Goodbye, Cellulite Thighs?

A new treatment may give new hope to reduce cellulite, the unsightly dimpling of thigh and buttocks skin, researchers say.

It works by injecting an enzyme naturally found in the body to help improve the skin's appearance.

A New York plastic surgeon reported on the new treatment Tuesday at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons annual meeting in San Francisco.

"It's not perfect," Alexander Dagum, MD, associate professor and chief of plastic surgery at State University of New York at Stonybrook, says of the new treatment, which uses the enzyme collagenase. "But most of the patients were quite happy with the results."

The study was small, including only 10 women. He says more work needs to be done to fine-tune the treatment.

Study Results
Dagum injected collagenase five times in a circular pattern at the top of the back of the upper thigh, the area typically most affected by cellulite. Photographs were taken before and after the procedure, and the researchers evaluated how much better the cellulite looked at several time points after the injections.

Within a day, the women had a 77% decrease in the appearance of cellulite, he says, and by one month it was an 89% decrease. "At three months, it was 86% and at six months, 76%," Dagum says. Six months was the end of the follow-up, he says, so "we don't know how often we have to redo."

What Causes Cellulite?
"No one really understands the cause of cellulite," Dagum says. One hypothesis about how cellulite forms, says Dagum, is based on the idea that the connective tissue lattice work under the skin is different in men and women. In women, the lattice work makes it easier for the fat to protrude.

Over time, the woman's lattice work in the thigh and buttocks areas weakens and scars more than a man's, resulting in further irregularities.

In areas with scars, valleys form, he says, and in areas of fat protrusion, hills. The result is the unsightly dimpled appearance. Think of it as a bowl of Jell-O, Dagum says. If you push down on one side (the scarring) it has to come up on the other.

The collagenase, when injected, is thought to break down the areas of scar tissue that hold down the fat and help cause the dimpled look. It also is thought to break down some of the fat tissue, causing them to protrude less, helping to even out the hills and valleys and to restore normal contours.

Reconstructive Surgery

Do you have a child who was born with a birth defect, such as cleft lip or palate? Are you a woman who has undergone a mastectomy? Or, perhaps you've experienced a traumatic injury or disease that has permanently affected some part of your body that you want fixed.

Reconstructive surgery can help repair the part of your body that is affected from any of these issues. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than one million reconstructive surgery procedures are performed each year.

What Are the Different Types of Reconstructive Surgery Procedures?
If you can imagine how many injuries, birth defects or disfigurement issues arise in our imperfect lives, there is a procedure that can help improve the problem, whatever it may be. These include:

Breast reconstruction or reduction. These procedures are available for women who have undergone a mastectomy or for women who have abnormally large breasts that are causing back problems or other related health issues; men also undergo breast reduction.
Surgeries for feet and hands. This surgery is available for people affected by any number of maladies, including tumors (cancerous and non-cancerous); webbed toes or fingers; extra fingers or toes. People also can receive treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome.
Wound care. For individuals who have been severely burned or cut, skin grafts or other reconstructive techniques are available.
Microsurgery or flap procedures. These surgeries can be performed to replace parts of the body affected by injury or disease, such as cancer.
Facial surgeries. These can be performed to correct facial defects such as cleft lip, breathing problems or chronic infections, such as those that affect the sinuses, or even snoring.
How Will the Surgeon Evaluate My Case?
Like your issue that you want corrected, your procedure will be very individual. Your surgeon will take a detailed medical history and evaluate your case based on your desired results and medical necessity.

For example, do you have a traumatic burn that affects underlying muscles and impacts your mobility? Have you had cancer and require surgery to multiple body parts? He or she will evaluate the severity of your case and advise you on the available options.

Like the procedures themselves, there are multiple surgical methods to achieve the desired results. Your surgeon will help you weigh all the options and the two of you can decide together which one best suits you.

Will Insurance Cover Reconstructive Surgery?
Unlike elective cosmetic procedures, most insurance carriers do cover reconstructive surgery. To be safe, be sure to have your surgeon write a letter and take photos detailing your case.

How Much Does Ultrasonic-Assisted Lipoplasty Cost?

Ask to talk with a representative who can explain the costs of the procedure and payment options. Like other elective cosmetic procedures, UAL is not covered by health insurance plans.

Are There Risks Involved With Ultrasonic-Assisted Lipoplasty?

UAL has a good safety record to date, but carries the same risks as all liposuction surgery, such as rare occurrence of infection, blood or fat clots; or cosmetic risks like a change in skin pigmentation, or skin texture. Post-operative fluid collections, known as seromas may also form. However these can be drained with a needle and a syringe.

Unique to UAL is the risk of burns caused by heat from the ultrasonic probe. This risk is minimized when performed by a surgeon skilled in lipoplasty. Some patients may have an adverse reaction to the anesthetic, and may develop redness or other pigment changes.

Who Can Perform Ultrasonic-Assisted Lipoplasty?

Board-certified plastic surgeons who have undergone specialized training required by the Ultrasound-Accisted Lipoplasty Task Force can perform lipoplasty. This task force was established by several major plastic surgery societies: Its mission is to set safety standards for the performance of UAL. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor about credentials and training and how many lipoplasty procedures he or she has performed.