“Cellulite”, defined in medical terms as Edematofibrosclerotic Panniculitis, is a typically feminine skin imperfection due to an alteration of the underlying subcutaneous adipose tissue that produces the typical appearance of orange peel skin in its advanced stages.
In the initial stages, there is liquid retention in the adipose tissue that produces and feeds a reduction in the oxygenation of the tissue itself. This phase is followed by a real transformation of the tissue with degeneration of the adipocytes themselves and abnormal deposition of collagen fibres organised in nodules that are gradually more coarse. From the clinical point of view, the picture progressively evolves from a situation of initial reversible oedema to the skin having an unmistakeable an irreversible orange peel appearance.
The essential cause is due to a microvascular problem which is associated with multiple predisposing factors such as hormonal alterations, postural alterations, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, eating disorders and being overweight.
After identifying panniculitis, without confusing it with localised adiposity or with muscular hypotonia, it is possible to deal with the problem with different treatments that are more effective when the problem is its initial stage. In most cases, solutions aimed at improving microcirculatory function are used and in this sense, pressure therapy is very useful as well as manual massage or manual lymphatic drainage and roller massage techniques.
One of the most common medical therapies for cellulite is mesotherapy, i.e. intradermal injection of specific active ingredients through microneedles in the affected areas. Mesotherapy can be phlebotonic when it uses drugs that improve the microcirculation or fibrinolytic for the intermediate or lipolytic stages when the goal is to reduce the volume of adipose tissue.
Another health therapy that has proven effective in improving blood circulation and therefore the oxygenation of adipose tissue is carboxytherapy, which consists in the subcutaneous administration of carbon dioxide in gaseous form.
Last but not least, ultrasound can be used alone or in association with the administration of pharmacological solution in adipose tissue with lipolytic action.