Looking at options for cellulite treatment in Vancouver? Unfortunately the formation of cellulite is complex and no cellulite treatment option developed so far can completely eliminate it or permanently reduce it. You should be skeptical of any treatment offering you miracle results as that is an unrealistic expectation. You should also be wary of those trying to promote cellulite treatments in a body-negative way as having cellulite is normal for women, and not a reflection of your self-care habits.
Cellulite can also be associated with other lower body related issues such as puffy, heavy, tired legs, tenderness, decreased circulation, as well as lipedema.
There are many myths surrounding cellulite, and they do not do service to the women dealing with this issue. Although in most cases cellulite is harmless, it can have a negative psychological impact and dismissing it as a purely cosmetic issue does not take into account that this is an issue of importance for a lot of women.
There are many cellulite treatment options being offered in Vancouver, ranging from machine assisted methods such as Endermologie or VelaShape to more invasive surgical options such as Cellfina and Cellulaze. Cellfina is a surgical cellulite treatment involving inserting a needle like device (or laser tipped cannula for Cellulaze) under the skin and severing the fibrous bands that contribute to the dimpled area. Cellfina does work to eliminate dimples, however only a few of the deeper connective tissue anchors are targeted making it a better option for women wanting to improve the appearance of a few deep indentations. However cellulite is also comprised of numerous superficial anchors and these can remain an issue since it is not possible to sever all bands as that would compromise the structure keeping connective tissue in place. Some negative effects are tenderness and bruising and this procedure may also result in skin sagging and an increase in the appearance of cellulite in some people due to the severing of tissue anchor points and scar tissue formation.
One cellulite myth is that liposuction can reduce the appearance of cellulite. In fact liposuction is not performed as a cellulite treatment as it can actually increase the appearance of cellulite. In people with more skin laxity the skin might not shrink sufficiently following liposuction surgery and scar tissue adhesions and lymphatic obstruction may form due to the channels created by cannula insertion resulting in an increase in the “bumpy” or uneven aspect of the treated area.
Cellulite massage is another option that can help reduce the appearance of cellulite, but so far cellulite massage has not been offered in Vancouver as a cellulite treatment. This technique is not well known here, however it is very popular in other parts of the world. I am intrigued by the application of massage therapy in dermatology, as massage therapists have some great tools that can improve connective tissue health in their scope of practice such as lymphatic drainage and myofascial release.
One advantage massage therapy has over machine assisted methods is that techniques can be customized based on tissue presentation. Cellulite can be classified into soft, hard and edematous, and different techniques can enhance the cellulite treatment outcomes for each of these cases. For example, hard cellulite can benefit from a bigger focus on myofascial release during treatment, edematous cellulite can benefit from a lymphatic drainage focus while treatment for soft cellulite should include more stimulatory techniques such as frictions and tapotement. Home care is also different based on presentation, ranging from self massage, self lymphatic drainage, use of compression stockings and lower body exercises aimed at increasing muscle tone. The massage therapist has a unique advantage when it comes to cellulite treatment since cellulite massages are not a cookie cutter approach but customized to each individual presentation. Cellulite massage treatments are also non invasive and have minimal side effects compared to surgical procedures, making them a good place to start when looking to address cellulite.
Cellulite massage, just like other cellulite treatments, is not a miracle cure, but it can be a part of treating this stubborn issue and other associated complaints.