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"80-90% of adult women actually have some degree of cellulite, the remaining 10-20% “believe” they have it!”

What you need to know about Cellulite:

In the United States there are over 100 million adult women. Of these 100% suffer from cellulite. The truth be told, studies show that actually 80-90% of adult women actually have some degree of cellulite, the remaining 10-20% “believe” they have it! With these staggering numbers it’s no wonder that cellulite has become a leading complaint to all physicians practicing aesthetic medicine. The good news is that there are no diseases or health issues associated with the development of cellulite. The bad news is that despite literally hundreds of products promoted and sold each year there are none that can remove, reduce or eliminate cellulite. These products may temporarily help disguise the problem but cannot do any more than that.

Cellulite is basically a genetic condition that will effect most women. You haven’t caused this problem though certain lifestyles and conditions can help promote it; lack of exercise, overweight, hormonal variation, vascular changes and connective tissue changes. So what actually is cellulite? It is defined as the dimpled or “cottage cheese” appearance of the skin that is most frequently affecting women’s hips, thighs and buttocks. Just below the lower layer of the skin, the dermis, lays a layer of fat. This layer helps buffer the deeper fat, muscles as well as cushioning the skin and providing a barrier that softens the appearance of structures under the skin. This fat layer is attached to the skin by fibrous cords (septae) that penetrate down to the muscle forming small compartments. When the fat trapped in these compartments swells tension is placed on the septae that causes a retraction of the skin and the dimpled appearance typical of cellulite. Interestingly men usually do not suffer with cellulite due to the fact that the structure and organization of the septae in their skin is different than that in women (see figure 1).

Figure 1: Comparison of male (left) and female (right) septae

Now that you have a better understanding of cellulite you should be able to understand why the over the counter products cannot effectively treat the problem. They cannot get rid of the septae and they cannot remove or shrink the fat between the septae. Some may improve the quality of the overlying skin, increase hydration or cause a mild inflammation which can swell the skin and camouflage cellulite.

Cellulite is measured in grades:

Grade zero – no visible cellulite even if skin is pinched.
Grade one - none seen when standing or standing but evident when pinched.
Grade two- evident when standing but disappears when lying down.
Grade three - cellulite is always evident.

There have been some successful reductions of cellulite using surgical techniques such as liposuction (although this is not the recommended use of this procedure). More recently with the FDA approval of laser assisted liposuction, SmartLipo, there have been even better results as the laser not only can cut the fibrous septae and remove fat but can also cause skin tightening. However the goal has been to find a less invasive form of therapy that will do more than camouflage the problem but rather actually have a long term effect and treat the problem.

Pre- and post-treatment of cellulite. Note skin surface and septae changes.

Lifestyle changes including dietary changes, exercise and general healthy living will help reduce cellulite. After proper therapy with treatments like the above over the counter products may be helpful. Call us to schedule your complimentary consultation.

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