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Background:Cellulite is a gender specific entity afflicting millions of women. This condition is a corrugation of the skin and dermis caused by perpendicular septae tethering those structures to the underlying fascia allowing fat to herniate between them. The anatomic areas most commonly affected are the buttocks and thighs, both anterior and posterior. Numerous modalities largely non-invasive have been designed and tried in attempts to correct this deformity. For the most part, these techniques have been either very incomplete or transient in their results.
Using a pulsed laser at 1440nm energy level with the cannula containing a side firing laser fiber and introduced subdermally, the fat lobules can be shaved down, the septae released, and the dermis heated from below to encourage tightening and regeneration. The purpose of this report is to review the first sequential 40 patients treated by this author with the goal of assessing the results and the efficacy of this modality.
Methods: The patient population of 40 were all treated with a single treatment using the 1440nm pulsed laser. The side firing was directed to address each of the three parts of the pathology. The 40 patients ranged in age from 38-71 years with a mean age of 40 years. Five patients had both anterior and posterior procedures done at intervals of 6 weeks. All patients were managed with compressive garments for a minimum of 4 weeks.
Results/Complications: The results were assessed by grading the appearance of the areas treated at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. The longest follow-up was 2 years, the shortest 6 weeks. The patients were surveyed for their own evaluations and level of satisfaction. Complications and morbidity were minimal, including modest swelling, bruising and post-op pain. There were no infections.
Conclusions: The overall satisfaction rate was high with only one patient unsatisfied, with one absolutely thrilled and with, in general, at least an 80% overall improvement.