride home – no sports or exercise for 2 weeks.
Other machines available today don’t work – we have had 20 years of disappointing cellulite treatments that only worked temporarily. There is a machine called Cellulaze which uses laser heat to cut the fibers. The heat is effective, but it can damage the skin.
There is a new machine on its way call Celfina that does work – because it does exactly what plastic surgeons have always done: local anesthesia, tiny incisions, cutting of the fibers.
This machine, however, is very expensive, so cellulite treatments with the machine will cost twice as much as those done without. Either way, with the machine or without the machine, cellulite can be treated with local anesthesia and a minor procedure done in the office. You don’t have to live with the hated puckering any longer!