About 85 percent of women aged 20 or older, and many men, have cellulite. It comes with all sorts of clever names – orange peel, hail damage, cottage cheese, waffle house, gravel road, bibble buns . . . Yet when you are the one living with dimpled thighs, buttocks, or abdomen, cellulite is no laughing matter. Various treatments intended to create smoother surface skin have been around for a long time. Dr. Andrew Menkes, Board-certified dermatologist and lead physician at The Menkes Clinic & Surgery Center, urges those in the Mountain View, CA area to consider Cellfina treatment as an effective solution compared to other options.
The anatomy of cellulite
Many people believe that cellulite is a special kind of fat, but this is untrue. Rather, the term describes the appearance of skin resulting from a combination of factors. The first element is the skin itself. A person with thin or dehydrated skin is more likely to have noticeable dimpling that an individual with thick, taut skin. The second factor is subcutaneous fat. This layer resides just beneath skin, even in thin, fit individuals, although there is more of it if you are carrying extra pounds. Finally, the pattern and formation of collagen defines cellulite. It forms a meshwork of fibrous bands that lie perpendicular to skin, anchoring it to underlying tissues. In some individuals, these bands are thick and tight, pulling downward on subcutaneous fat. At each of these points, you develop a divot.
Cellulite may occur when you gain or lose weight, with hormonal fluctuations (which is why women are more prone to the condition than men), or as age causes you to lose muscle tone and skin becomes thinner. Heredity is a primary factor in your propensity to develop cellulite.
What sets Cellfina treatment in Mountain View, CA apart
Creams contain caffeine meant to shrink underlying fat cells. With daily use over the course of months, you may experience some benefit, largely in the form of moisturized skin.- Massage. The idea here is to break up fibrous tissues that constrict skin, with bare hands or a variety of knobby or electric devices. However, collagen bands are extremely resilient. Even aggressive manipulation at the surface cannot stretch or detach them.
- Detoxification is intended to improve lymphatic drainage, thought to be a factor in fluid retention beneath skin. Detox can take the form of caffeine scrubs, body wraps, bath soaks, sauna-type treatments, or dry brushing. While these therapies may be relaxing and healthy, there is little scientific evidence to support improvement in cellulite.
- Mesotherapy involves injecting solutions containing vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and amino acids in an attempt to dissolve fatty tissues. While popular in Europe, mesotherapy is not approved by the US FDA, and formulations used by those who administer it are not well-regulated.
- Dietary supplements such as Omega 3 fatty acids, soluble vitamins, gelatin, and bioidentical hormone replacements may help to balance your internal system for healthier skin overall. They won’t change fat content or release banding, though.
- Extreme workouts. Healthy BMI and muscle tone are essential elements in managing cellulite. Exercise reduces subcutaneous fat and a tight body is less apt to show dimpling. It can’t always overcome heredity or thin skin, though, and becomes harder to maintain with age.
Cellfina – a medically-proven approach
Cellfina is a minimally-invasive procedure that gets right to the source of the problem. Using a microblade technique approved by the FDA, the doctor goes beneath skin to release individual fiber bands. The device is about the size of a needle, so no incisions or sutures are needed, and only local anesthetic is required to ensure your comfort during the procedure. One of our experienced dermatologists – Dr. Andrew Menkes, Dr. Krystal Wang, or Dr. Lillian Soohoo – can treat about 25 of your more significant puckers in an hour-long session.
Results are immediate and last several years – potentially indefinitely with a healthy lifestyle. In a recent clinical study, 96 percent of patients were satisfied with the outcome of treatment after three years.
The Cellfina technique can be used alone, or in combination with laser and energy therapies that thicken and tighten skin. The doctor will talk with you about a treatment plan designed just for your cellulite, skin type, and lifestyle.
Say hello to the aesthetic team at The Menkes Clinic & Surgery Center and say goodbye to cellulite. The number in Mountain View, CA is (650) 962-4600.
