Have you ever heard the term “cottage cheese thighs?” We’re talking cellulite – yes, the dimpled fat that accumulates no matter how hard some women diet or exercise. You can lose 10 pounds or run stairs every day, but still have cellulite.
    It is more commonly seen in women because of the way a woman’s body distributes fat, and because of estrogen and thin skin. Estrogen drives the fluid buildup in fatty tissue. Men have thicker skin, so their superficial fat does not show as easily.
    Genetics play a part, too: If your mother had a bad case of cellulite – unfortunately – chances are you will, also. Cellulite is seen mostly on the hips, thighs, and buttocks. Experts estimate that about 85% of women develop cellulite.
    The dimpling occurs when connective tissues underneath the skin become stuffed with fat, toxins or fluid. Cellulite also is thought to be age-related; when the bands that form connective tissue begin to shorten, they pull at the skin, according to the physician-run website WebMD.com.

Gross! How can I get rid of it?

    There are various treatments available for cellulite, from non-invasive to surgical, but doctors and clinicians will tell you that diet and exercise are key. Getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet that is low in calories and fat, drinking lots of water and maintaining a normal weight help minimize cellulite.
    “The honest truth is, you have to take care of your body, yourself. You can’t lie on the couch and expect a machine to take care of it for you,” says Dr. Vince Afsahi, a board-certified dermatologist in Orange County.
    Losing weight can help because it reduces the proportion of fat in the body. Diet and exercise may not work by themselves either, since having cellulite can also be genetically predetermined, as mentioned earlier.

The latest cellulite treatments:

-TriActive LaserDermology: This treatment involves using a machine with a slight laser to smooth and tighten skin. This Italian-made machine has three components: the laser to break up the fat deposits; a pumping/massage mechanism; and a cold component to cool the heat from the laser. The price for this treatment in Orange County runs between $100 to $125 a session.

-Endermology: This is the only FDA-approved treatment for cellulite. Extensively used in Europe for several years, Endermology uses a device that kneads and sucks the skin like a vacuum with a set of automated rollers that can be placed on different settings. At least eight sessions with treatments twice per week is recommended. The cost ranges from $80 to $100 per session.

-Mesotherapy: Also developed and widely used in France, Mesotherapy is a minimally invasive technique that involves injecting a mix of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and supplements into cellulite to break down the fat. This treatment helps dissolve excess fat deposits and improve blood flow to the area, according to the website of the Skin Care Clinic in Newport Beach, one of many places where this treatment is available. The number of injections varies and different clinics or spas use different substances to inject; there is no standard mix. Mesotherapy often is used with Endermology or Velasmooth at many treatment locations. Costs range from $150 to $450 per area, per treatment.

-Velasmooth: A machine that uses radio frequency and infrared to heat up fat cells, break them apart and send them to the lymph nodes for natural disposal, plus suction and massage to gently smooth the skin during treatment. Some treatment centers, such as Total Dermatology, combine Velasmooth with Mesotherapy. This treatment is non-invasive and requires no downtime. The cost and number of treatments vary, but may cost $200 to $300 per session, per area treated.
    “We’ve had very good results with this,” says Dr. Afsahi, who uses Velasmooth by itself without an accompanying therapy, and says results from 12 treatment sessions typically last six months or longer.

-Velafirm: This newly developed treatment is basically a more powerful version of Velasmooth and reduces the needed number of treatments to four. Dr. Afsahi is among the doctors studying this treatment, which he expects to be widely available in six months.

-Liposuction: This surgical procedure should be performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon. It helps sculpt the body by removing fat from specific areas, including the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, upper arms, chin, cheeks and neck. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (plasticsurgery.org) says the best candidates for liposuction are healthy, normal-weight people with firm, elastic skin who have pockets of excess fat in certain areas.

-Wellbox Tissular Therapy: You can buy this $1,600 machine online and use it at home. The Wellbox machine combines a rolling action with motorized rollers to fold and unfold tissue, and a lifting action to increase circulation and stimulate deep layers of skin that contain collagen, elastin and keratin. It promises to improve circulation; relieve tension, aches and pain; and soothe and soften the skin. Check wellbox.com.

Cellulite creams: hype or not?

    If you want to get rid of cellulite with little or no effort, try cellulite cream. These creams – which contain a range of ingredients from caffeine and avocado oil to seaweed and yeast extracts – claim to reduce the appearance of cellulite by increasing blood flow to the affected areas. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends you check with a dermatologist about whether a cream would help.
    But do they really work? Not according to Dr. Alan Kling, a dermatologic surgeon who specializes in liposuction surgery in New York. He says creams are false hope in a jar. Many doctors agree, and say there’s no scientific proof that cellulite creams really work. “Cellulite creams are pure hype,” says Kling in an article on WebMD. “People need to remember that the beauty industry can make claims based on anecdotal evidence with no scientific or medical backing.”
    A study published a few years ago put the creams to the test. After 12 weeks, only three of the 17 women in the study reported even the slightest improvement. The study’s results are no big surprise. Generally, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. BB

    Amy Bentley is a contributing writer to Body Beautiful magazine.

Where to get cellulite treatment in Orange County:

HB Skin Spa
536 Main Street, Ste. 102     
Huntington Beach
hbskinspa.com
714.969.9713

Lemuria
4668 Barranca Pkwy.
Irvine
949.929.6040
lemuriaspa.com

Nulooks Medspa
1617 Westcliff Dr., Ste. 205     Newport Beach
1.888.685.6657
getnulooks.com

Rancho Dental Medspa
26501 Rancho Pkwy., Ste. 202
Lake Forest
949.297.8600
ranchodentalmedspa.com

Sona MedSpa
3080 Bristol St., Ste. 150
Costa Mesa
714.434.7662
sonaoc.com


Spa Gregorie’s
200 Newport Center Dr.,
Ste. 100, Newport Beach
949.644.6672

22342 El Paseo
Rancho Santa Margarita
949.858.9455

South Coast Dermatology Institute
14642 Newport Ave., #330 Tustin
714.508.0754

400 Newport Center Drive Suite 602, Newport Beach
949.644.1434
dermphysician.com

The Skin Care Clinic
2503 Eastbluff Dr., Ste. 105
Newport Beach
949.760.8065
theskincareclinic.com.

Total Dermatology
16100 Sand Canyon, Ste. 190
Irvine
949.727.3800
totaldermatology.com