Summer, unfortunately, makes some people feel more pressured than excited for this time of year. This is because they feel that their bodies are inadequately formed to wear swimsuits, thanks to the substance called cellulite.

The clinical manifestations of cellulite would include rough edges of skin, with some uneven texture and dimpling. This is primarily caused by the abnormal accumulation of fat in areas that eventually form excess skin that sag and wrinkle at all the wrong places. According to plastic surgeons, more than 80% of women are affected by cellulite formation—that is almost 75% more than the affected population of males.

This may be attributed to genetics though, since women tend to physiologically form bigger and more numerous adipose cells as compared to men, especially around the hip and thigh area. Conventional treatments to cellulite formation include various topical agents, as well as mechanical massage machines that try to physically push and melt away the fat underneath the epidermis.  The problem is that most creams in the market do little or no good in removing cellulite formation and as for the mechanical stimulation of the fat, surgeons say that they only provide mediocre and temporary results which lasts only up to half a year.

Enter Cellulaze. This is a state-of-the-art laser-based device developed by Cynosure Inc. that is finding its way into the cosmetic surgery clinics all across the United States. Dr. Grant Stevens, a professor of clinical surgery over at USC’s Keck School of Medicine, said that the results from using Cellulaze are extremely impressive, with him and another colleague already treating around 40 or so patients using this new technology. Based on scientific research published by plastic surgeons and Cynosure Inc., Cellulaze works by removing the root cause of the cellulite formation, which are known to be the decreasing volume of squamous epithelial skin cells along with damaged connective fibers called septae. These combine with gravity to form a pulling action on the healthy skin, making it appear sagged and wrinkled. To compensate for the sudden loss of volume, the body then produces more adipose tissue and lets it settle in the areas where the sagging is most prominent. This leaves anuneven look on the skin which could be now identified as cellulite.

Cosmetic surgeons perform the treatment under local anesthesia, so that the patient does not feel any pain when small incisions are made to install small tubes, called cannulae, which then allows the melted fat from the laser of the Cellulaze to ooze from. It is a two-pronged approach, said the medical consultant of Cynosure Dr. Gordon Sasaki. The removal of fat from the cellulite induces the compensatory production of cellulose by the body, which is then deposited into where the adipose tissue once was. This cellulose is the one that contributes to the overall rigidity of the underlying subcutaneous tissue, making sure the skin is taut and evenly formed.

Cynosure Inc. said that the typical healing time for the incisions made during the therapy would be from 3-6 weeks, depending on the frequency and intensity of the session. They said that even though the product is still relatively new and not a lot of patients have already tried it, physicians from all over the country said that the results were very satisfactory in removing cellulite build-up. Dr. Sasaki added that 80% of their test subjects claimed to have gained considerable benefits after around 2 years of treatment. He hopes that the general public would be very accepting of this new technology, with all hopes that Cellulaze may serve as a powerful weapon in fighting the ever raging war against fat.