If you are a woman, chances are extremely high that you have some level of cellulite. Completely eliminating cellulite is not possible, though there are injection therapies which help improve the appearance of the skin by reducing the volume of fat within the fat cell itself.
Cellulite is lumpy skin areas commonly found on the thighs, stomach, and buttocks. Cellulite is actually individual and clumped collections of fat that push against the connective tissue beneath a person's skin, which causes the surface of the skin to dimple or pucker and look lumpy.
How Cellulite Forms
Cellulite appears in the subcutaneous level of skin tissue. Fat cells are arranged in chambers surrounded by bands of connective tissue called septae. As water is retained, fat cells held within the perimeters of this area expand and stretch the connective tissue.
Eventually this connective tissue contracts and hardens (sclerosis) holding the skin at a non-flexible length, while the surrounding tissue continues to expand with weight or water gain. This results in areas of the skin being held down while other sections bulge outward, resulting in the lumpy, 'cottage-cheese' appearance.
The irregular bulging dimpled appearance that results are the visible signs of cellulite. No lotion or cream will help cure cellulite because topical products can't eliminate the septae, which are the root cause of the condition.
Who Gets Cellulite and Why
Several factors influence whether a person has cellulite and how much they have. Your genes, your gender, the amount of fat on your body, your age, and the thickness of your skin are all associated with the amount of cellulite you have or how visible it is.
It has been shown that people who have cellulite have different patterns of connective tissue than people who don't, so the genetic component is probably a bigger factor than any other in how much cellulite you have.
Between 85% and 98% of post-pubescent females display some degree of cellulite. There appears to be a hormonal component to its presentation. It is rarely seen in males. Cellulite is not related to being overweight; average and underweight people also get cellulite.
While harmless, the dimpled appearance is a cause of concern for some people. Dieting does not get rid of the dimpled appearance, but a balanced diet and exercise may help to reduce the fat content within the distorted cells, reducing their contribution to the dimpling.
Cellulite Treatment with Mesotherapy *
Individual results may vary
Because there is no "cure" for cellulite, the best and most effective treatments diminish the appearance by reducing the amount of fat within the fat chambers themselves. Although liposuction is thought to be a solution, often it worsens the situation by creating deeper pockets in the skin through internal scarring and the inherent unevenness of mechanical tissue removal.
Dr. Sedgh recommends a specific Mesotherapy procedure for cellulite. Injections into the areas affected by the cellulite introduce a mixture of solutions. The main component of cellulite treatment in Mesotherapy is Phosphatidylcholine. This component break down the fat within the fat chambers, allowing the cells to shrink and become less obvious on the skin surface.
Mesotherapy Procedure
Mesotherapy involves multiple injections using tiny 30 gauge needles. The entire problem area is treated in each session. Dr. Sedgh may follow the injections with ultrasound to help speed the treatment process.
You may feel some slight stinging during the treatment and possibly experience some post injection soreness that could last a day or two. A common side effect of Mesotherapy is bruising, which generally resolves over one week. To speed up the healing process, we recommend that a supplement called arnica be taken either orally or applied topically on a daily basis.
Avoiding Ineffective Treatments
The use of cellulite "shorts" used with topical creams do little more than make your skin perspire, temporarily dehydrating the skin as opposed to actually affecting fat cell volume as Mesotherapy does. Topical foams and lotions alone usually only contain caffeine as the "active" ingredient, which acts as a temporary cell dehydration agent. Many people who use these lotions at night have a more difficult time sleeping due to the increased caffeine in their bloodstream.
Learn more about cellulite treatment options by calling Beverly Hills Laser Institute, Inc. at 888-333-2515 today. Your initial cosmetic consultation is free.
* Individual Results May Vary
