“How to Get Rid of Cellulite” by Dr. Marin

by Dr. Vincent P. Marin

Cellulite is a problem that has plagued women for years. Most commonly seen on the outer thighs or back of the legs it can leave an unsightly irregularity of the skin. Many women term this “cottage cheese thighs” both plastic surgeons and dermatologists have worked for many years to try to come up with a solution for this problem. Despite all of their efforts, there are only a few options currently available to help remedy this challenging problem.

This phenomenon results from connective tissue you between the deeper layers of the leg and the skin. This interaction is what produces the dimpling of the skin. As the fatty tissue grows through gaining weight or pressure is applied to the leg through maneuvers such as sitting, the fat will protrude into the skin but the connective tissue will limit this expansion in localized areas. This combination leads to dimpling and irregularities of the butt and legs.  Even some of the thinnest women suffer from cellulite as a result of the way tissue is distributed in the female body.  This phenomenon is rarely seen in men, if at all.

The treatment of cellulite is one of the more challenging problems in cosmetic surgery. The beauty market is flooded with creams and elixirs that have claimed to read a patient of the appearance of cellulite. Unfortunately, all of these have failed to correct the issue for more than a few minutes.

Many surgeons initially attempted to improve the appearance of cellulite through the use of liposuction procedures. This, however, did not help in reducing the appearance of cellulite even if the excess fatty tissue was removed. One of the more common approaches is to reducing cellulite is through the physical release of the connecting bands beneath the skin. This is done with a device, and they termed a “pickle fork” that is inserted through a small access incision. The individual fibrous connections are then cut to allow for release of the skin and a more uniform appearance. As the body heals, the skin will redrape itself into a more smooth and even appearance. Despite this being done properly, there still is a risk of recurrence of cellulite down the road.

More recently a new company developed a device called Cellfina for the treatment of cellulite. The FDA has approved this device for long-term treatment of cellulite in women. Currently, the approval only exists for the buttocks and thighs. This device is used to divide the connective tissue fibrous connections to the skin under only a local anesthesia in the office. A device will cut the bands in the areas of concern allowing for a more uniform appearance of the outer thighs and buttocks. Patients can return to their normal daily activities relatively soon after this procedure. Results are evident in as early as three days after the procedure. This has been successful in the improvement of the irregular appearance of the legs, thighs and buttocks.  There is always a chance that the body will attempt to reconnect these fibrous bands as it heals, but since the tension is released, the skin tension pulls those divided edges further apart preventing most of these from reconnecting.

As we continue to improve in the cosmetic arena, more and more advances are coming. This has been most evident in the area of cellulite and how things have evolved in the recent past. It is likely that continued technological changes will allow for a more complete correction of the temple of the parents of cellulite.