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Targeting CelluliteSeveral different treatment technologies are being developed for reducing cellulite. All aim at destroying the fibrous septae that encases cellulite fat cells and then dissolving the fat cells themselves. The liquefied fat is then absorbed into the body’s lymphatic system and eventually excreted through urination.
Some cellulite treatments have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for us in America. Treatments for cellulite tend to fall into a number of broad categories:
- Surgery
- Minimially Invasive
- Non Invasive
- Alternative Therapies
Minimally invasive treatments include the popular procedure known as laser-assisted lipolysis or "SmartLipo", which uses a laser to liquefy fat cells and cause some skin tightening. Other treatments use non-invasive energy to reduce the appearance of cellulite. These may use radiofrequency waves as in Thermage, or combination of massage and radiofrequency. Two other treatment methods, injectable lipolysis (Mesotherapy and LipoDissolve) and ultrasound (LipoSonix and UltraShape), have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Ultrasound is a promising approach to treating cellulite that will most likely receive FDA approval within the next few years. Injectable lipolysis procedures, on the other hand, have caused the FDA to issue consumer warnings.
Which Cellulite treatment is right for you?The treatment best suited for you will depend on several factors, including the area of your body you want treated, your age, your skin tone and texture, your tolerance for discomfort, your ability (or not) to take time off to recover, the speed with which you must have results, and the amount of money you can spend on a particular procedure or series of procedures. You should discuss all these factors with your physician.
Unfortunately, none of these treatments is a "cure" for cellulite. In most cases, you must return for maintenance sessions (and keep exercising and maintaining a healthy weight) to give your skin its best appearance.
Common MythsMany treatments do not reduce cellulite—including liposuction. In fact, liposuction can actually worsen the appearance of cellulite by making skin more uneven.
Here are some other treatments that don’t work:
- Eating specific foods. Healthly foods can keep you slim and trim, but no diet or single food can protect your skin from cellulite’s bumps and lumps if you’re genetically programmed to develop them.
- Drinking water. Again, you need the right amount of water to be healthy, but drinking copious amounts of it is not going to do anything for your cellulite
- Anti-cellulite creams and lotions. These products simply do not penetrate the skin deep enough to have any effect on fat cells.
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