The electrical currents used for aesthetic and physiotherapy radiofrequency treatments (300 kHz to 5 GHz) happen to fall within the so called "radio frequency spectrum", i.e. the frequencies used for radio communications (3 kHz to 300 GHz)…
Binge eating (overeating at a single sitting) and cellulite
One of the major causes of cellulite, repeated over months and years, is binge-eating and binge-drinking, regardless of dieting/fasting later. Why would that be? One would think that if the total balance of calories during the day or during the week is neutral, then weight should stay the same, right? Right. Absolutely correct. The overall weight should roughly remain the same. However, the…
Menopause, perimenopause and cellulite
Menopause seems to affect women in multiple ways, none of which is good for cellulite. Firstly, collagen synthesis reduces with menopause, meaning a gradual collapse of the connective tissue which allows the hypodermal adipose globules to become more pronounced. The same effect leads to blood and lymphatic vessels weakening, leading to poorer circulation. Secondly, metabolism also reduces, allowing increased fat accumulation in the hypodermal adipose globules. This also makes cellulite more visible...
Soluble fibre and cellulite
the richest foods in soluble fibre by far are ground or cracked chia seeds, flaxseeds and oats. During the last 25 years I have seen a lot of clients at our cellulite clinic who suffered from constipation and I have never seen anyone fail to stop constipation and be able to go to the toilet within 24 hours when they consumed two heaped tablespoons of chia seeds or ground flax seeds with two large glasses of water once or twice a day. Read more…
Does fasting help with cellulite?
Fat is the most important aspect of cellulite. On the other hand, fasting is a proven method to reduce or maintain weight and also to fight ageing and improve a myriad health conditions, if practised within reason. So it makes sense to use fasting, in its different various forms to reduce cellulite quickly or to prevent cellulite. Fasting can be continuous for a few days or intermittent…
Are radiofrequency and ultrasound safe for dark or black skin?
Unlike lasers, which work by heating melanin or other chromophores (light absorbing chemicals or structures inside the skin), radiofrequency works with electricity and ultrasound works mechanically, with sound.. The electrical properties of the skin are exactly the same in light skinned or dark skinned people, so skin colour plays no role in radiofrequency treatment (RF is basically high frequency electrical currents). In much the same way, the mechanical (acoustic) properties of the skin are exactly the same in light skinned…
Cryolipolysis vs radio frequency vs cavitation: what is best?
Centella asiatica / gotu kola skin benefits: what the research says
All the research on the anti-cellulite / skin anti-ageing action of the four centella asiatica triterpenes, in one place. Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) is probably the most important anti-cellulite, anti-ageing and skin healing herb, as it exerts a multifaceted action against all seven aspects of cellulite. In the last few months we have made a huge effort and collated and summarised 100+ research papers on centella asiatica / gotu kola’s action relative to cellulite and skin health.
Ozempic, GLP-1 and cellulite
The rise of current GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs, such as Ozempic/Wegovy and Mounjaro, and the development of new ones with less side effects and possible oral administration (as opposed to current injection), is poised to reduce the incidence of overweight and obesity. However, can Ozempic/Wegovy, Mounjaro et al eliminate the cellulite appearance?
How does radio frequency treatment feel? Is it painful?
What you will feel when you have proper, i.e. high-power, deep-acting, radiofrequency treatment is mainly deep heat. If RF is properly applied, with the correct protocol, the right treatment medium and proper equipment, the surface of your skin (epidermis) will feel warm, while deep skin layers (hypodermis and dermis) will feel very hot…
Is radiofrequency skin tightening permanent?
Deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency is by far the best and safest cellulite reduction and skin tightening technology and typically can offer great results in 6-12 sessions. But do these results last for ever or would maintenance treatments be needed? This is one of the most common questions at the clinic so I will present the answers here in detail…
How frying, toasting, high-temperature grilling, charring and smoking of food cause cellulite
Cigarette smoking and high temperature cooking of carbohydrates and fats leads to the creation of various chemicals detrimental to health, two of them being glyoxal and methylglyoxal (MGO). These chemicals eventually lead to the creation of Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs), which cause whole body ageing, whole body and facial skin ageing and cellulite…
Do anti-cellulite creams work? Most don’t, very few do, find out why.
In a previous article we have discussed the differences, merits and drawbacks of cellulite creams vs cellulite treatments. On this article we are focusing a bit more on why a good, concentrated, multi-ingredient cellulite cream can play an important role in cellulite reduction, more than what most women assume.
Is there a difference between skin tightening, toning, firming and skin lifting?
A lot of people, being confused by all the marketing blurb and hype, ask us the following question: “What do you offer, skin tightening, skin toning or skin lifting?” Well, the answer to this question is that all these three things are the exact and same thing. When skin is tight it resists the forces of gravity and looks more toned/lifted. The same applies when skin is tightened with a non-surgical procedure or with surgery. Tightening the skin’s collagen fibres helps skin resist the downward force of gravity better, becoming more lifted and looking more toned….
How many radio frequency treatments are needed for good results?
Connective tissue fibrosis and cellulite: the facts and the urban myths
Fibrosis is one of the most important aspects of cellulite, together with fat accumulation, water retention, inflammation and skin laxity. Fibrosis in cellulite refers to excess accumulation and contraction of collagen in the skin ligaments (retinaculae, also known as septae) that connect skin with the fascia underneath. Fibrosis occurs at the deepest skin layer called the hypodermis…
The horse chestnut extract escin may reduce inflammation in blood vessels - and consequently, water retention and cellulite
Escin may reduce inflammation and oedema by acting as a steroid - without the side effects of steroids. This paper states “the anti-inflammatory effects of escin were related to down-regulation of pro-inflammatory mediators (ie, PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-1β), through the increased expression of the glucocorticoid receptor”. In plain English this means that the horse chestnut extract escin (and most probably its chemical cousin esculin, which has similar activity) acts on the same receptor that corticosteroids act.
Coolsculpting, your thighs and cellulite
This a common question we are asked at the clinic. Coolsculpting is the most well-known example of cryolipolysis technology. Cryolipolysis aims to lead to subcutaneous adipose tissue adipolysis (i.e. fat cell death) with the application of extreme cold. Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) is the fat tissue UNDER the skin, while cellulite is fat tissue inside the skin (hypodermis), so by definition cryolipolysis / coolsculpting do NOT remove cellulite.
Yo-yo dieting, crash dieting, skin laxity and cellulite
Yo-yo dieting is defined as the cyclical weight gain and loss. Cyclical weight loss and gain unavoidable leads to increasingly higher body fat content, loose skin and cellulite. When we put on weight we mainly put on fat. When we lose weight, we do lose fat but we also quite a lot of protein: muscle, skin and even bone protein. When we put on weight again we mainly put on fat and almost never regain the full amount of previous muscle, skin and bone protein. This is because…
What is blue light LED therapy for?
Blue light LED treatment is mainly used for acne reduction and psoriasis. Blue light acts on porphyrins inside bacteria (including the Cutibacterium acnes bacteria, which cause most forms of acne), to inactivate them. Blue light is ideally combined with red and infrared light, which are known to stimulate skin…