February 21, 2012
Cellulite treatment Cellulaze delivers results, according to top Plastic Surgeon
Cellulite. You know it, you hate it, and some people are plagued with the sub-dermal adipose (fat) tissue irregularity more than others.
Asians are rarely afflicted with it, ever.
This uneven and dimpled fat layer is a non life-threatening condition that affects almost 90 percent of women and 10 percent of men, and almost always in Westernized nations.
Blame the Industrial revolution, but as people physically worked less in a day and either sat for work or became more sedentary, human bodies began to store fat differently.
No one likes cellulite, and people have been massaging, rolling, beating it and sweating for years trying to make it go away. Because women carry more subcutaneous fat, the propensity to develop cellulite worsens in their prime childbearing years and especially closer to the menopause stage of life. Women (and some men) often see cellulite build around knees, flanks, thighs and gluteal area during this time in life.
Now the FDA has approved a new technique (used for years overseas) based on some existing liposuction technology, but done in a way that is less invasive and is proven to last with immediate results.
Cellulaze is heralded as the real deal, not the false promise or temporary results of mandatory weekly “packages” of other office visit treatments sold to smooth out cottage cheese thighs.
Common misconceptions about cellulite abound, as large asset-blessed types like Jennifer Lopez can have a smooth deposit of gluteal fat that is pleasing to the eye, but skinny teenagers can be afflicted with “hail damage” on highly visible areas like thighs, hips and buttocks.
Despite the vast amounts of time and money that have gone into trying to find ways to dissolve and smooth out these uneven fat nodules–from lasers to caffeine-laced creams–Cellulaze offers safe FDA approved results in the 50-75% permanent improvement range.
Monsters and Critics spoke to one of the first Cellulaze pioneers in the United States, Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Nicholas Nikolov, who illuminated a bit on this new treatment.
Dr. Nikolov told M&C that Cellulaze was far superior and clinically proven compared to existing cellulite fall-back fixes like Mesotherapy, “Subcision” surgery, Endermologieor some liposuction procedures that could not address the compartmentalized, fibrous nature of these “trapped” fat cells.
A pioneer for Cellulaze, Dr. Nikolov was one of the very first trained American doctors for this new technique. He noted that Liposuction techniques such as laser assisted SmartLipo was optimal for body sculpting by refining the body’s contours removing excess fat from specific areas. But for actually improving the look of skin over problematic cellulite areas, this was not the best route.
“Cellulaze is a single-treatment aesthetic procedure clinically proven to diminish if not rid the patient of cellulite,” says Dr. Nikolov, who spoke with me today on the phone regarding this new treatment that shows so much promise. “Cellulaze is done under local anesthesia. A tiny laser fiber that goes under the skin to gently heat the skin and melts the fat. As this happens, the laser releases the fibrous bands that trap the fat in almost chamber-like formation that creates the unwanted dimpling effect from pulling down on the skin. This laser action release creates a smoother look on the surface skin as it stimulates collagen production, which increases a skin’s thickness and elasticity for a more even, smooth appearance,” says Dr. Nikolov.
The bonus is immediate and long-lasting according to Dr. Nikolov. “Patients see improvements often times immediately afterwards, and within weeks they are amazed at even more significant results.”
The data was released by the FDA from four years of clinical research with the Massachusetts’ based firm Cynosure reveal that Cellulaze in a class of its own. Clinical data shows Cellulaze treatments increase the thickness of the skin by 25% and increase the elasticity of the skin by 29% by one year post-treatment. Dr. Nikolov says that no other cellulite treatment delivers these results.
As for pain and discomfort, Dr. Nikolov tells us, “The discomfort is less than a small liposuction, relatively minimal as we use a local anesthetic with oral sedation and far easier on the patient than liposuction.”
The results convinced Dr. Nikolov on the efficacy of Cellulaze. “Improvement is seen immediately because you can actually feel the ligaments release, and the ‘dimples’ are visibly improved while the treatment progresses.”
If you have cellulite, you may have to blame your parents. “Cellulite overwhelmingly is genetics, genetics, genetics,” says Dr. Nikolov. “Lifestyle, exercise and diet may play some role but it’s not a major one, there are plenty of very heavy people with perfect smooth skin texture, no cellulite, and very thin looking women who have a hard time in the thigh area with dimpling and uneven skin texture.”
