How Long Does It Take for Cellulaze to Work?

To understand how Cellulaze works, it is good to know the underlying cause of cellulite. Cellulite is caused by tightening and shortening of connective fibers between the skin and underlying muscle, combined with thinning skin and the fat pushing up against the thinning skin on the surface. I sometimes use the analogy of a mattress with buttons, once those threads (connective tissue) are released, the surface will become smoother.  Cellulaze works by three different effects, first, and most important, is releasing some of the shortened fibers, this is an immediate effect.  In addition, it helps equalize the fat between the fibers to smooth out some of the irregularities which you should see the results of when swelling has resolved in 2-3 weeks.  The final component is the skin tightening and thickening which takes place more gradually due to collagen stimulation and skin contraction from the laser. This final result will be realized over the next 3-6 months.  I hope this is helpful to you. 

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Dear Megan,Thank you for your question.  Many of our patients do note an immediate effect after surgery.  Some of this is from swelling which can make the area appear smoother.Generally we see full recovery from the procedure after 6-12 months, depending on the patient and how much Cellulaze is done. As the incisions are so small, the recovery is quite minimal.  There can be some drainage of fluid.  The area appears red, swollen and sometimes bruised after surgery.  The pain is usually milder than liposuction.  The treated area can be tender and feel bruised.  Often patients will tell us the pain is quite minimal and tolerable.  Most patients can return to work the next day.Aloha,Shim Ching, MD

In my opinion, each person heals differently. Some of my patients see an improvement in 2 weeks. However, I believe this is edema.At 2 months, a long lasting improvement is usually noted. There is a group of patient's that may not see improvement until the 5th or 6th month.I find that wearing the compression garment is helpful in getting results sooner.Good luck!

Cellulaze has immediate results in some areas... I can actually "feel" the dimples being released and smoothed out immediately in the operating room. However, the final long term results can take anywhere from 3 months to one year to be visualized. This is because the collagen that forms in response to the laser will slowly accumulate over time. This tightening effect of the skin does take time and patience is key, especially during the first several weeks while the bruising and swelling is present. In complete honesty, the worst part about Cellulzae is the drainage from the incisions (because of the fluid that is used during the laser treatment). Usually this lasts for 1 to 2 days following the procedure and is really only a slight annoyance.

Short answer is 1-2 months, and it improves from there. During the first couple weeks, the skin looks very smooth, due to swelling. There may be some bruising, but I try to minimize that with the use of foam pads and a compression garment during the first week. After about 3-4 weeks as the swelling resolves, it looks more irregular and may be a little lumpy. From 1-2 months as the subcutaneous tissue heals from the effects of the heat from the laser, the skin softens, swelling diminishes and the skin contraction becomes apparent. If it doesn't meeet your expectations at 4 weeks, do not panic. Just wait. At 6-8 weeks, if you are feeling happy, you should know that it keeps improving for 6 months. I actually think it improves for a year. Ultrasound images of the skin show smoothing, thickening and increasing uniformity from months 1-12. The skin feels very smooth and silky to the touch.