Cellulite affects around eighty five percent of adult women. This frustrating, unsightly condition does not respond to weight loss, exercise, dieting, or any of the many home remedies that are commonly tried, such as rubbing various creams into the affected areas or drinking apple cider vinegar and eating seaweed. However, Cellfina, which has been FDA-approved for treating cellulite on the legs and buttocks, can rapidly eliminate cellulite in a single treatment.
What is cellulite?
All healthy women have a fairly substantial layer of fat under their skin. It is what gives women their feminine curves, provides insulation against the cold, and acts as an energy reservoir for the intensive demands of pregnancy, breast-feeding, and raising young children. A healthy layer of subcutaneous fat is a good thing and women who don't have enough fat have their menstrual cycle shut down, become infertile, and may suffer from various health conditions; a body fat percentage between twenty and thirty is considered to be the healthiest level for women, where feminine curves are apparent and muscle definition is soft and partly obscured.
Most subcutaneous body fat is smooth and not really visible under the skin, just providing a nice contour to the body. However, in some areas of the body, primarily the thighs and buttocks, the fat can become dimpled and lumpy and rather unsightly. Despite this problem being considered a major issue by most women, doctors mostly ignored it for years; however, fairly recently, doctors finally paid attention to it and realized the dimples and lumps were caused by connective tissue forming fibrous bands connecting the skin to tissues underneath the subcutaneous fat layer, and then contracting, causing the fat to be compressed into lumps and dimples. Although this condition does not cause any health issues, most people do not care for the resulting dimpled appearance.
Frustrated women were told to just lose some weight and the condition would resolve, but since the condition does not actually involve the fat, weight loss doesn't help unless the entire subcutaneous fat layer is lost and the woman enters a dangerously low body fat zone, somewhat akin health-wise to living in famine conditions, namely not a desirable or healthy strategy. Some women have tried liposuction as a way to treat cellulite, essentially removing the fat from the dimpled areas and not the rest of the body, but unfortunately, this approach tends to make the area look even worse, with the dimples turning into craters after the procedure. Thus, a different approach to treat cellulite that doesn't involve fat removal is necessary.
Why don't men get cellulite?
Some men do get cellulite, but it is much more common in women. This discrepancy is probably related to the differences between men and women in the structure of the connective tissue and fat cells under the skin in the thighs and buttocks. In women, in these areas, the fat cells and connective tissues are arranged vertically, while in men they are arranged in a criss-cross structure. Thus, in women, if a fibrous band forms, it can easily pull the skin down between the fat cells, while in men, a fibrous band could only pull the skin down a little bit, thus not forming a visible dimple.
Cellfina
The Cellfina treatment attacks cellulite at its source: the fibrous bands. The treatment actually involves cutting each fibrous band, one by one, releasing them. Once the subcutaneous fat is no longer being compressed, it immediately smooths out and provides a lovely, smooth feminine contour. Although this sounds like it requires some kind of surgery, Cellfina is actually a minimally invasive treatment, not surgical in nature. A tiny needle carrying a microblade is inserted under the skin and with a fanning motion the rapidly vibrating microblade is used to cut the fibrous bands, a technique referred to as subcision. There is no bleeding, no incisions are required, and no sutures or bandages are necessary. Once released from the fibrous bands, the fat relaxes into a smooth shape within three days. The cut fibrous band cannot regrow, but new fibrous bands can form.
Indications
Women between the ages of twenty and sixty with dimpling cellulite on the thighs and/or buttocks can undergo Cellfina. However, women with a lot of loose, excess skin in the area to be treated may want to consider addressing the lax skin issue before undergoing Cellfina. Women who have "waves" of cellulite rather than dimples generally do not have very good results after a Cellfina treatment; it is intended to release fibrous bands causing dimples, not waves. In addition, women with uncontrolled diabetes, a clotting disorder, or a lot of varicose veins in the area to be treated are contradicted to undergo Cellfina.
The procedure
Patients need to refrain from shaving the areas to be treated and stop taking any medications that inhibit clotting, such as warfarin and ibuprofen, for two weeks before the treatment. While the patient is standing, the doctor will use a marker to identify the locations that need fibrous band release. The patient lies down for the actual procedure after being marked. Then, a local anesthetic solution called tumescent solution will be injected into the skin and fat. Once the area is numb, the tissue stabilized-guided subcision procedure will begin. It can be time-consuming, since each fibrous band needs to be individually cut, around twenty-five dimples being released per hour. A vacuum is applied to pull each dimple up into the device so the microblade can cut the fibrous band while causing minimal damage to the skin and other tissues. Patients usually report feeling some strange suctioning and pulling sensations but no discomfort during the treatment.
The recovery
The treated area will be tender and sore for a few days after the procedure, and bruising and swelling may be evident for up to two weeks. Doctors recommend resting for twenty-four hours before resuming regular activities and wearing compression clothing, such as biking shorts or running tights, for two weeks after the procedure. Strenuous activity should be avoided for four days after treatment, and swimming and sun exposure to the treated area should be avoided for about a week. The cellulite should disappear within three days after the treatment but this may be obscured until the swelling and bruising resolves. Unfortunately, many women's bodies will re-form some fibrous bands and thus they will begin to see dimples and lumps again at some point in the future and may require re-treatment, but on average a Cellfina treatment will get rid of cellulite in ninety-eight percent of women for at least three to five years, possibly longer.
What causes the fibrous bands to form?
Women considering Cellfina may wonder if there is any way to prevent fibrous bands from reforming in order to maintain their cellulite-free status forever. It is not really clear what induces the fibrous bands to form, but there is a clear connection between menopause and cellulite: as women approach menopause, their estrogen levels gradually drop, and this time period is when cellulite most commonly forms. However, estrogen levels are not the only cause of cellulite since it is not uncommon for women in their 20s and 30s to develop cellulite.
The other theory is that a lack of good blood flow to the buttocks and thighs contributes to the formation of fibrous bands. Women who spend their days sitting on these body parts at work are much more likely to develop cellulite than women who stand or walk most of the day at work. Wearing underwear that has a tight elastic band across the thighs can increase the risk of developing buttock dimpling. Smokers are also at higher risk of developing cellulite than non-smokers.
Gaining or losing weight has little to no effect on the formation of cellulite dimples. Very slim and fit women can develop cellulite as can overweight and obese women. Rapid fluctuations in body weight can lead to stretch marks and loose, floppy skin developing on the thighs and buttocks, so if weight loss or gain is desired, a slow, gradual approach should be used after a Cellfina treatment in order to avoid these cosmetically adverse effects.
If you are unhappy about your dimpled thighs and buttocks and are frustrated with home remedies that don't work and are tired of people telling you to "just lose some weight and it will look better", call today to make an appointment so you can become cellulite-free in one highly effective procedure.
