Characterized by its "orange peel" or "cottage cheese" appearance, cellulite is caused by fat cells moving into areas of the dermis, the second layer of your skin, as it loses elasticity. Resistant to dieting and exercise, women and men have had varying levels of success with over-the-counter creams and massage techniques designed to get rid of these fatty tissues. Three advanced cellulite treatments seem to hold promise in eliminating cellulite toward attaining your goal of smooth skin from head to toe.
Endermologie
In treating cellulite with endermologie, a technician rolls and suctions the skin with a hand-held massager to stimulate blood flow, stretch connective tissue and boost fat metabolism. A half dozen 35-minute sessions of the deep massage treatment will yield visible results, according to LPG Systems, the French firm that developed the technique initially to treat burn victims. The cost per session may range from $80 to $150, LPG advises on its website. The company recommends a monthly maintenance session after initial therapy.
Acoustic Wave Therapy
Developed in Europe, acoustic wave therapy involves pummeling the skin with a device that looks like a power drill, sounds like a jackhammer and feels like a rubber band snapped across your skin. The procedure is designed to use acoustic waves to break up fatty tissues and stimulate collagen production toward boosting skin elasticity, according to CelluliteTreatment.org. Initially developed to treat sports injuries and kidney stones, the treatment also may soften and strengthen connective tissue in the dermis. In cellulite treatment, the acoustic wave therapy may require six half-hour sessions within a three-week period at a cost of $75 to $300 each visit, depending on the number of areas treated.
Mesotherapy
As a cellulite remedy, mesotherapists inject small doses of homeopathic and traditional drugs into the mesoderm, the middle layer of skin, to burn fat and shrink fat cells. Mesotherapists determine the dosage for each application by cellulite visibility on the area of the body receiving treatment, according to CelluliteTreatment.org. Drugs used in mesotherapy may include aminophylline, phosphatidylcholine and hyaluronidase used, respectively, to speed up fat burning, dissolve fat and break fat cells trapped between connective tissue. Mesotherapy can cost $300 to $800 per session. Therapists may recommend an initial 10 to 15 treatments followed by maintenance visits every six to eight months. Physicians first developed the technique to improve circulation, as a therapy for sports trauma and a treatment for vascular, infectious and rheumatologic diseases.
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