Cellfina® at the Los Angeles area’s Sunset Cosmetic Surgery is an increasingly popular treatment for patients unhappy with the look of cellulite on their legs and buttocks. The problem is exceedingly common: By some estimates, about 90 percent of all women (and 10 percent of men) will experience some degree of skin dimpling in their lifetime.
Dr. Steven Svehlak and Dr. Dan Yamini perform Cellfina® treatments for their patients, applying their years of experience in the field of body aesthetics with a goal of providing results that don’t just impact the treatment area, but improve a patient’s overall look.
Understanding how cellulite forms is key to learning how Cellfina® works. Thought by many to be a fat problem, the “cottage cheese” look of cellulite is actually due to tension placed on connective bands of tissue known as septae, which stretch from the layers of skin to tissue beneath. Too much tension pulls down on the surface of the skin, leading to a small, visible pucker. Bulging fat can intensify the problem, making cellulite more pronounced.
The Cellfina® device is specially made to deploy a very thin blade, which severs the septae in question. With nothing pulling the skin down, the dimple evens out. The initial FDA clearance was for results that lasted two years, though the number has risen to three years and counting as time continues to pass after the successful initial trials.
A Cellfina® treatment can be administered in less than an hour. First, the skin is marked to indicate where the device should be deployed to maximize results. Then an anesthetic is applied to minimize sensation. Finally, the doctor uses the device to address the septae.
Typical side effects have included soreness and bruising in the treated area, though these should fade naturally in the following days and weeks. Some patients have reported seeing skin-smoothing results in as soon as three days, but every patient experiences unique results.
Sunset Cosmetic Surgery also offers Cellulaze™, which uses laser energy to release the septae-created tension, disrupt local fat cells, and stimulate collagen production. Like Cellfina®, Cellulaze™ is considered to be a minimally invasive treatment, as it is nonsurgical.
For improving skin texture elsewhere on the body, such as the face, patients can choose microneedling, which involves a roller covered with tiny needles moving across the skin to trigger natural healing processes—including collagen and elastin production. Dermabrasion, which involves “polishing” away the outermost layers of dead skin, can address fine lines and wrinkles, as well as other signs of aging and sun damage.
Dr. Yamini and Dr. Svehlak are prepared to help each patient create a customized plan designed to address unique cosmetic concerns.