Continued from: Pressotherapy for lymphatic drainage and cellulite reduction

Can pressotherapy be combined with other cellulite treatments?

If your cellulite is more about fat accumulation, connective tissue hardening or loose skin than it is about water retention and poor circulation then you may consider combining pressotherapy with strong, cellulite-specific massage or other cellulite treatments. In this case, pressotherapy will increase the effectiveness of the other treatments as it will expedite the transportation of released fatty acids away from the cellulite tissues. Fat that is not removed from an area after a lipolytic (=fat releasing) cellulite treatment is typically reabsorbed by the adipocytes (fat cells), thereby diminishing the effectiveness of the cellulite treatment. For this reason pressotherapy is the ideal companion to all other cellulite treatments as it enhances their effectiveness.

Pressotherapy boosts the effectiveness of all other cellulite treatments because it boosts the "evacuation" of released fat from the cellulite areas

Can pressotherapy be combined with cellulite creams?

In the same way that pressotherapy helps enhance the effectiveness of other treatments it can also enhance the absorption and effectiveness of a good cellulite cream. This can happen in a number of ways:

• Because pressotherapy empties the intercellular spaces of excess fluid, the active ingredients of the cream are able to penetrate and reach the cells more easily.
• If the cellulite cream contains lipolytic (fat-releasing) ingredients it is easier for the released fat to be removed from the cellulite areas towards the heart, thereby inhibiting it’s reabsorption by the fat cells.
• The rhythmical pressure exerted on the tissues enhances the absorption of the cellulite cream by the skin.

In addition to enhancing the absorption of cellulite creams, pressotherapy also boosts their effectiveness as it helps remove the fatty acids that the cream helps release away from the cellulite tissues. In this way pressotherapy further boosts the effectiveness of these creams, in much the same way it maximises the effectivess of cellulite treatments.

Anti-cellulite creams and pressotherapy are ideally combined in the form of a pressotherapy body wrap.

Pressotherapy is perfect after vigorous exercise

Vigorous exercise (such as interval running, cycling/spinning, fast swimming etc.) is probably the most potent stimulator of fatty acid release. Because pressotherapy boosts lymph drainage and therefore expedites the removal of fatty acids away from the fat cells, it is particularly helpful when used after exercise.

Are there any differences between the different pressotherapy machines available on the market?

There are actually quite a lot of differences between different types of pressotherapy equipment. As these differences affect the quality of treatment quite significantly, we have dedicated a separate article on the subject. For more information please click the link on this paragraph.

What is the difference between pressotherapy, manual lymphatic drainage massage (MLD) and strong lymphatic stimulation massage?

Pressotherapy is a pretty effective lymphatic drainage technique that is suitable for most cases of water retention. Light manual lymphatic drainage massage is best suited to weak, fragile individuals but is not as effective as pressotherapy or stong lymphatic massage in generally healthy people. Deep lymphatic stimulation massage provides a different kind of stimulation and complements pressotherapy very well. For details on how these three techniques differ please click the link on this paragraph.

How does pressotherapy differ from anti-cellulite tights and other garments that also offer compression?

In contrast to compression garments, such as so-called anti-cellulite tights, corsets and flight socks that offer mild static compression, pressotherapy offers a strong dynamic compression wave in addition to strong static compression.

In addition, pressotherapy boosts arterial flow and helps nourish and oxygenates the tissues. In contrast, compression garments inhibit arterial flow, and thereby to some extent deprive tissues from proper oxygenation and nourishment.