What are the most innovative treatments for cellulite?
Cellulite is very common among women. About 90% of women have cellulite at some point in their life.
Cellulite is the result of subcutaneous fat pressing against the connective tissue, making the skin look lumpy and uneven. It is more evident on the thighs and buttocks and can be aggravated by:
- Excess body fat
- Decreased production of collagen and elastin related to age.
- The exact causes of cellulite remain unclear, but it is believed that the most important are:
- Genetics
- Hormones
- Metabolism
- Changes in weight
- Unhealthy diet
- Little physical activity
- All these factors can affect:
- The formation of cellulite
- The severity of the blemish
- Cellulite can be helped by:
- A healthy lifestyle
- Regular physical exercise
- Healthy diet
Cellulite is not dangerous but that does not mean it should be underestimated.
Innovative cellulite treatments: a look at the novelties in circulation
Among the latest therapies proposed, one treatment that can be considered innovative has been approved by the FDA and has a mandatory CE certificate as medical device, and is used to improve orange peel appearance for at up to 3 years.
The minimally-invasive treatment is performed under local anaesthesia.
Its mechanism of action occurs at the structural level, with non-surgical severing of the fibrous septae that create the orange peel effect. The result is a long-term improvement in skin appearance.
Side effects may include:
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Slight pain
- Localised redness in the treated areas
Any side effects are temporary. More studies are required to evaluate the long-term effects as it is still not clear whether the cellulite reforms after severing of the fibrous septae. This treatment leaves no scars.
Innovative cellulite treatments: the treatment in brief
The characteristics of the treatment can be summarised as follows:
- Duration of 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of the treated area
- Minimally invasive
- Does not require a period of convalescence
- Local anaesthesia required
- Results can last up to 3 years
Innovative cellulite treatments: who is the ideal candidate?
This new treatment is for those who:
- Do not want to undergo surgery
- Do not have time
- Want a minimally-invasive treatment
The cellulite is not removed but its appearance improves, the skin is smoother and more compact, but this treatment is not specific for reducing the volume.
Only expert doctors and plastic surgeons working in accredited facilities can perform the treatment. Consulting a doctor who has adequate training is the first step towards satisfaction with and success of the treatment.
Innovative cellulite treatments: are there other treatments that work on the structure of cellulite?
There are other treatments but they are surgical, so they come with all the pros and cons that surgery involves.
These include:
Laser: minimally invasive laser-assisted procedure performed by a qualified doctor. This laser has been designed to attack the structure of the subcutaneous cellulite, with breaking of the fibrous septae, fat reduction and an increase in tone. It must be performed by an expert doctor who has been trained for this treatment and it requires local anaesthesia. The treatment has contraindications that should be discussed with the doctor before treatment.
Subcision: this is an advanced surgical technique. The treatment requires local anaesthesia and involves severing the fibrous septae, causing tissue repair with a consequent reduction in the orange peel appearance.
The treatment is performed in a surgery or outpatients’ department. If the patient has realistic expectations about the results that can be obtained, he/she will certainly be satisfied with the treatment.
Innovative cellulite treatments: talking about fibrous septae
Fibrous septae are among the factors responsible for the “visibility” of cellulite.
These thickenings of fibrous tissue are part of the structure of cellulite.
Precisely the structure of cellulite is the last frontier for treatments which, thanks to research and innovation, give more long-lasting results without resorting to scalpels.
What are fibrous septae?
Fibrous septae are thickenings due to alteration of the structure of cellulite, especially in certain areas of the body. Fibrous septae are like narrow, rigid bands that pull the skin downwards, thus creating the typical effect of cellulite on the surface of the skin.
Why act on fibrous septae?
According to some experts, severing the fibrous septae allows the skin’s surface to smooth out; the result is a long-lasting improvement in the appearance of cellulite.
Innovative cellulite treatments: but it is not a problem of overweight
There are many more-or-less scientific theories that lead to different interpretations of the causes of formation of cellulite.
The anatomy of cellulite is now well-known thanks to magnetic resonance imaging and is the basis of research aimed at counteracting cellulite at the structural level.
For many experts, the problem is structural and caused by histological and biochemical alterations in the adipose and dermal tissue.
Cellulite is thought to be the result of complex mechanisms that are manifested in different ways depending on their evolution in the adipose tissue:
- Increased number of adipocytes
- Increase in the volume of adipose cells
- Alterations of shape
- Decrease in adipose tissue
- Cellular thickening
- Neoformation of collagen fibres
- Encapsulation of degenerated adipocytes
- Formation of micronodules
- Evolution into palpable, visible macronodules
- Hardening of the connective fibrous septae
- Stretching of the skin down towards the deep layers
- Formation of craters which cause the typical “dimpled” appearance
Innovative cellulite treatments: fibrous septae, the enemy
The most innovative treatments attack the structure of cellulite and therefore the fibrous septae, giving results that are:
- Clinically tested
- More long-lasting
This is why, more than fat, any effective cellulite treatment must tackle the structure of cellulite in order to achieve more long-lasting results.