Cellulaze: Stories

Had cellulaze yesterday, June 6, 2012. Spent almost 3 hours on my stomach with the last bit of the time on my back. Had the sides of my ledgs done, the backs, the buttocks (about 4" from the crease of my butt up my buttocks) and part of the fronts of my legs. Was given an adavan (spelling?) and a valium for the procedure. The numbing part, as you've most likely read, is PAINFUL, and the procedure itself is not, withe the exeption of the sporadic and surprising pang of heat in places most likely not completely numbed.

My doctor has me in a compression garmet from above my waist to below my knee. They gave me two and said when I have my stiches out in 5 days they may give me a size smaller if the swelling has started to go down. They said it's going to look worse before it looks better. They said starting at about 1 week I will think "oh my goodness, what have I done!" and that I will regret it. They said about 4-6 weeks I will "start" to see results and this process will unfold for several months and even up to one year. They said the procedure appears to be permanent as people who had it 3 years ago still have retained their good results.

I'm in pain, it hurts to sit, stand, walk, etc. It's not as bad as the lipo I had nine years ago which had me in bed for almost a full week. Bruises are starting to appear as you can see below. My 1 day picture looks like no result at all but I'm not going to start condeming the process when I know my body needs to be in a state of recovery for results to appear. I figure I've had celllite my whole life, I can wait another couple of months to see how this unfolds. Happy to be able to share it with you all.

Note: My doctor did not take any pictures at the 24 hour point. They are waiting to take pictures at the 6 day point when I have my stitches out.

Just realized I could add comments to my initial review, instead of in the comments where we all talk.

Update on Day 7 - posting some updated pictures for you today.
Doctor said so far so good.
Said the compression garmet needs to stay on for another 1-2 weeks.
Said put neosporin on each of my incisions for 1 week, then vaseline after that to keep the scabs moist so they say softer and don't interfere with healing.
Said continue with Traumeel 2x per day over the entire area. (Note, I looked at the ingredients for Traumeel and it is very different from just plain arnica. Traumeel looks like it would work better based on ingredients.)
Also, doc said there is really only lipo to compare the healing process with and she thinks the brusing will be mostly gone by week 2.
I'm functioning well, sitting all day at my job. But it does feel uncomfortable still to have sore "skin" and not a more common sore muscle feeling.
Brittany

Day 13
My bruising is almost gone. Legs still tender but not as much. The support hose still feel good and supportive. I am still using arnica gel two times daily and am to continue for another week. I see the doctor on Day 30. Side note, I'm have a breast augmentation tomorrow :-)

07/22/12 - 6 weeks post cellulaze

Just adding a post here that my cellulite looks better. Even my 15 year old noticed it (she confessed it looked "really bad" before I had the procedure.) I can't seem to take good enough pictures that reflect the progress but I can see it.

At this point I am convinced the procedure works. The delay in seeing the results seems to be directly tied to the swelling/healing process. When that is completed it's looking like I'll have the results I paid $7,200 for.

I have a couple of smooth shapes appointments this month. My doctor said they are finding the smooth shapes help rid the swelling. They now offer two free ones with every cellulaze procedure. She showed me pictures of another patient who had cellulaze done 4 mos ago. She had 4 smooth shapes and after the 4th one the doctor said she totally took a turn in her progress. I saw her pictures and they looked fabulous. Before: cellulite After: no cellulite or no significant cellulite I could see.

My legs are still sore, I sort of flinch each time I have to sit on a hard chair. My butt which used to be firm is more jiggly now (bummer) but I'd rather have that than cellulite. I'm putting scar guard on my scars most days. I had a BA (breast augmentation) 4 weeks ago and my other doctor has me putting scar guard on my areola incisions so I thought I'd put it on my cellulaze incisions too. Cellulaze doctor said that's just fine.

My legs have been itching alot the last few days. There are a few knots, not many, under my skin. Mostly near the incisions, or right under them. Bruising has been gone for the most part since week 2, and I have seen any bruising at all for a few weeks. I am realllllly looking forward to not being self conscious about my legs anymore. Gosh, what a miracle and a blessing.

Hi Everyone,

I haven't written in a while and decided to post tonight. I looked in the mirror and have to admit I am generally unhappy with the results of cellulaze. Do I see a little improvement? Yes. But it's just a little. Definitetly not $7,200 worth. Additionally, my doctor said that doing my butt would not make it less firm. In her defense, there was not alot of data with celluaze so I believe her telling me it would not effect the firmness of my butt was just lack of knowledge. I have to say I am SOOOOO disappointed with what happend with my butt. It used to be firm, kind of a bubble, and something my boyfriend adored about my body. Now it's flabby. Additionally, after 1 1/2 to 2 hours of sitting it actually starts to feel sore - from sitting! Apparently the tight bands that held the cellulate in place on my butt actually held my butt, and releasing them meant everything released. There would be no way to get the firm bubble butt back except through traditional months (years?) of exercise.

I did wear a halloween costume this year that was pretty short and showed a little bit of my top leg, just above the thigh high stockings I had on. I would have NEVER done this before cellulaze, but the slight improvement made me feel a little better about my legs, enough to wear this costume. Unless something big happens in the next month or few months to miraculously make my legs look better, I guess I'm stuck with having spent $7k. I'm geting lipo in 3 mos. I don't know if that helps cellulite, but at least there will be less fat so I'll feel better when looking at my legs. Sorry I couldn't offer a better reality on this procedure that once looked like a miracle to me. If you've got some encouraging news or info to share, I'd love to hear it.

Hi Everyone, it's been almost 8 mos. Since my cellulaze last June, 2012 I've had a BA (breast aug) and vaser lipo in the same areas the cellulaze was done (except my butt.. no lipo on my butt.)

Some bottom lines.... I am more comfortable in a dress now than I was pre-cellulaze. Or a short costume that comes just under my butt with thigh high stockings, so that would mean the part of the back of my legs just under my butt for about 8" shows as just skin, something I never would do, is now acceptable to me.

My cellulite is not gone. I think the cellulaze put me in the range of someone who has "some" cellulite, like alot of women. I don't know stage 2, 3, 4 etc, my doctor never mentioned any of that to me. What I do know is I believe I improved. I think the cost of $7,200 when compared to the improvement was not totally worth it, but since the money is spent, I'm glad the cellulite is better.

My doctor sent me pictures of before, at 3 mos and at 7mos. What's strange is I see almost no improvement at all in my pictures. So what I'm commenting on is more what I'm seeing in the mirror, not what I can really capture on camera.

The vaser lipo was 5 weeks ago. I had lipo 10 years ago and it was alot more bruising. I don't think the vaser lipo effected the cellulaze at all, lipo isn't supposed to change cellulite. The vaser lipo rid me of fat, so I'm a bit smaller, not alot.

Overall I'm happier, my BA looks great, or is certainly making me feel great, the cellulite is down, lipo.... all in all I've spent quite a bit of money, $22,150, ugh. But I'm loving getting dressed to go out and looking forward to the summer.

Brittany