There are two novel reported mechanisms that have demonstrated the ability to clinically modify the skin’s connective tissue: laser and pulsed light (optical energy) and radiofre­quency. While these methods differ primarily in the way they generate heat within the adipose tissue, they both are able to produce temperatures (65—75oC) high enough to cause connective tissue […]

Ultrasound is also an accurate tool used to measure dermal thickness. This technology can also detect the presence of deep indentations of adipose tissue in the skin, as demon­strated earlier by histology. In a study by Kligman et al., dermal thickness was measured using a B-scan 20 MHz device [19]. The above forms of measurement […]

This invasive approach determines the histological architecture of cellulite. The problem with this tool is that the histologic results may not correlate with the clinical appearance or outcome. 16.3.2 High Frequency Magnetic Resonance Imaging This is the most recent approach and a very efficient tool for evaluating cellulite. Magnetic Resonance Imaging has the ability to […]

The resilience of the dermis can be evaluated with a suction elastometer. By measuring skin tension, clinicians can gauge the amount of intact connective tissue and, consequently, the amount of cellulite present. Although this tool, hypothetically, may be plausible, clini­cal evidence of its effectiveness has not yet been seen [18] (Fig. 16.7). 16.3.1 Electrical Conductivity […]

Body mass index (BMI) is a universal means of estimating body-fat composition based on a population average. However, since cellulite is not synonymous with obesity, BMI is not an effective tool for measuring cellulite (Fig. 16.6).

Thigh circumference is another common method used to evaluate cellulite due to its cost effectiveness. A flexible ruler is wrapped around the predetermined sites of the subject’s thigh. For example, in one study, thigh circumference measurements were taken for the lower and upper thigh at 18 and 26 cm from the superior pole of the […]

Observation with tangential lighting is one of the most common methods used to mea­sure cellulite due to its cost effectiveness, reproducibility, and relative ease. Such observa­tion involves direct or photographic examination and visualization of the skin. Clinicians look for dimpling or puckering of the skin and palpate for subcutaneous nodules. This method is often best […]

The severity of cellulite is ranked according to a universal scale (Table 16.2). While this scale serves as a clinical evaluation of cellulite, there is also a broad spectrum of noninvasive and invasive methods available to assess this condition. A description of these tools follows: Grade I: No or minimal cellulite-based on observation on gluteal […]

Cellulite is a connective tissue disorder seen mainly in postadolescent females. In the rare occasions that cellulite is witnessed in men, it is more common in males with androgen – deficient conditions such as hypogonadism, Klinefelter’s syndrome, and in patients receiv­ing estrogen-based therapy for prostate cancer [14]. Furthermore, where cellulite is displayed in both obese […]