Cellulite is the name given to excess fat deposits that form underneath the skin. The areas of the body where cellulite is most commonly found are the buttocks, hips, belly, and thighs.

There are fibrous bands which keep the skin connected to the muscle fascia. When these bands tighten erratically and unusually, it causes the skin to get pulled down more. As a result, the normal fat layers underneath the skin get forced out toward the top. This causes that unwelcomed “cottage cheese” or “dimpled” look in the skin. If any area of your skin looks like this, then you have cellulite.

Although cellulite is not a threat to your overall health, it does create an unattractive appearance on the outside of your body. Lumps will appear on your skin because the fat deposits push against the tissue from underneath it. You don’t necessarily need to be an overweight person to experience cellulite growth. It can occur in people of any weight or gender, but it is most commonly seen in women. If your skin loses elasticity, then your chances of cellulite buildup increase even more.

There are several causes of cellulite buildup underneath the skin, such as bad diet, hormonal changes, increased body fat, dehydration, lack of exercise, and low metabolic rate. People who do a lot of sitting without moving around very much are prone to have cellulite buildup, especially if they eat junk foods. You should try to fix your lifestyle before attempting any sophisticated cellulite removal treatment. Otherwise, you’ll end up with cellulite accumulation again.

Laser Treatments

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a cellulite reduction treatment which involves the use of a small laser probe. The name of the treatment is Cellulaze. The practitioner will make a small incision first and then insert the laser probe directly under the affected skin. As the laser gets warmer, the underlying skin tissues heat up and cause the thickness of the fat deposits to decrease.

Furthermore, the fibrous bands will get released, and the production of collagen in the skin will increase. This, of course, will enhance the elasticity and texture of the skin. If you’re interested in having younger and smoother looking skin, then you’ll appreciate these added benefits of the laser treatment procedure.

Cellulaze is described as minimally invasive because of the small incisions that are required before the laser probe is inserted. The practitioner will administer a local anesthetic to ensure that you don’t feel any pain. There will be between 1 and 2 days of downtime after the procedure, but then you’ll be back at work and resuming your normal daily activities.

Most people maintain the results of Cellulaze for up to 12 months. The good news is that you won’t need to have several treatment sessions to keep the results for this long. Usually, you only need one treatment session to achieve the desired look that you want. This should be convenient for people who have busy schedules and don’t have the time to get these treatments repeatedly.

Energy Treatments without Lasers

Lasers are not the only way to heat the underlying skin tissues and reduce cellulite buildup. Other types of energy treatments without lasers which can serve this purpose include radiofrequency, radial pulses, ultrasound, and infrared light. Not only do they reduce cellulite under the skin, but they also increase collagen production too. Some people elect to have these energy treatments because they’re great at smoothing out skin texture and reducing fat.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved three energy treatments: VelaShape, Venus Freeze, and ThermiSmooth Body, and Zimmer Z Wave. VelaShape uses a combination of infrared light and radiofrequency. Venus Freeze uses a combination of pulsed electromagnetic fields and radiofrequency. ThermiSmooth Body only uses radiofrequency, and Zimmer Z Wave only uses radial pulse therapy.

No matter which cellulite energy treatment you undergo, the doctor will deliver it directly through the skin. There is no invasiveness or downtime like there is with the laser treatment. The upside is that no incisions will be made into the skin. The downside is that multiple treatment sessions will be required to achieve the best results possible. Therefore, every couple of months, you’ll need to receive an energy treatment.

Over the Counter Treatments

If you’re too afraid to visit a cosmetic practitioner and undergo a professional cellulite removal procedure, then you can try certain over the counter products from your local drug store. You’ll want to look for creams which stimulate collagen production in the skin. There are also oral supplements which help increase collagen production throughout all the skin of your body.

Overall, you will have much slower results with over the counter treatments. If your cellulite buildup is in the early stages, then perhaps creams and oral supplements might be effective. But if you’ve let your cellulite build for several years, then you’ll need to try either the laser treatment or energy treatment.