This is a very valid question asked by so many people in the lipedema community. However, the fact of the matter is that there is no good non-surgical treatment - be it radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, acoustic wave therapy, RF microneedling, HIFU, massage, red/infrared light therapy or pressotherapy. None of those non-surgical techniques or any other reduces lipedema and currently the only good solution for lipedema is surgery. Sure, exercise and healthy nutrition…
Does alcohol cause cellulite?
How oxidative damage can cause cellulite
Oxidative damage is an important aspect of cellulite, with the other six being fibrosis, skin laxity, glycation, poor microcirculation, inflammation and superficial fat accumulation. Oxidative damage or free radical damage refers to cell damage by ‘reactive oxygen species’ (ROS) / free radicals, such as OO- (superoxide radical), -OH (hydroxyl radical) and H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide)…
Carotenoids, skin and cellulite
Carotenoids, found in carrots, tomatoes, watermelons, seaweed (especially wakame), salmon and green leafy vegetables, among other foods, are important skin nutrients that help prevent UV damage, skin looseness and protect skin firmness and microcirculation. In this article we summarise the benefits of those nutrients and the foods that contain them.
The ideal cellulite reduction plan, without any cut corners or compromises, for maximum results
Here is the IDEAL cellulite removal plan, without any cut corners or compromises, i.e. where the usual time and money constraints are not issue. Most people only have two weeks left before their holidays to do something about cellulite, a limited budget (fair enough), limited time to receive treatments or to apply creams and no intention, energy or time to follow an exercise / healthy nutrition regime. But for those who have the time, money and energy, this is the best possible plan, without gimmicks or compromises.
Cellulite laser treatment: don't waste time, money and hopes, it doesn't work - learn why
There are three types of lasers used for cellulite and skin tightening: hot lasers, i.e. high energy lasers; cold lasers, i.e. low energy lasers and also known as low level laser therapy / LLLT; surgical/invasive lasers. Here we present an analysis of all three types of lasers used for cellulite removal and their effectiveness.
How long does RF skin tightening last?
Deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency is by far the best and safest cellulite reduction and skin tightening technology and typically can offer great results in 6-12 sessions. But do these results last for ever or would maintenance treatments be needed? This is one of the most common questions at the clinic so I will present the answers here in detail…
Probiotics and cellulite
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria and yeast that are friendly to body tissues and assist our bodies in many ways, including resistance to harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes; facilitation of gut function; metabolism of foods; immune system modulation; inflammation reduction and more. Examples include acidophilus, bifidobacteria, saccharomyces boulardii and more. Probiotics are found in…
Gotu kola (centella asiatica), skin aging and cellulite: all 128 research papers in one place
All the research on the anti-cellulite / skin anti-ageing action of the four centella asiatica triterpenes, in one place. Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) is probably the most important anti-cellulite, anti-ageing and skin healing herb, as it exerts a multifaceted action against all seven aspects of cellulite. In the last few months we have made a huge effort and collated and summarised 100+ research papers on centella asiatica / gotu kola’s action relative to cellulite and skin health.
Madecassoside from gotu kola may help reduce visceral fat and cellulite
Centella asiatica (gotu kola) exerts multiple actions against cellulite and its concentrated extract, comprising asiatic acid, asiaticoside, madecassic acid, madecassoside, is the most important anti-cellulite herbal extract known. Previously asiatic acid was shown to specifically exert anti-obesity activity and now new research shows that madecassoside may also do the same…
Hypermobility, skin looseness and cellulite
Hypermobility is a broad term to describe loose connective tissue which is characterised by weaker/less collagen. This results not only in loose joints but also in loose, thin skin. So hypermobile / very flexible people tend to suffer from skin laxity from young age but especially so from their 40s and 50s, when collagen production decreases. Females suffer more from hypermobility, due to to the action of estrogen on connective tissue. Hypermobility in females increases just before their period and also in the latter…
Coffee scrub for cellulite: facts vs myth
One of the biggest beauty fads in the last few years is the scrubbing of ground coffee beans on your skin in the hope that it will smoothen up your cellulite and firm up your legs. Although it intuitively doesn’t make sense, this hasn’t stopped 3 million web pages, according to Google, to be created on the subject…
Why do older women have more cellulite?
Although cellulite can start at quite young age - almost as soon as the onset of puberty at around 13 - it is more prevalent at older ages, and its appearance also worsens with age. At our clinic we see more and more clients as age progresses up to the age of about 65 when interest in cellulite reduction declines, for different reasons, even though it becomes more progressed. There are two main reasons why cellulite becomes more common / more severe with age…
Why did I lose facial fat with HIFU / RF microneedling? They told me they would just target the SMAS to “lift” my face…
Everyone interested in facial anti-ageing these days is talking about the SMAS. Suddenly everyone is an (ignorant) “expert” in the SMAS, just like everyone interested in cellulite or massage suddenly became an (ignorant) “expert” in all things fascia a few years ago. But what is the SMAS, why is everyone talking about it and why is it not such a great idea to target it non-surgically?
Skin looseness in slim women
Skin looseness in slim women occurs mainly due to two factors. Genetics: Tall, slim people in general tend to have more loose connective tissue. This means better flexibility but also more skin looseness. In the younger years this connective tissue looseness goes unnoticed. But as we get older, and collagen levels start to decline, skin laxity becomes more obvious. Strict dieting or…
The best time to have a course of cellulite treatments is now
Most people think that they have to wait to have a course of cellulite treatments until: “I first need to lose all my weight”; “2-3 weeks before the holidays, as, if I have my treatments too early, results will disappear by holiday time. However, as we will see below, both of these approaches are wrong…
Tried RF microneedling for cellulite? Didn’t work? Perhaps you should try a safer, less hyped-up, more effective treatment.
The last few years there is the generalised perception by the public that if a procedure is very painful, very medicalised, very unsafe, very hyped up, very “instant”, very expensive or all the above, the rewards of taking the risk with such a procedure will be higher and cellulite or skin looseness will apparently disappear “forever” (there is no forever in this universe, let alone the human body). RF microneedling fits all the above requirements and people flock to have it for both body and face. Hence all the RF microneedling horror stories in the media lately, including one of the latest RF microneedling disaster stories here…
Cellulite all over the body: how is this possible?
This is a common question: “I thought that cellulite only affects the thighs and bum, how come I have it on my arms, stomach and back?” Indeed, cellulite primarily appears on back of thighs, front of thighs and buttocks. But it is sometimes is is also visible on the arms, calves, stomach, flanks, sides of back and even on the breasts. Why is this the case?
RF microneedling for fibrosis after vaser liposuction?
When you suffer from post-lipo fibrosis you want to have a treatment that actually breaks down fibrotic collagen (i.e. progressively stronger massage and/or ultrasound) rather than one that creates more fibrotic collagen. On the other hand, RF microneedling is also based on burning the skin at 60-90ºC (depending on the machine used) and creating not that well “controlled” fibrotic collagen/“neocollagenesis” on the hypodermis and dermis. There is a reason that microneedling is called ‘collagen induction therapy’ and RF microneedling goes one step further in producing fibrotic collagen by combining needling with extreme RF heat…
Obesity is now a major driver of cellulite worldwide
At the time of first writing this article (February 2024) it was revealed that obesity worldwide has surpassed the 1 billion mark. In the last three decades obesity has increased 4x among children and 2x among adults. Furthermore, more than 2.5 billion adults are overweight, worldwide. On this blog we have maintained that cellulite is a Western civilisation aesthetic condition that is not found in developing countries, where people consume more natural foods and where physical activity comprises a large part of people's days.
