Bye Bye Cellulite, Hello Avéli®

Being a woman has a lot of benefits; on average, we live longer and have a higher pain threshold (sorry, boys). But, there are plenty of negatives associated with being female. There’s the obvious: childbirth; the unjust: the gender pay gap; and then there’s the ugly… cellulite. And, while we hate to even mention the C word, nearly 90% of us women experience it.

Even though cellulite is omnipresent, it’s been hidden and hushed about for years. But lately, celebs like Demi Lovato, Olivia Munn, and Ashley Graham are showing off their natural bodies, cellulite and all. And, brands are also joining the body positivity movement to promote inclusion and acceptance of all body types and appearances. The topic has been so heavily discussed that sometimes the media makes us feel guilty if we don’t fully embrace our natural selves. But, even if we know cellulite is ubiquitous and a normal part of being a postpubertal woman, sometimes we just can’t (or don’t want to) accept it. That’s why doctors are excited about Avéli®, one of the newest innovations in cellulite treatment, as a way to help restore their patients’ confidence.

What is Cellulite?

Cellulite is the dimpling or puckering that occurs around the thighs, buttocks, and hips. While it mostly affects women, about 10% of men suffer from cellulite too. While many find it unattractive, cellulite is completely harmless. It forms when fibrous bands of connective tissue (aka as the septa) contract, tethering the skin to the muscle and pushing the fat upward. Researchers are still trying to determine what causes cellulite, but it is commonly believed that hormones, skin elasticity, genetics, and weight distribution play a substantial role.

There Hasn’t Been a Good Cellulite Treatment…Until Now

At times, it seems like plastic surgeons and dermatologists can do the impossible; they can smooth away fine lines and wrinkles, tighten trouble areas, or add volume when we need a little oomph. But, when it comes to cellulite, professionals have been stumped for decades.

Doctors have approached cellulite correction a number of different ways over the years: microneedling (Cellfina), radiofrequency (VelaShape and Emtone), laser (Cellulaze), and injectables (QWO). But, none of these treatments come without flaws. Some have intense bruising, others require multiple sessions, and, overall, aren’t the most efficacious.

“Previous strategies were riddled with incomplete releases or not targeting the root cause,” Dr. Hustak adds. “This coupled with bruising and downtime without results, left patients dissatisfied.”

Enter Avéli®, a recently FDA-cleared cellulite treatment that doctors are saying is a total game changer.

The Technology has Advanced by Leaps and Bounds

With so much trial and error over the years, Avéli® seems to be the long-awaited answer for an effective cellulite treatment. Or, as Kristi Hustak, MD, board-certified Plastic Surgeon, says, “it’s a revolutionary piece to the puzzle as we look at cellulite.”

According to Mary-Margaret Kober, MD, FAAD, board-certified Cosmetic Surgeon and Dermatologist, and Dr. Hustak, the two main advantages of Avéli® are its advanced precision and ability to verify the release of the dimple during the procedure. Furthermore, Avéli® minimizes downtime, provides proven results in a single treatment, and, so far, has shown significantly greater efficacy.

“The ability to target specific fibrous bands causing cellulite and verify their removal sets Avéli® apart from the competition and offers a promising leap forward in the treatment of cellulite,” Dr. Kober tells us. “Having used multiple cellulite treatments in the past, I can confidently say that Avéli® is the first treatment for cellulite that truly works.”

“Aveli® is unique among cellulite treatments in that it allows targeted incision and release of each individual septa causing a dimple,” says board certified Head & Neck Surgeon and fellowship trained Facial Plastic Surgeon, Dr. William Kennedy, MD, board-certified Head & Neck Surgeon and Facial Plastic Surgeon, and Founder of AEDIT MedSpa™. “Although, unlike other techniques that use single-use thermal mechanism of septa release such as Cellulaze, Avéli® does not promote collagen production and is a simple release of tethering causing a dimple.”

So, how does Avéli® work? It’s a minimally-invasive hand-held device that has a light blade to cut the complex fibrous networks that are responsible for causing cellulite dimples. When a patient comes to the office for the Avéli® treatment, Dr. Kober says she marks the cellulite dimples and applies a numbing solution (tumescent anesthesia) to the targeted areas. From there, the Avéli® device is advanced under the skin and methodically releases the fibrous bands that cause each dimple. The unique thing about Avéli® is that physicians are able to confirm whether or not all of the offending fibrous bands have been cleared. This is what Dr. Kober and Dr. Hustak say really sets Avéli® apart and truly contributes to its exceptional results.

Most patients need a multimodal approach for smoother skin

When it comes to treating cellulite with Avéli®, Dr. Hustak says that the ideal candidate has dimpled cellulite over the buttocks, back of thighs, or outer thighs even at their leanest. Unfortunately, this is the type of cellulite that isn’t going away with exercise or fat loss.

More often than not, Dr. Hustak says patients are experiencing cellulite along with low skin elasticity, volume and muscle loss, and increasing fat pockets. “These aspects need to be addressed to improve results and that requires a multimodal approach,” Dr. Hustak tells The AEDITION. “Skin tightening devices, liposuction, biostimulatory fillers, and fat can all be used to improve results, and often at the same time.”

In Dr. Kober’s practice, the team often uses a combination of Avéli® for cellulite and Attiva for skin tightening, as a way to address skin laxity concerns. “Depending on the patient and her needs, we also employ liposuction to address fat pockets or fillers, such as Sculptra, to increase volume. We are able to combine multiple modalities in a single treatment,” Dr. Kober shares.

Because Avéli® solely targets cellulite, not skin laxity or volume, results will vary from person to person. Dr. Hustak says that the more severe and deep the dimples, the less dramatic the results overall. This is because some of the deeper dimples might have volume missing under them, which would benefit from a touch of filler. That being said, Dr. Hustak and Dr. Kober both report that their patients have been happy with the improvements and feel more confident in their skin.

Conclusion

For those of us who have been wanting to say farewell to cellulite for years, Avéli® might be the final piece to the puzzle. While we support the media's messaging around loving our bodies "as-is," we also acknowledge that approach doesn't work for everyone and are firm believers that the pathway to becoming your most confident self should be solely up to you. Regardless of if plastic surgery is involved, we believe in empowering people in their desire to enhance their natural beauty. At the end of the day, shouldn’t we all feel happy and comfortable in our skin?