It is estimated that up to 90% of all women will experience cellulite at some point in their lives. Fortunately, there are now advanced technologies, such as Cellfina® cellulite reduction, that can effectively improve cellulite with virtually no downtime.
What Causes Cellulite?
Cellulite is the dimpling of skin caused by the degeneration of fibrous bands under the dermis. When these fibrous bands become lax, the skin begins to dip between fibers and gives the appearance of dimpling. While cellulite can appear on virtually any area of the body, the most common are the thighs, abdomen, buttocks, and hips. Many factors, such as genetics, hormonal changes, and body composition, can affect how much cellulite you have, but the actual cause comes down to three factors:
Subdermal Fat
Cellulite creates a dimpling effect on your skin due to fat pushing up against your skin. This is why you can reduce the look of cellulite by losing body fat, but can never truly get rid of the pattern without medical intervention.
Tissue Thickening
As the subdermal fat pushes against your skin, fibrous bands of tissue connecting your skin to your muscles can thicken, pulling the skin back down and creating the dimpled effect characteristic of cellulite.
Thinning Skin
Some women notice cellulite more with age. This is because underlying cellulite becomes more obvious due to thinning skin, which tends to happen with age. Collagen production begins to decrease, which may cause cellulite to form. Genetics may also contribute to the appearance of cellulite. Certain genes affect whether or not a person is more likely to develop cellulite. These genes can target collagen production, hormone levels, elasticity, and rate of lymphatic drainage. There are many factors that can collectively contribute to cellulite. Fatty deposits underneath the skin can contribute to cellulite. The root cause of cellulite is due to the fibrous bands that connect the skin to the muscle fascia. Skin laxity, or loose skin, can contribute to cellulite. Skin laxity is usually seen as lines on the back of the thighs. Fat may accumulate underneath these lines and contribute to the skin’s dimpled appearance.
Benefits of Cellulite Reduction
Having cellulite does not affect your overall health, but it can affect how you look and cause low self-esteem. Cellulite treatments can achieve the following benefits:
Smoother Skin
Treatment can reduce the dimples caused by cellulite, creating a smoother, less aged appearance.
Improved Blood Flow
Cellulite treatments can increase blood flow to affected areas, flushing away excess fluids trapped by fat cells.
Better Skin Elasticity
Once fat cells are removed, your skin should tighten, making your butt and thighs look more youthful and toned.
Greater Confidence
Smooth, firmer-looking thigh, butt, and tummy skin may make you more confident in wearing a swimsuit at the pool or beach.
Cellfina®: An Advanced Solution for Cellulite
Cellfina® is the only FDA-cleared, minimally invasive procedure that targets cellulite at the root - the connective bands contained within the fat of the thighs and buttocks. These connective bands inside the fat are responsible for cellulite. Cellfina® uses a microblade system to treat the unwanted dents and dimples associated with moderate to severe cellulite. The result is healthy, smoother looking skin that has been shown to last three years or, in many cases, much longer, the longest approved duration for cellulite treatment. The device targets the structural cause of cellulite and cuts the fibrous bands beneath the skin. Fibrous bands act like a rubber band under tension and pull on the skin to create a dimpled-looking appearance.
The Cellfina device is relatively small, about the size of a smartphone. It is minimally-invasive and requires little to no downtime. The patient should discuss their needs and goals with their provider. An individualized plan will be created for the patient that addresses those needs. It is important to discuss medical history with a healthcare provider prior to the procedure.
With Cellfina’s innovative and precise technology, only one treatment is needed. The Cellfina system specifically targets the underlying structure of the skin that causes cellulite by painlessly severing the bands of tightened connective tissue in the dimpled areas. This process releases the tension that causes the dimpling of fat cells to appear on the skin’s surface, resulting in a smoother, more even appearance.
How to get rid of Cellulite with Cellfina | Animated Treatment Simulation
What to Expect During Cellfina Treatment
Before your Cellfina treatment, a local anesthetic will be applied to the area being treated to maximize your comfort. One treatment of one area typically takes about 45 minutes to complete. Treating more than one area at a time will require a longer appointment time.
The area will be numbed by applying a suctioning device to the body. After the area is numb, the precise suctioning device will be used to cut the stretched bands that cause the dimpling under the skin. Most patients do not feel any pain or discomfort.
After your treatment, small adhesive bandages will be placed over the entry points - there are no sutures required. You may experience mild bruising, swelling, or soreness for a few days, but most patients return to normal activities within 1 to 2 days. Results begin to appear in a few days and will continue to improve over several weeks as the skin smooths out.
The Cellfina procedure generally begins with the provider applying a local anesthetic, generally a fluid consisting of saline, lidocaine, and epinephrine to the treatment area. The doctor will then pass the Cellfina device over the targeted area. The device uses suction to grab the skin and slides a small blade underneath the skin to cut the fibrous bands that cause cellulite. The entire procedure generally takes about one hour. Some results appear immediately, but final results may take up to three months to show.
Best Candidates for Cellulite Reduction
If you have cellulite concerns that you’d like to improve, you may be a good candidate for Cellfina cellulite reduction. Many women can be great candidates for this treatment, including those who:
- Are at a healthy, stable weight. Cellulite treatment is not a weight loss procedure, and its effects are not as dramatic and long-lasting on patients with a high percentage of body fat.
- Are in good overall health. If you have underlying conditions that affect your circulatory system, such as diabetes, the procedure may not be as effective for you. Also, any skin wounds or infections you may have should be fully healed prior to treatment.
- Have realistic expectations. Results will vary from person to person, so it is encouraged to enter treatment with realistic expectations. Patience with the process is also vital, since several sessions are needed to see results.
- Have good skin elasticity. Our treatments are designed to target moderate to severe cellulite. These are the dimples in your skin that can be seen at any adult age. Our treatments do not address laxity or looseness in the skin that can occur from age, collagen loss, and other factors.
Home Remedies vs. Professional Treatments
A healthy diet and exercise may help reduce the appearance of cellulite. Decreasing body fat can help to achieve this goal. However, this treatment is not effective for all body types. Plenty of physically-fit individuals continue to experience cellulite.
Various home remedies are available, such as apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, and gelatin. Claims suggest these may help detoxify, increase skin hydration, or counteract a decrease in gelatin. Research shows that lymphatic drainage is effective in reducing the appearance of cellulite. Massaging helps to target, soften, and loosen fascia, which is known to cause cellulite. Foam rolling, myofascial massages, and dry brushing are all effective forms of treatment that help with lymphatic drainage. However, data in scientific journals have shown that dry brushing, for example, doesn’t have any effect on the appearance of cellulite.
Cellulite creams are readily available, but there is no proof that creams work to target cellulite. Keeping the body moisturized provides the skin with a smoother look, which can help minimize the appearance of cellulite. Liposuction is an invasive treatment to remove fat around a targeted area. Velashape is a non-invasive body contouring treatment that helps tone and contours the body to remove cellulite.
There are plenty of home remedies that can be found on the web. However, home remedies do not work to cure cellulite. These treatments do not work because they do not cut the fascial bands that exist underneath the skin. All of the non-invasive cosmetic products listed above only provide temporary results for the appearance of cellulite, mostly due to causing skin swelling for a few days. Many cosmetic procedures do not target the underlying cause of cellulite.
Cellulite is caused by the fibro-septal bands pulling down on the skin to create a dimpled appearance. The only treatment that targets the fibro-septal bands is Cellfina. Cellfina is less expensive, longer-lasting, and has fewer risks and side effects than Cellulaze. It is recommended that you do your research when considering various treatments to help reduce cellulite.
Other Treatment Options and Advancements
Cosmetic procedures are proven to be more effective when they are used in conjunction with other treatments. Some complementary treatments and advancements include:
- Collagenase: A new injectable that is coming to the market.
- Biostimulatory fillers: These help fill in lines around targeted areas, which helps smoothen the skin and reduces the appearance of cellulite.
- Sculptra: Can add volume to divots around the hips and buttocks and can also be injected to fill outlines around the buttocks.
- Radiesse: This is a collagen stimulator that helps the body’s process of generating collagen to help tighten and firm the skin.
- Renuva: An injectable treatment that can help slim and contour the body.
- Skin-tightening modalities: These minimally-invasive treatments are usually used to help contour the body but are also known to help firm and tighten the skin.
Although there is currently no way to prevent cellulite, cellulite treatments will continue to improve as advancements in medical research are continued. Many providers recommend that patients use Cellfina in conjunction with other treatments to increase the effectiveness and provide long-lasting results. Speak to your doctor for more information.
Cellfina® Before and After Photos
View before and after photos of real patients who have experienced significant improvement through Cellfina cellulite reduction. These images showcase the dramatic results achievable with this advanced treatment.
