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Jul 21, 2005 9:29 pm US/Central
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Cellulite Solution
New Device Makes Skin More Elastic
by Mary Ann Childers
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
You exercise, you eat right, so why can't you get rid of cellulite? Maybe you can. Medical Editor Mary Ann Childers reports the FDA has just approved a new device that just might be a cellulite solution.
Eighty-five percent of women over 18 have cellulite regardless of their size, weight, or skin type. It's a safe bet all of them, hate it.
"I always wore long pants. I never wore shorts and definitely never a bathing suit," said Mary.
But Mary says that is going to change this summer when she goes to the beach because of a new treatment called Velasmooth.
As infra-red light makes the skin more elastic, it conducts radio frequency that heats it up, increasing blood flow. There's a simultaneous vacuum and rotating deep massage.
"Basically, it is not going to take the fat away but it compacts it and makes it smoother," said Dr. Amy Taub, a dermatologist at Northwestern University Medical Center.
How smooth? The manufacturer, Syneron, says patients can lose up to two inches on thighs and hips. Dr. Taub, who was part of the original study, says most of her patients see a 30 percent improvement. But all say their clothes fit better.
"To be honest with you, I'm surprised. I really didn't expect it to be that beneficial," Taub said.
Velasmooth is non-invasive. So there's no pain and no apparent side effects. Mary loves the results.
"I could tell there was a difference. It worked out better when you had it more often and more frequently," she said.
The only painful thing about it is one session won't do it. A series of 10 is recommended, with maintenance treatments every month. A commitment, the initially skeptical Dr. Taub says, may be well worth it.
"I think it works more and it makes more sense scientifically than anything we've had," Taub said.
Velasmooth costs roughly $160 a treatment. It's just FDA-approved last month, so it's not widely available yet.
(© MMV, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)