Doctors Say Treatment Makes Cellulite Disappear

Written by: KOCO Channel 5 Oklahoma City - Jul 4, 2009

Endermologie -- a French invention -- is a type of deep-tissue vacuum for the skin that was originally intended to help burn victims regenerate skin. Now, many people are using it to get rid of unwanted cellulite.

But if you're thinking the procedure is akin to liposuction, then think again. Doctors say endermologie is about as harmful as getting a massage.

Cathy Green is a believer in the firming effects of endermologie. She said she is a full-time aerobics instructor who couldn't get rid of her stubborn cellulite -- until she tried endermologie."It feels wonderful," Green said. "My hourly relaxation ... it's so comfortable and relaxing as I lie here.

"Certified endermologist Jade Siegal said the treatment works because it goes deeper than the traditional toning strategies of exercise and a good diet. She said there's much more to cellulite than people think."Due to changes in hormones, heredity, poor diet ... a lot of different reasons ... what happens is you lose circulation to the skin," Siegal said.

"But because of those reasons, your connective tissue in your skin shrinks and pulls down on your skin, and you have a lot of lymph fluid."It's pushing up on the skin, and fat cells become engorged ... and they're pushing up on the skin."Exercise and a good diet are still the core of any healthy lifestyle, and doctors say nothing is better in the battle against fat. But endermologie claims to go deeper.

Endermologie patients start their sessions by slipping into a silky bodystocking that allows the machine to glide over the body. Siegal said the session lasts about 45 minutes."The machine is actually picking up -- using suction and rollers -- a perfect skin fold," she said. "(It's) treating the body evenly and bringing circulation to the skin, thereby firming and smoothing the skin as the patient loses inches."Siegal said she has hundreds of "before and after" pictures and measurements to back up her claim."I love it," she said. "It makes me feel like I'm helping. It's really nice."However, Siegal said the treatment is not a magic pill. Patients must still eat right, exercise and do at least one session a month to keep the improvements, she said.

Metro-area doctors told Eyewitness News 5 that endermologie patients need at least 10 to 14 sessions to see results. The price is usually about $100 a session, and the doctor should be approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration.