Searching on the Internet, you would think endermologie was nothing less than a cure for cellulite. Physicians, spas, salons, and just about anybody else with the money to buy one of these machines want you to believe in their exaggerated, over-the-top claims. Endermologie is based on the unproven and illogical theory that deep massage can improve blood and lymph flow, which will thereby reduce cellulite. If you can massage cellulite away, why not roll it away? Of course you can’t massage cellulite away, but it doesn’t hurt to try, and, in a nutshell, that’s the business of endermologie.
Developed in France in the 1980s, the FDA approved this high-powered, hand-held massage tool in 1998. It consists of two motorized rollers with a suction device; these are moved over the skin somewhat like a mix between an old-time wet-clothes wringer and a vacuum cleaner. (And just because the French invented this device doesn’t mean they have solved their cellulite problems. European women are confounded by cellulite too, even though they tend not to have the weight problems Americans do. But remember, weight and cellulite are not directly related.)
While claims abound, legally those advertising endermologie treatment are only permitted to promote it for “temporarily improving the appearance of cellulite.” Of course, somehow the word “temporarily” never is seen in the ads or Web sites promoting this device. Finding out if this works is time consuming and pricey. Anywhere from 10 to 20 treatments are recommended plus one or two maintenance visits per month are required to preserve any results. There is no typical cost, and depending on where you go prices can range from $75 to $200 per session.
In attempting to portray endermologie as a serious, effective treatment for cellulite, it is often presented as being FDA-approved as a Class I Medical Device, and therefore approved by the FDA for its intended purpose. While endermologie machines are indeed Class 1 Medical Devices, this has no meaning in terms of efficacy. Class I status is a designation indicating there is “minimal potential for harm to the user.” No other aspect of the machine is approved or sanctioned by the FDA. According to the FDA (www. fda. gov), “Class I
Medical Devices are subject to the least regulatory control____ Foreign establishments… are
not [even] required to register their product with the FDA_____ Examples of Class I devices
include elastic bandages, examination gloves, and hand-held surgical instruments.” The FDA attributes no efficacy value to endermologie machines. Whether these devices are harmful depends on how they are operated, meaning how aggressively they’re used.
Despite the FDA’s lack of recognition (and some warning letters admonishing those making false claims), you will often see lists of “studies” claiming to prove endermologie’s effectiveness. Yet, some of these “studies” were neither published nor peer-reviewed. Rather, they were lectures presented worldwide at various medical conferences. These types of presentations are not studies. The information presented is one sided, and, more often than not, paid for by the company that owns the device, with the presenter receiving financial compensation for the endorsement. Such presentations are not held to the same scientific standard as published, peer-reviewed research. What you will certainly not see listed are the published studies indicating that endermologie doesn’t work. (Sources: Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, December 2004, pages 181-185; Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, September 1999, pages 1110-1114; and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, March 1998, pages 145-153.)
Regardless of conflicting evidence, endermologie and similar machines, such as ESC’s Silhouette SilkLight Subdermal Tissue Massage System, are here to stay. It is an easy procedure to offer to clients and, for the most part, it seems to make women happy. Whether this is only psychological doesn’t seem to matter. In the long run, complications are few and far between, so the only real downside is the potential waste of money, which doesn’t stop those in the pursuit of perfection.