Heating Up The Fight Against Cellulite

Written by: KOMO News Seattle - Jan 6, 2009

SEATTLE - If you're older than a teenager, you've got it.

You also probably want to get rid of it.

What is it? Cellulite.

Look through many women's magazines and you'll see everybody has a sure fire way to help you get rid of it.

The newest technique in cellulite removal is a laser.

Maple Valley Clinic owner Nancy Bremmeyer has the only cellulite laser in Washington State.

"Basically we're seeing it work in everyone after treatment," said Bremmeyer.

Cynosure is the company that makes the laser called Tri-Active. The company claims four out of every five women treated with their device, report their skin looks better.

It works by firming and smoothing skin. The laser heats up tissue under the skin, breaking up cellulite, which the body then flushes. That's the theory.

The device has a suction cup with rollers to massage the skin, a low level laser, and it sends out air bursts to keep the skin cool.

One patient told KOMO 4 News it feels like a massage and there's no pain.

"With this device, it's a very low level of energy. So there's no real danger to the epidermis," said Steve Klein of Cynosure.

In other words, Cynosure says its laser won't burn your skin so it can even be used on the face. Also, it does not require eye protection unlike the lasers used for hair removal.

The FDA just gave the company approval to sell the laser over the counter. That means the federal government doesn't think a doctor has to administer the treatment.

"With anything, you want to make sure you go to a reputable facility, who understand the technology, who've had adequate training," said Dr. Stacy Davies, Aesthetic Imagery's Doctor on staff.

Cynosure says it can't predict how much cellulite each patient might lose because everybody's body is different.

Each treatment takes at least one hour. Bremmeyer says it takes many sessions to see the best results.

"You need to have a series. You need to do ten to twelve treatments. It's not a miracle cure with one," said Bremmeyer.

"This is a health maintenance issue, not a miracle treatment," adds Dr. Davies. It's also not cheap. Each session costs $125.