Cellulite is caused by fat cells poking through the connective tissue of the skin. You can have cellulite if you are young, old, trim or overweight, but it is a more common problem for women, especially in the thigh area. In fact, cellulite affects around 80 percent of women over the age of 20. You can minimize the appearance of thigh cellulite with treatments that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These procedures are done through cosmetic clinics. Here are the latest options.
Step 1
One type of massage has been found to temporarily reduce the look of cellulite: Endermologie. This technique uses a machine that sucks and rolls the skin for around 45 minutes to flatten the fat cells. Each treatment costs around $100, and it can take up to 28 treatments to see results.
Step 2
Laser therapy melts the fat, which is then naturally disposed of by the body. You’ll see results with laser treatments after 10 to 15 treatments, and the therapy costs around $1,500.
Step 3
Mesotherapy involves injecting a special solution of chemicals below the skin to dissolve fat. This type of therapy can be one of the fastest remedies, but it is also the most expensive at $4,000 for ten sessions.
Step 4
Collagenase is an enzyme that is made by the body that breaks down collagen. When injected into trouble spots, it breaks down the collagen in the connective tissue, making the skin appear smoother. A 2006 study by the FDA found that Collagenase reduced cellulite by up to 86 percent. A study by Marie Badalamente, Ph.D., professor of orthopaedics, and Dr. Alexander Dagum at Stony Brook University Medical Center found that subjects had a 77 percent reduction in the appearance of cellulite with Collagenese. This procedure costs about $1,500 for up to ten treatments.
Warnings
- No method of cellulite removal has been found to be 100 percent effective or permanent.
- Talk to your doctor before trying any of these procedures.
- Liposuction is not recommended for the reduction of cellulite because it removes layers of fat too quickly and does not target the upper layer of fat near the skin’s connective tissues.
