Cellulite Treatment
WHAT IS ULTRASOUND CAVITATION AND HOW DOES IT HELP WITH CELLULITE REMOVAL?
It is widely accepted today that high-power, low-frequency ultrasound treatment represents one of the few effective methods of cellulite reduction and, to a limited extent, subcutaneous fat reduction too.
It often provides good results on its own, if the right equipment is used with the right protocols, and even better results when combined with high-power, deep-tissue radio frequency.
But what is ultrasonic cavitation and how does it work?
Ultrasound is high frequency sound. If ultrasound of a specific frequency and power is applied on the skin, it can create microscopic vacuum bubbles in the hypodermal fat tissue (what we call “cellulite”) or subcutaneous fat tissue (what we call “fat”). These “bubbles” first increase in size and then collapse and this is what we refer to as cavitation.
Ultrasonic cavitation disrupts fat cell membranes, which results in the release of stored fat into the interstitial fluid around the fat cell. This fat is then taken up by the lymphatic and blood vessels and distributed throughout the body where it can be oxidised (burned) for energy.
(Of course, nobody urinates that fat and fat is also not “melted” or “burned” in the fat tissue, as many ridiculous people claim. And by the way, no fat clogs your liver, as some experts claim: the fat released by a single cavitation session is a fraction of what you put in your body with a Big Mac and fries.)
As the fat membrane is disrupted/broken and fat is spilled out of the fat cell, the fat cell itself dies off.
On the other hand, nearby tissues, such as collagen cells (fibroblasts) do not get affected negatively by the ultrasound and in contrast they actually benefit from the stimulus provided by it. This stimulation leads to slightly increased collagen synthesis.
Fibrosis (scar tissue inside the skin and an important aspect of cellulite) is also known to be reduced by ultrasound.
Finally, ultrasound cavitation has a positive effect on microcirculation.
In summary, ultrasound assists with cellulite removal in four different ways: cellulite fat reduction; mild skin firming; fibrosis reduction; and circulation improvement.