Cellulite can be so frustrating yet very common. It’s something that can affect both men and women but is often more common in women. Cellulite impacts a ton of people and creates a dimpled appearance on the skin. Although not usually medically serious, cellulite can affect your self-esteem and confidence. One way to remove cellulite is through subcision. Keep reading to find out what you can expect from your subcision for cellulite recovery.
What Causes Cellulite?
The exact cause of cellulite is relatively unknown. But cellulite appears when the fibrous bands connecting the skin to the muscle start to tighten. The tightening pulls on the skin and pushes the fat beneath the skin upwards. It’s this process that creates that dimple and puckering look on the skin that’s associated with cellulite.
How Can You Remove Cellulite?
So, can you actually get rid of cellulite? Well, the answer is yes and no.
While at-home products, scrubs, exercise and diet can help to improve the look of cellulite, you won’t fully remove it. To really get rid of cellulite, you would need an in-clinic treatment. The thing with cellulite is that it doesn’t indicate that a person is overweight. You can have a perfectly healthy BMI and still have problems with cellulite.
What is Subcision for Cellulite?
Subcision for cellulite is a minimally invasive procedure where your surgeon uses a needle to cut through the fibrous bands beneath the skin. It’s this technique that releases the tension that causes cellulite. After this, the fat below the surface of the skin is redistributed to leave a smooth surface.
To be a suitable candidate for subcision for cellulite, you should be healthy with a stable weight and realistic expectations of the procedure.
The surgery involves a local anaesthetic and a specialist needle that releases the bands. After releasing the bands, the next stage involves redistributing the fat under the skin’s surface so that you have a smooth final result.
The procedure works by targeting the structural cause behind cellulite. Think of the fibrous bands as rubber bands. Once you cut the band, the tension is released, and the skin starts to bounce back.
In some cases, your plastic surgeon may use fat transfer techniques to fill in any pockets created from severing the bands.
Fat transfer involves taking the patient’s own fat and injecting it into another part of the body. You can use fat transfer in breast augmentation as well as buttocks augmentation or BBL.
Typically, subcision for cellulite is performed as an outpatient procedure. So, you can expect to go home the same day. The treatment aims to eliminate or majorly reduce the appearance of cellulite. It’s a long-lasting and effective cellulite treatment.
How Long Does it Take to Recover From Subcision for Cellulite?
As a minimally invasive surgery, subcision for cellulite uses a local anaesthetic and requires little downtime. Most patients can return to normal activities soon after the procedure. You should wait another week before you resume vigorous exercise. In the first few days, it’s common to experience some slight swelling and bruising. This will subside on its own over time.
The recovery for subcision for cellulite is minimal. But if you were to combine this procedure with another treatment, then the recovery may be longer.
For instance, it’s common to combine subcision and fat transfer into one surgery. So, you would have a slightly longer recovery time than just having subcision only. Your recovery time depends on the part of the body that is being treated. It’s normal to experience swelling and bruising in the first few days, but this will go down in about a week.
As with any procedure, there are some risks involved, such as:
- Bruising
- Redness
- Swelling
- Infection
- Tenderness and pain
- Bleeding at the injection site
Aftercare for Subcision for Cellulite
After your procedure, you may experience some tenderness, swelling, and bruising. There can also be some redness, itching, bleeding, and bruising. Following the treatment, you can go home the same day. Although you can resume normal activities, you will likely want to take the rest of the day off and let your body heal.
Take it easy and listen to your body. You will continue to see bruising and swelling over the next couple of weeks, and this will resolve gradually. The area can also feel a little tender over a few weeks, but this should subside too.
As the procedure needs a local anaesthetic, it’s a good idea to arrange transportation prior to the treatment.
What is the Best Cellulite Treatment?
Subcision for cellulite isn’t the only way to treat or reduce the appearance of cellulite. Another option is LED light therapy, which uses infrared LED light to target various concerns. Red light therapy may help to target cellulite. As a non-invasive treatment, light therapy is popular for addressing several issues like:
Weight Loss
Extra weight can make cellulite more visible. Losing excess weight may help to improve the appearance of cellulite. However, cellulite can become more visible during weight loss due to excess skin.
Regular exercise is a part of a healthy lifestyle. Having more muscle may help the skin to look smoother and firmer. But, the reality is that you can have cellulite with a healthy diet, stable weight, and regular exercise. Lifestyle factors may play a part in cellulite forming and helping cellulite to look less visible. However, things outside your control, like genetics, can also influence cellulite.
People of all shapes and sizes have cellulite; it’s completely normal and natural. Skin can look dimpled when fat is pushed upwards. A combination of diet and exercise may help to improve the look of cellulite. But to eliminate or drastically improve the appearance of cellulite, you may need surgical treatment.
Cellulite Treatment UK at The Harley Clinic
If you are interested in learning more about subcision for cellulite, book a consultation today to take the next steps.
