Rubens -The Three Graces

Unfortunately cellulite topics can even occupy precious major newspaper pages with useless information about sexy celebrities that have been spotted with cellulite.
Is the expression “sexy cellulite” an oxymoron due to media and fashion brainwash or has cellulite always been a non sexy feature.
In the past, during the Victorian era, cellulite and plumpness were signs of status and wealth. Paintings from this era portray nude women with large thighs embedded with lumpy cellulite areas. The painters invited to portray the images of high society celebrities could have painted them with smooth large thighs without the use of Photoshop but they chose to portray the dimpled skin of the thighs and buttocks, that cellulite was indeed considered sexy cellulite.

The celebrities of the 21st century are not so lucky; they were born in a different era when cellulite is considered a devastating condition even though about 90% of the female population is a victim of it. It is not “sexy cellulite” for these modern times it is very un-sexy.
Personally I despise the paparazzi photographers and newspaper journalists that ambush famous celebrities with the purpose of finding imperfections in the idol image. This is a sign of shallowness of modern times, media bashing with useless information regarding celebrities that we envy and are happy to find any imperfections that will reduce them from the status of gods.
Sexy cellulite? It is all a matter of social norms. This day and age we live in a society that regards cellulite as an unwanted condition. There are many technologies, creams, special diets and exercises that claim to reduce or eliminate cellulite, some of these technologies will help with reduction of cellulite appearance while others will not really perform the miracles they promise. If you have cellulite you are not alone and at least it is not a disease but only an aesthetic “problem” that can be treated to a degree.
If you want to take advantage of the available treatments for cellulite reduction, it is best to select a method supported by a professional clinic. One available option is the Maximus device that uses the TriLipo technology which combines TriPollar RF technology and Dynamic Muscle Activation (DMA) simultaneously.

trilipo-cellulite

Cellulite is caused by bulging of the fat cells in the adipose layer situated under the dermis layer of the skin. The Trilipo technology causes these fat cells to heat up, increasing the metabolism rate in them, initiating the break down of the fat stored in these cells and the release of  fatty acids to the outer cell area. The TriLipo Dynamic Muscle Activation increases the circulation hence improving the oxygen supply to the treated area and increasing the removal of the fat break-down and release bi-products. In addition, the heating of the treated area causes tightening of the existing collagen in the dermis layer, therefore improving the texture of the skin surface. The outcome of this treatment is the reduction of size of the fat cells under the skin and a general improvement of skin tightening, hence reducing the appearance of cellulite.

Therapy also means that the procedures take time and must be done on a regular base. Some therapies can take months before seeing results. And in many cases the result is only temporary. The positive side of therapies is that they also work on the appearance of the skin that appears tighter, smoother and healthier.

Cellulite is fat cells and subcutaneous connective tissue found under the skin generally on the thigh and buttocks area, especially in women. It affects women as well as men although in much lower proportion, due to the difference in skin tissue structure between men and women.

Thin woman cellulite

Women and men have strands of connective tissue that separate fat cells into compartments and connect fat tissue to skin. In women, these fibers form a honeycomb-like pattern, so any increase of fat in a given area tends to bulge. You don’t see cellulite in men because their fibers run in a horizontal, criss-cross pattern that prevents bulging or dimpling.

So why does cellulite seem to appear out of nowhere and get worse as we get older? There are two reasons. First, skin tissue changes as we age. Those strands of connective tissue thicken with age, and our skin gets thinner and the combined effect is more pronounced cellulite. Second, and not less important, the average woman loses 2Kgs of muscle and replaces it with about 6Kgs of fat every decade of her adult life. Because fat is exceptionally soft, it doesn’t keep our skin tight like muscle does. It also takes up more space, so it bulges out.

You can not get rid of cellulite like normal fat. Diet and exercise will help, but not solve the problem. Cellulite is also linked to pregnancy, puberty, menopause, even stress. Seeing cellulite never goes away, it will always look worse with time.

Now let’s see 5 mythos regarding cellulite:

Will drinking 2 liters of water a day reduce cellulite?

NO. Drinking lots of water is very good for you, but it will not do anything for your cellulite.  The manufactures of cream for massages add ingredients that eliminate excess water in the body. Drinking a lot of water will help flush the toxins from your body.

Is there a diet for eliminating cellulite?

NO. There are no foods that will eliminate or reduce cellulite. It is advisable for many other health reasons to avoid alcohol, refined foods (white flour and bread) and saturated fats.  Like any good diet, you must eat lean meat, fresh vegetables, low fat dairy produces and fish and of course don’t smoke.

Cellulite is for fat people only!

NO.  Even thin people that exercises have cellulite. Cellulite is in the hypodermis (in the skin layer) so it does not get burned up like body fat does with exercise or diet.

Do only old women have cellulite?

NO. Even girls as young as 14 can have cellulite. Cellulite is hereditarily, so if it’s in the family it’s very likely that even young girls will have it. In older people the skin is not as elastic and is thinner, so the appearance of cellulite is more evident.

Are there no Cellulite treatments that work!

NO. There is no miracle treatment for cellulite, but there are treatments that can reduce its appearance:
Endermologie is a mechanical deep massage therapy done with vacuum suction so that the dermis and hypodermis are kneaded into a rolling device while negative pressure holds the skin in the rollers. 14-28 treatments are needed 2 times a week. This treatment will not solve the cause of cellulite and excessive massage can break tiny capillaries!

Mesotherapy is a treatment that requires injecting a combination of medications or vitamins into the mesoderm (the middle area of the skin), directly affecting the fat cells.  The number of treatments varies from 4 to 14 (according to the medication) and can leave soreness, bruising, and pain during and after the injections.

Massage can be used for reducing cellulite. This stimulates microcirculation and allows drainage of fluids. These massages are done with many products and ingredients. Creams, essential oils and serums are used to help the treatment and leave the skin soft and smooth.  Body wraps are also used as part therapy to fight cellulite. Many treatments are required for results.

TriLipo technology uses a combination of focused TriLipo RF energy and TriLipo  Dynamic Muscle Activation (DMA) which are delivered into the skin in a unique simultaneous application.
The triple action of TriLipo technology consists of RF deep volumetric heating combined with internal muscle contraction and external mechanical force which together yield maximum fat removal and lymphatic drainage as well as skin tightening. Four treatments once a week are required for long lasting results. It is clinically proven to be safe and effective cellulite reducing with no side effects.

Cellulite reduction therapy is a process. No cures, not even surgery, are permanent since the processes which create cellulite – heredity, skin structure, stress, and hormones – are still in effect.

Does she suffer from cellulite?

I have been searching through photos of active women athletes and I have to admit it is very rare to see cellulite on the exposed thighs or arms. Most athletes are very young and it would make sense that they would suffer less from this problem. However, it seems that active mature female athletes and ballet dancers suffer less than the average woman from dimpled skin.

While searching for photos of female athletes with cellulite I realized how absurd the very few photos I found were and how intrusive the actual photo capture is to the life of a person. It is almost as if the photographer and his audience are relieved to realize that they found some defect they can highlight in an idol or celebrity. If when searching the web for photos of athletes and dancers with cellulite only 2-3 incidents pop up, it means it is not a common phenomenon. When I finally found 2 photos, they displayed the thighs of a famous figure skater sitting crossed legged with very few dimples caused by the pressure of one leg on the other or a photo displaying a very small area of lax skin and a few dimples on beautiful figured thigh of a famous tennis player. If this is the cellulite they are pointing at to prove athletes suffer from cellulite too, it is really not convincing.

Yes some athletes suffer from cellulite too but the prevalence is close to zero compared to the general population.

Cellulite is caused by the enlargement of fat cells that underlie the dermis. The combination of the dermis weakening due to age and the fat cells enlarging causes the uneven dimpled look of the skin. Some theories add that cellulite is more common in areas of the body with slower metabolism and poor drainage.

Women athletes have a lower percentage of fat and significantly less cellulite. This simple fact should encourage us to tackle cellulite prevention by controlling the caloric intake in order to reduce the percentage of body fat. In addition exercising the muscles will improve circulation in the area and improve muscle tone, again reducing cellulite.

Len Kravitz, Phd, writes in his essay “Cellulite: Everything You Want to Know and More” the following sentence: “The subcutaneous fat rests on top of muscle, and if the muscle is weak and flaccid, this can contribute to the ‘bumpy’ effect of cellulite.”

Dr. Kravitz recommends resistance training exercise to target the thighs and buttocks.

For those of us that will not join the force of diet and exercise, there are many “cures” and cellulite reduction treatments offered in the market. Some of them have no effect and some can reduce the appearance of cellulite to a degree. TriLipo is a new technology recently introduced to the market that combines the well established radio frequency technology proven to reduce cellulite along with muscle stimulation. This technology takes cellulite reduction to a new level by targeting the muscles underlying the skin while at the same time reducing the size of the fat cells in the adipose layer using radio frequency. Of course the effects will be enhanced if one combines treatments with a caloric intake reduction and well structured aerobic exercise but reduction of cellulite will also be noted if one undergoes treatments with the TriLipo technology without added exercise.

But, do not misunderstand me… I highly recommend exercise and controlled diet however, it is very hard for me to stand behind my advice and to provide a good living example…I tend to go for the “fixing” technology.

Can we get rid of cellulite?

What do people do to improve their body image?

Body lifts

Body lifts are invasive procedures that involve cutting away excess skin following drastic weight loss, pregnancy or age related skin laxity. Body lifts will improve firmness and enhance body contour but will not help with cellulite. If your reason for a body lift is poor texture of skin and cellulite, take into consideration the scars left by this invasive procedure and look for other options as body lifts do not improve skin texture and do not aid with the appearance of cellulite.

Liposuction

Liposuction is an invasive procedure for the reduction of localized fat and for improving body contour. Liposuction will assist people with large fat deposits in specific areas like the thighs, abdomen, arms etc’. Liposuction is a complicated procedure that should not be taken lightly. Side effects include infections, bruising and  uneven skin texture. Extreme side effects can lead to death. But as we are discussing cellulite in this post, liposuction will not help with reducing cellulite, if anything it can even increase the appearance of uneven skin. One option is to combine Liposuction with Trilipo technology.  The liposuction will reduce the fat and TriLipo will tighten the skin and help with cellulite reduction.

Anti cellulite socks and shoes

Special anti cellulite stockings and shoes have been introduced to the cellulite fighting market. The shoes claim to enhance blood circulation and the socks aid with micro massaging the legs to improve circulation and assist with cellulite reduction. One concern regarding the socks/stockings is in cases were the socks are too tight and can actually constrict blood circulation and increase spider veins or cellulite.

Exercise or Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS)

Exercise increase circulation and improves venous return, so does EMS which is a technology deployed by sport trainers and spas to improve muscle tone. However both methods will not improve the appearance of cellulite once it is already present.

The TriLipo technology solution
For cellulite reduction one needs to target the fat cells in the adipose layer of the hypodermis skin layer. These cells are the source of cellulite as they increase in size and push up against the dermis. TriLipo technology uses RF energy to target the fat cells in the adipose layer. Due to increased metabolism induced by the heat generated by the fat cell’s resistance to the RF energy, the fat cells release liquid fat  into the extracellular area. The release of these fatty acids causes the fat cells to shrink. The additional Muscle activation induced simultaneously with Tri-Lipo RF in the  device, enhances the effectiveness of cellulite reduction. Not only is the size of fat cells in adipose layer reduced but in addition the drainage of the released fat is enhanced due to increased venous return induced by the muscle activation by the Tri Lipo. In addition, the Maximus device induces an “internal massage” effect on the adipose layer, activating the muscles causes them to push up against the adipose layer “squeezing” more fat out along with the pushing down massage effect caused by the applicator while performing the TriLipo treatment.

Celllite reduction with trilipo tequnology

The Maximus system-powered by TriLipo technology,  is an excellent option to target cellulite, not only will it reduce the size of the fat cells in the adipose layer, it will also improve the skin due to generation of collagen and tightening of existing collagen, hence improving skin surface c and enhancing the results of cellulite treatment by the Maxi mus.

RF is also used as a treatment for uncontrolled bowel movements, uncontrolled passage of urine or esophageal reflux syndrome. In these cases the treatment includes microscopic RF targeting of the collagen in the organ wall. The creation of such focal, microscopic treatment within the cavity wall, results in reduced dynamic tissue compliance, and improvement in the pathologic conditions.

RF energy is also deployed in orthopedics for gentle ablation of tendons and ligaments, it is also used to coagulate and decompress disc material, healing tears or fissures. Pain management is also a vast branch of medicine that deploys RF. The default treatment of pain is usually by prescribed pain killers; these can be problematic as they are addictive and do have side effects. RF is used for pain management via a few different methods. The first method is by identifying the problematic muscle and healing it by heating the muscle by targeting it with RF. Other methods involve targeting the nerve tissue directly: a process called Radio Frequency Lesioning (RFL).  In this process continuous radiofrequency current is transmitted to a small volume of nerve tissue hence inducing heat generation, this causes disruption of pain signals from that specific area. This procedure has a selective effect on specific nerve fibers, reducing pain in target areas, but without affecting other sensory capabilities of the specific nerve.

Radio Frequency has been established in aesthetic medicine as a means to induce skin tightening and reduction of wrinkles, improvement of cellulite and body contouring. RF current is transmitted into the skin and heat is generated due to the resistance of the skin to the RF current. The heat induces shrinkage of existing collagen and stimulation of the fibroblast to generate new collagen. In addition, heat generated in the hypodermis adipose tissue (fat layer in the hypodermis) causes  release of liquid fat from the fat cells, thus inducing shrinkage of the fat cells in the adipose tissue which leads to circumference reduction and  improvement in  the appearance of cellulite.

Thermage were the first to introduce the first generation of mono polar RF for the purpose of body contouring and skin tightening in 1997. In mono polar RF one electrode is used to transmit the RF energy to the skin and a return pad is placed on the body to close the circuit. Mono polar RF devices use very high power (250-300W) as the treatment is not focused and the electrical current aimed at the dermis will actually dissipate throughout the body. The treatment is painful due to the high power it requires and a topical anesthesia is needed to tolerate the treatment.

Bi polar RF technology is the second generation of RF aesthetic devices; it uses 2 electrodes to transmit the RF current and does not require a return pad. The penetration depth is about half the distance between the 2 electrodes.  Most Mono and Bi polar devices require surface cooling in order to protect the epidermis during treatment.

TriPollar technology is the 3^rd generation of RF aesthetic devices. It uses 3 electrodes to transmit the RF current into the dermal and fat layers while protecting the outer most skin layer. The energy field created using this method is very condense and requires substantially less energy to achieve the desired heating of the treated area, hence enabling a safe pleasant treatment with the positive immediate and long term results of RF aesthetic treatments.

Pollogen’s Clincal Applications Specialist report from the field

It is always good to meet professionals that are using our TriPollar® technology in their practice; I learn many working tips from them that can be relayed to our customers to enhance the results of treatment with TriPollar for skin tightening, cellulite reduction and body contouring. In the last TriPollar workshop held in Japan I witnessed the amazing results of combining treatments with the TopJen device (TriPollar RF) with manual lymphatic drainage massage. First the practitioner performed a TopJen™ treatment according to the TopJen device treatment protocol. The treatment was concluded with a 5 – 10 minutes manual lymphatic drainage massage of the treated area. Below are photos of combination treatment results (TriPollar followed by manual lymphatic massage) on the right waist.  

Before TriPollar treatment

Before treatment to right side only

Treatment of right side with the TopJen Maxi (TriPollar RF)

After TriPollar Treatment

 

 

 

 

 

After TriPollar treatment followed by lymphatic massage to the right side

 

Treatment to the right side

Treatment of right side with the TopJen Maxi (TriPollar RF)