Q: I want to get rid of cellulite on my thighs. What’s the best option out there?
A: Cellulite is one of the more difficult concerns to tackle and most doctors say it’s one they get asked about on a near daily basis. With so many products and treatments that claim to get rid of cellulite, it can be hard to navigate through it all.
Cellulite is caused by microscopic fibers that connect from the deep part of the skin to fat that pulls down on the skin. When skin is pulled, the fat around it puffs out, which is what causes that dimpled, indented appearance. Cellulite affects women of all ages, body shapes, skin colors and atheletic prowess. Just because you work out like a crazy person and eat healthy, doesn’t mean you can’t develop cellulite. “Cellulite affects about 90 percent of women. Genetics can play a role, but there is no way to avoid it,” says Troy, MI, plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, MD. “It can also worsen depending on factors like lifestyle, your age and BMI.”
While there have been improvements and discoveries on the cellulite front, Dr. Youn says that surgeries like liposuction don’t tackle cellulite and can actually make it worse. “Liposuction was never meant to improve cellulite, but rather just remove fat. It can create scar tissue that can mimic the appearance of cellulite.”
“For patients interested in an invasive, but permanent solution to cellulite, Cellulaze is the way to go. If you don’t want surgery, a radio frequency–based treatment can reduce cellulite and tighten skin,” says Dr. Youn. “Cellulaze is a laser treatment that uses a firing laser to disrupt the bands that create the dimpling of cellulite. Other radio-frequency treatments, like Body FX, give results that last six months and can even reduce the thickness of fat.”
