Get rid of cellulite in Vancouver with our fat removal and skin tightening treatments (in Surrey)

Cellulite is a term to describe subcutaneous fat that is swelling between fibrous chords in the dermis, between visible skin and the fat reserve. In women particularly, these chords form in ‘tubes,’ or ‘lobes’ that protrude fat outward. This creates the lumpy skin texture known as cellulite. 

Other descriptors of cellulite include “orange peel skin,” the “mattress effect” and “cottage cheese skin.” 

Cellulite develops during the transition to adulthood, and sometimes earlier. It happens in both men and women, but mostly in women (for reasons explained below). It can occur on the thighs, hips, buttocks, arms, stomach or other areas.

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As we’ll explain in more detail below, cellulite formation is related to three main things:

• Fat deposits under your skin.  
• Collagen loss in the skin, causing loss of elasticity.
• Blood and oxygen circulation (to promote collagen build up, in this case).

With that in mind, we can say that, logically, the best way to get rid of cellulite is by targeting those above issues. 

Thus, our best options for Surrey cellulite treatments include:

• truSculpt® iD, to ‘warm sculpt’ fat and tighten skin with radio frequencies (this is not a direct cellulite treatment but may help by way of fat reduction and skin tightening).

To target fat only, we offer:

• Injection lipolysis using Lipodissolve or Belkyra™, to ‘melt’ fat chemically.
• CoolSculpting® to ‘freeze’ fat away through cryolipolysis.

Note that fat-reducers are not necessarily going to help cellulite directly (especially if you have cellulite, but not excess fat). However, for some people, they can help in a holistic way, by lowering the number of subcutaneous fat cells that may be bulging through your skin.

If you feel that your cellulite is related to weight gain, we strongly encourage you to read our page about the science of fat, and how we use that knowledge to provide fat-removal treatments at our Surrey clinic.

In any case, since the body forms fat cells ‘on repeat,’ it is unlikely that any single cellulite treatment will work once and for all – no matter how sophisticated. Regular maintenance will be needed.

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Cellulite is largely based on your sex biology – not your weight

You’ll notice cellulite is a condition that affects women, mainly. There is a biological reason for this: the collagen-based connective tissue that holds skin to muscle is different in women than it is in men. In women, these bands take on a ‘column’ formation. You can also think of them like ‘tube sacks’ or ‘cylindrical lobes.’

In between the ‘columns’ are where fat cells normally live. However, accumulated fat cells can get trapped there. When that happens, they begin to swell upward, toward the skin’s surface. But in the meantime, the connective tissues surrounding them want to form a strong pull, downward towards the muscle layer. So, the ‘pockets’ of fat start to bulge, and thus, we have cellulite.

In men, these brands are more like woven structures.They are able to suppress fat pockets, due to the better ‘coverage’ across the skin with scaffolding formations. Thus, they don’t ‘lump’ the same way when fat cells accumulate. But they can!

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Cellulite can come in different levels of severity

When squeezing thighs or butt cheeks, almost all women (80 – 90 per cent) can see cellulite. In heavier-set women, cellulite is a regular appearance, with no squeezing necessary to see the lumps.

Cellulite severity is classified by the following 0 – 3 scale (with ‘0’ being no cellulite):

• Grade 1: Mild cellulite. This is when there are only a few bumps, and the skin has the ‘orange peel’ appearance, with slight sagginess. Cellulite is only visible when flexing or squeezing. 
• Grade 2: Moderate cellulite. This is when there are up to 9 bumps, and the skin starts to look more like ‘cottage cheese,’ with moderate sagging. Cellulite is visible whether or not flexing or squeezing.
• Grade 3: Severe cellulite. This is when there are at least 10 ‘deep’ bumps, and when the skin starts to look like a so-called ‘mattress,’ with a lot of sagginess. Cellulite is consistently visible.

When a doctor assesses your level of cellulite, it can better predict what treatments will work on you, and what your expected results are.

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Genetics, biology and lifestyles can be correlated to cellulite formations

No one really knows why we get cellulite. However, some explanations include:

• Genetics – it may simply run in your family. Your body may not metabolise fat, circulate oxygen or form skin cells as much as other bodies do. This can result in more ‘trapped’ fat and loose skin, which causes cellulite. 
• Hormone changes during menopause – there is a theory that estrogen build-up during menopause lowers circulation, and thus causes fat cells to enlarge while collagen production decreases. A lack of collagen makes the skin less elastic, and unable to ‘hold down’ the fat deposits as well as before. All-in-all, this process creates more ‘trappings’ that bulge. 
• Regular aging processes – whether or not you’re going through menopause, skin loses elasticity and substance with age. This elasticity and thickness is needed to keep fat in place, and to maintain a youthful body shape. So, it goes without saying that loosened, sagging skin can magnify the appearance of fat deposits.

If you are prone to weight gain, that can also be an explanation. However, cellulite can certainly be found in non-obese individuals.

Cellulite is not caused by toxins, that is a myth.

Tight clothing that limits circulation can contribute to cellulite. But it is not a root cause. We would advise not wearing tightly-banded underwear, for instance.

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Cellulite removal ‘miracles’ or ‘cures’ are non-existent. On the web you’ll find plenty of so-called solutions to cellulite. These can include shapewear, body wraps, creams, endermologie, lipomassage, sound-wave treatments and more. However, even if some of them work a teeny, tiny, bit, most are not long-term solutions.

In the past, we offered other, popular cellulite and fat removal treatments, such as Velashape. These have since been replaced by newer, better and faster technologies, noted above.

In recent times, the industry has also released ultrasound cavitation, or ‘HiFu’ cellulite and body contouring treatments (a.k.a. High-intensity focused ultrasound). With these technologies, more sessions are needed, in shorter time spans, to see results. That is, in comparison with radio frequency technologies, or with fat-cell-destroyers like CoolSculpting. Typically, ultrasound cavitation or sound wave treatments are popular because they are cheaper machines to acquire, and thus, cheaper to operate per session. However, we feel that efficiency can be equally as important as price, when aiming to treat any condition.

Liposuction is not only an extreme measure (especially with so many non-invasive solutions for ‘stubborn fat’ these days), it can also increase cellulite. Liposuction can leave large bumps in the skin, too.

Some doctors may offer subcision or semi-invasive procedures to get rid of cellulite by ‘disbanding’ collagen fibers. However we do not perform these services at our clinic.

Overall, the best way to solve cellulite is with prevention. Eating a healthy diet, regularly exercising, building muscle, plus refraining from smoking (and other unhealthy habits) can go a long way.

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Risks of cellulite reduction can be dependent on the individual treatments used, which are explained and linked-to above.

In general, however, there is very little to worry about when it comes to treating cellulite at our clinic, on most healthy individuals. That is especially compared to the dangers of invasive options, like liposuction.

One big concern is that, if you opt for radio frequency skin tightening, we’ll need to ensure you don’t have any medical devices (such as pacemakers) that can be interrupted by those machines.

Also, if you have allergies to fat injection dissolvers or their ingredients, we will advise against mesotherapy.

Other potential side effects of our cellulite treatments are quite rare. However, we will go over these risks, and answer any questions you have, during your initial consultation with us.

Pregnant women should not undergo any cellulite treatments.

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The cost of Vancouver cellulite reduction and treatments will vary, depending on the following factors:

• The treatment option chosen, or recommended by a beautician or doctor.
• The size of the area to be treated.
• You own body’s response to the treatments.

In general, we can say that treatments for this type of service at our clinic start at $600 per session, and go up from there. Pricing can increase depending on the exact treatment required. You will need at least 3 to 6 sessions to start seeing initial results. Though, in some people, it can take more, while in others, less.

We do have packages and financing options available. We encourage you to ask us about concrete pricing during your initial consultation with us.

Please note that true cellulite removal is nearly impossible. Even if you can get close to total cellulite elimination, it can come back. This is simply due to your body’s normal, biological processes, especially as you age. Regular, ongoing treatments will be needed to keep your skin smooth.