Treatment of cellulite and flabby legs: what works and best options

What are we facing?

A brief review to understand the treatments.

On the one hand, the cellulitis. The “blissful” cellulite. Why does it appear?

Studies suggest that it begins with an alteration of microcirculation. Water leaks from the small blood vessels into the subcutaneous tissue and produces and edema. If it is not controlled, they end up escaping waste products. 

This fluid and toxin retention leads to the development of hardened fibrous septa, like partitions rigid that hold the skin and pull it down. Septations that imprison adipose cells, creating nodules that become painful.

In this situation the fat protrudes. That is, when it is “tight,” it slides upward and pushes the skin surface.. More if it accumulates due to weight gain.

Look. One pulls, another pushes. 

So dimples become visible and that aspect of orange peel that is so uncomfortable. A very common aesthetic alteration in women (especially in the legs, hips and buttocks), greatly influenced by estrogen, genetics and lifestyle habits.

Then there is the flabbiness, which is due to collagen and elastin deterioration due to aging, UV radiation, tobacco, etc. The dermis atrophies and the skin loses smoothness and flexibility. The thinning of the fat layer also favors this laxity. 

So we have 2 different problems…

But what they usually go hand in hand:

• • Flabby skin with atrophied dermis contains worse fat nodules that press on the skin surface. Therefore, they can stand out more and accentuate the dimples.
  • There are 3 types of cellulite depending on the consistency of the skin: edematous, soft and hard. The soft one is typical of inactive women and associates flaccidity and lack of muscle tone. It also appears when you lose a lot of weight suddenly.

How treatments work

The objective: obtained smooth legs and smooth legs without irregularities.

To achieve this, we are going to apply anti-cellulite and firming treatments that are based above all on 5 points:

• • Stimulate microcirculation. Favor blood and lymphatic flow to reduce fluid retention and edema associated with cellulite.
  • Eliminate localized fat. Remove accumulated adiposity to prevent protruding, pressing and pulling the skin out.
  • Treat fibrous septa. Let’s “say” reduce the tension of those anchors that pull the skin down and give rise to dimples.
  • Induce collagen and elastin to recover firmness, increase skin flexibility and correct flabbiness.
  • Regenerate and remodel tissues. Reverse all that abnormal or deteriorating situation that generates cellulite nodules and skin laxity.

Not all techniques do everything. That is why, as I will tell you later, it is usually best to combine several to corner the problem and attack him globally.

Aesthetic medicine techniques

Treatments for cellulite and flabbiness are one of the “workhorses” of the body aesthetic medicine. 

There are multiple devices, protocols and strategies to treat these leg defects. no surgeries, scars or downtime.

The most common techniques are:

• • Manual lymphatic drainage. A massage with the hands that activates the lymphatic system, which is what the body uses to remove excess toxins and fluids. Reduces swelling in the affected area and improves appearance.
  • Pressotherapy. Another modality of lymphatic drainage that is done with a type of suit that covers the body. It has air chambers that apply variable pressure to massage, stimulate circulation and reduce edema.
  • Mesotherapy. Very effective. They infiltrate the dermis through microinjections of active ingredients with different anti-cellulite properties. For example lipolytic substances that “dissolve” fats. 
  • Radiofrequency. Treatment with a lot of scientific evidence in the correction of flabbiness and cellulite. It produces a controlled thermal effect that stimulates collagen, its remodeling and the destruction of adipocytes.
  • Ultrasounds. It is a type of ultrasonic energy that also causes heating to firm the skin and eliminate fat. It induces collagen synthesis and breaks down subcutaneous adipose tissue.
  • Carboxytherapy. It consists of injecting a medicinal gas: carbon dioxide (CO2). This increases lymphatic and blood flow (facilitates the drainage of retained fluids), activates lipolysis and remodels the tissue. fibrous.
  • Shock waves. They are acoustic waves that promote circulation, increase collagen and elastin and induce the breakdown of fat cells. This way they manage to smooth the legs, give firmness and improve the elasticity of the skin. 

They are treatments that require several sessions and in most cases combine to create more effective synergies. 

Surgical procedures

A somewhat controversial topic…

There are certain patients whose leg cellulite, along with a certain degree of flabbiness, can be treated with laser-assisted liposuction.

We extract localized fat, help break up abnormal fibrous septa and with the laser we cause a thermal effect that stimulates collagen and helps to retract and define flaccid skin. Combining techniques such as Argo Plasma we can reaffirm it still further.

Why is it a controversial topic?

Because cellulite and liposuction are loosely linked concepts. 

The purpose of this surgery is not to correct skin irregularities. It is eliminating those fatty deposits that become more evident in certain parts of the body and that resist any diet and exercise.

It can be applied in selected cases where unloading volume from certain areas would improve the result, but Most patients respond better to non-invasive treatments..

There are other surgical procedures such as subcision, which consists of directly sectioning the fibrous septa. By releasing that force that “pulls” downward, we reduce the dimples and thus the orange peel appearance of the legs.

Again, we are talking about very specific cases.

In the clinic: lymphatic drainage + mesotherapy + radiofrequency

You see, I’ve been seeing patients for a while now (20 years…).

If I have proven anything, it is that the key to success in cellulite, with or without flaccidity, in the legs or wherever, is in the comprehensive treatment. A 360 approach in which we attack all the fronts that cause this problem. 

First thing to evaluate:

• • Where, why and what type of cellulite do we have?
  • Does flaccidity or fluid retention predominate?
  • How is the muscle tone and skin quality?

Depending on the needs, we use one or other techniques. 

Generally in Canons Clinics We do a triple approach:

• • Manual lymphatic drainage to reduce edema. Classic method, but it continues to show that it brings great benefits. It allows us to mobilize fluids and reduce retention in the region to be treated.
  • Mesotherapy with agents antilipodystrophic (Alidya). We infiltrate active ingredients that regenerate adipose tissue to prevent and correct cellulite. It is a very innovative formula that eliminates toxins, normalizes the function of adipocytes, etc.
  • Multipolar medical radiofrequency (EndyMed). Firms, helps drain fluids and improves orange peel skin. It is a very powerful body contouring technology. On our website definetusilueta.es you have more information.

If cellulite predominates, we give more importance to mesotherapy. If flaccidity dominates more, we emphasize multipolar radiofrequency.

They are all very comfortable and safe treatments. The results are gradual as we do the sessions.

The patients leave delighted.

At home: habits for smoother and firmer legs

We insist a lot on this.

Suppose you want to fill a bucket to the top. You pour water constantly…, but it has small holes through which it comes out. What’s happening? It doesn’t matter how much water you add. You never finish filling the bucket.

The treatments that I have told you about are like a direct stream into the container. On the contrary, bad lifestyle habits are the little holes through which results escape. “Leaks” that contribute to cellulite and flabby legs.

What is recommended?

There are 2 basic aspects to work on.

One: healthy diet without torturing yourself. More “real” food, fiber, protein and low-fat foods, less fried, battered, saturated fat, ultra-processed and refined foods. Without being too restrictive. Specific whims are okay.

Also plenty of water and moderate salt to avoid retaining fluids.

Two: be active and do strength exercises to strengthen the muscles of the lower body, give a smoother appearance to the skin and get the blood flowing. 

Sedentary lifestyle… bad friend.

What else?

• • Limit the alcohol: stimulates fat synthesis.
  • No smoking: Tobacco damages microcirculation and collagen.
  • good rest: Sleeping poorly favors fluid retention.
  • Stress at bay: It seems to make cellulite worse for several reasons.

And dermocosmetic creams? Some patients who have visited my office had precisely come from using this type of topical product.

As I say… they can serve as a complement to medical treatments and lifestyle, but the effects they achieve are usually subtle and temporary. In many cases, there is a lack of consistent studies on its effectiveness. 

Can cellulite and flabby legs be completely removed?

Cellulite, with or without associated flabbiness, is not cured but controlled.

That is, not you can hope to eliminate it altogether, although Yes, it improves considerably and visibly if you combine lifestyle with treatments.. Don’t forget that it is a complex process that must be approached from several angles.

Whether more or less results are achieved depends on each patient. From your genetics, your hormonal environment, the quality of your skin… And the constancy. Constancy is essential if you want to see your legs smoother, firmer and without irregularities. 

¿Do you want to make an appointment and we will see your case? We are in Barcelona and Granollers. You can reserve a time by calling us at 683 27 07 09, writing to us by WhatsApp at that number or by filling out the form that you access in the following button.

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