Cellulite

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Smooth the Cellulite
Why you've got it: In women, fat is stored in honeycomb-like sacks. When these sacks expand, they push up into the dermis, compressing connective tissue and creating visible dimples in the skin.

The fix: "You can't 'cure' a woman of cellulite, because she needs this stored fat for pregnancy and lactation," says Mitchel Goldman, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California, San Diego. You can temporarily smooth lumps by stimulating blood flow to help eliminate fluids and by strengthening the walls of the "honeycomb" compartments. A recent French study proved that when Endermologie, a combination of suction and deep massage with rollers, is performed twice a week for eight weeks ($80 to $120 per session), it can reduce the appearance of cellulite for up to six months. Another procedure, the TriActive System, incorporates a low-energy laser, a skin-cooling mechanism, and suction massage to stimulate collagen, circulation, and lymphatic drainage. It's painless, says Goldman, and study results seem promising. VelaSmooth, the newest cellulite machine, uses radio frequency, infrared light, suction, and massage to increase blood flow and push fat cells back into the fat layer, where they won't show through the skin. Both VelaSmooth and TriActive can reduce cellulite by 40 to 60 percent after 12 to 16 sessions (at about $200 each).