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Understanding Cellulite
Cellulite is an extremely common cosmetic issue affecting up to 90% of women. It occurs when fat pushes through the connective tissue, known as fibrous septa, beneath the skin, causing a dimpled or uneven surface. These fibrous septa pull down on the skin, while fat pushes upward, resulting in the characteristic “orange peel” or “cottage cheese” appearance.
While cellulite is harmless, its appearance can be a source of insecurity for many. Fortunately, modern treatments offer a range of solutions to reduce its visibility.
What Causes Cellulite?
Though often linked to weight, cellulite is primarily influenced by factors like:
- Hormones: Estrogen and other hormones affect fat storage and collagen production.
- Genetics: Your genes determine skin structure and fat distribution, making cellulite more likely.
- Age: As skin loses elasticity with age, cellulite becomes more visible.
- Lifestyle: Lack of exercise, poor diet, and smoking weaken the skin and contribute to fat buildup.
- Gender: Women are more prone to cellulite due to the different structure of their fibrous septa.
Understanding these causes helps in selecting effective treatments to reduce its appearance.
Here’s a breakdown of what works and what doesn’t for cellulite reduction, based on the latest research.
Effective Treatments for Cellulite
1. Avéli Cellulite Treatment (FDA Approved)
What It Is: Avéli is one of the latest, and most effective cellulite treatments. It’s a non-surgical cellulite reduction procedure that manually cuts the fibrous septae responsible for cellulite, leaving smoother skin after just one session.
How It Works: Avéli uses a handheld device to sever fibrous bands beneath the skin, addressing the structural cause of cellulite. Results are immediate, and long-lasting, with dramatic improvement after just one treatment.
Why It Works: Avéli directly targets the fibrous septae responsible for cellulite, offering immediate and long-term results.
Side Effects: Minor bruising and swelling occur but subside quickly.
2. QWO (FDA Approved)
What It Is: QWO is the first FDA-approved injectable for cellulite. It uses an enzyme (collagenase) to break down the fibrous bands beneath the skin that cause cellulite.
How It Works: QWO’s enzyme dissolves the fibrous septae, allowing the skin to smooth over as fat cells redistribute.
Why It Works: This injectable targets the root cause of cellulite with minimal invasiveness, offering gradual results over a few weeks.
Side Effects: Bruising, swelling, temporary tenderness and pigmentation are the most common side effects.
3. Cellulaze
What It Is: Cellulaze is a minimally invasive laser treatment specifically designed to reduce cellulite by targeting the underlying structural causes, such as fibrous septae and fat pockets.
How It Works: A tiny laser fiber is inserted under the skin to cut through the fibrous septae and melt fat. This not only releases the skin from the bands but also promotes collagen production, tightening the skin over time.
Why It Works: Cellulaze directly addresses the fibrous tissue and fat contributing to cellulite, while simultaneously tightening the skin, making it an effective one-time treatment for long-lasting results.
Side Effects: Swelling, bruising, and soreness may occur, but downtime is minimal, typically lasting a few days. A serious potential side effect is skin burn.
4. Cellfina
What It Is: Cellfina is a non-surgical, FDA-approved treatment that targets cellulite by cutting the fibrous bands beneath the skin that cause dimpling.
How It Works: Using a needle-sized device, Cellfina cuts the fibrous septae pulling the skin downward, resulting in a smoother surface.
Why It Works: Cellfina is clinically proven to improve cellulite with results lasting up to three years, making it one of the longest-lasting treatments available.
Side Effects: Mild soreness, bruising, and swelling are common, but skin scarring, while rare, is a major risk to consider.
5. Subcision (Surgical)
What It Is: Subcision is a small surgical procedure where a needle is used to break the fibrous bands causing cellulite.
How It Works: The needle severs the fibrous bands beneath the skin, allowing the skin to smooth out. This procedure is often combined with fat transfer for enhanced results.
Why It Works: By cutting through the fibrous septae, subcision directly targets the structural cause of cellulite, offering long-term improvement.
Side Effects: Bruising, tenderness, and potential infection are common side effects.
PARTIALLY EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS FOR CELLULITE
While the treatments below can improve the appearance of cellulite, it’s important to note that they do not address the root cause – the fibrous septa pulling the skin down. As a result, they are only partially effective in reducing cellulite.
1. Radiofrequency Microneedling (Morpheus8, Secret RF)
What It Is:
Radiofrequency (RF) microneedling combines traditional microneedling with RF energy to improve skin texture and reduce the appearance of cellulite.
How It Works:
Microneedling creates tiny injuries in the skin, while RF energy stimulates collagen production, tightening the skin and smoothing dimples.
Why It Works:
This treatment helps strengthen the skin’s structure and boosts collagen, improving the surface appearance of cellulite. However, because it doesn’t treat the fibrous septa, the improvement is mostly cosmetic.
2. Fraxel Laser
What It Is:
Fraxel Dual is a non-ablative laser treatment that stimulates collagen production to improve skin texture and reduce cellulite.
How It Works:
Fraxel lasers create microscopic thermal injuries in the skin, triggering collagen production that tightens the skin and smooths over dimpled areas.
Why It Works:
Fraxel improves skin texture and firmness, which helps reduce the visible effects of cellulite. However, since it doesn’t directly target fibrous septa, it provides only partial improvement.
Side Effects:
Temporary redness, swelling, and possible pigmentation issues in darker skin tones.
Minimally Effective or Short-Term Solutions for Cellulite
These treatments may offer temporary improvement but are minimally effective because they do not target the underlying structural causes of cellulite, such as the fibrous septa, making their results short-lived and superficial.
1. Topical Creams (Retinol, Caffeine-Based)
Why They Don’t Work Well:
While retinol and caffeine-based creams can temporarily tighten skin or reduce puffiness, they don’t address the structural causes of cellulite. Any improvements are short-lived.
Side Effects:
Skin irritation with retinol and minimal effects with caffeine creams.
2. Acoustic Wave Therapy (AWT)
Why It’s Less Effective:
AWT uses pressure waves to break up fibrous septae but is generally less effective than subcision or injectable treatments. Multiple sessions are required, and results are often inconsistent.
Side Effects:
Mild bruising, swelling, or redness can occur.
3. Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs)
Why They Don’t Work Well:
AHAs are effective for exfoliating skin but do little to reduce cellulite. They can improve overall skin texture but won’t significantly impact cellulite.
Side Effects:
Irritation, dryness, and increased sun sensitivity are common with overuse.
Final Thoughts on Cellulite Treatments
There’s no magic cure for cellulite, but modern treatments like Avéli, QWO, Cellulaze, and Cellfina offer long-lasting results by targeting the root cause – fibrous septae. Minimally invasive treatments like radiofrequency microneedling and Fraxel lasers also improve skin texture and firmness. While topical creams may provide temporary relief, they don’t address cellulite’s underlying structure.
Finding the Right Cellulite Treatment for You
For personalized treatment, schedule a consultation at Skinly Aesthetics in NYC, where Dr. Schwarzburg offers a range of effective cellulite solutions tailored to your needs.
