Can Laser-Assisted Lipo Cure Cellulite?

Although there is no definitive cure for cellulite, liposuction can offer some improvement because it eliminates fat. “Liposuction can help to reduce the fat deposits and break up some of the fibrous bands,thereby smoothing the skin and eliminating or reducing dimples,” says Salt Lake City plastic surgeon Renato Saltz, MD. But just because you opt for liposuction to diminish the appearance of your cellulite doesn’t necessarily mean it will do just that, and in some cases, the results are not predictable. “If liposuction is not done properly or if it’s done very superficial, it can cause irregularities that can be hard to fix,” says Dr. Renato Saltz.

During the procedure, which can be performed on any part of the body, a cannula—a thin tube that’s inserted into the body—is used to remove fat and not the cellulite itself. Once some of the excess fat has been removed, the appearance of cellulite may be better since there are fewer fat cells in the body. Laser-assisted liposuction, like SmartLipo, uses laser energy to first liquefy fat before it’s removed. “Usually women have a combination of irregular contours, excess fat, skin laxity and cellulite. Each of these may have a slightly different treatment, and with cellulite, many times a combination approach is best,” says Dermatologist Amy Forman Taub, MD, of Lincolnshire, Illinois. Whether laser-assisted liposuction adds any benefit beyond what’s achieved with standard, small cannula liposuction is controversial and still unproven.