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Chap. 69 - FAT AND CELLULITE REDUCTION: GENERAL PRINCIPLES

from PART FOUR - COSMETIC APPLICATIONS OF LIGHT, RADIOFREQUENCY, AND ULTRASOUND ENERGY

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 July 2010

By
Molly Wanner  and
Mat Avram
Edited by
Sorin Eremia
Sorin Eremia
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine
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Summary

Laser and light treatment of fat and cellulite is a new and burgeoning area of cosmetic practice. While liposuction remains the dominant procedure for effective large-volume fat removal, it is largely ineffective for the treatment of cellulite. Thus a variety of new light-based devices and technologies are emerging. Part of the reason for the proliferation of new technologies can be explained by the dearth of effective treatment options for cellulite currently. Nevertheless, this field is still in its infancy, and the efficacy of these devices is currently limited.

ETIOLOGY OF CELLULITE

Cellulite represents the orange peel– or cottage cheese–type dimpling of the buttocks, thighs, arms, breasts, and abdomen of women. It is present in up to 98% of postpubertal females and should be considered a normal secondary sex characteristic, rather than a pathologic condition. Although the etiology of cellulite is not completely understood, the best evidence supports cellulite being attributable to female subcutaneous fat architecture and hormones. The etiology of cellulite is a crucial component for developing effective technologies for improving its appearance. Many of the current treatments do not address its true physiology and thus are ineffective in improving its appearance.

Cellulite is far more common in females than males. Female superficial fat is characterized by large fat lobules with thin tissue septae. These features facilitate the herniation of female fat into the dermis, producing an undulating dermal-hypodermal interface clinically manifested as cellulite.

Type
Chapter
Information
Office-Based Cosmetic Procedures and Techniques , pp. 309 - 312
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2010

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