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Hi, I'm Dr. Dan Shapiro. I'm a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and I've been practicing in the Scottsdale, Paradise Valley area for over 22 years. Today I want to talk to you about cellulite and that's a very common thing that people come in to see me about. A common question is, you know, "Why do I have it? And what can I do about it? And what does it look like?" Well, obviously, I mean we all see what cellulite looks like. I mean, you pick up a National Enquirer and you see those photos. It looks like dimpling in the skin, and it varies from irregularity of the thighs to what looks like cottage cheese kind of appearance. It really bothers people, it affects people's lifestyle, it affects what people wear in terms of shorts, about being comfortable at the beach. It really is a big emotional subject for people that come in and want to know what they can do about it.

Cellulite is actually kind of like the luck of the draw or the unluck of the draw. Men don't get it. The reason why men don't get it is that their skin and subcutaneous fat is arranged differently than a woman's. Women's thighs and their bodies have fat that is arranged in vertical columns that is separated by small septum of connective tissue. As we age, those little septum become tighter and that, in combination with having the skin become more lax, makes that cellulite more apparent. And that is why it seems as though, when you put on weight, that that cellulite seems to be more apparent. And then, if you tone your muscles, it may seem like it's less apparent.

People always wonder, "Well, what can I do about the cellulite?" There are some temporary treatments. They are relatively non-invasive, but really the only long-term more permanent treatment for cellulite is something called Cellulaze, which is actually a laser that helps release the problems that cause the cellulite. It helps release the connections that cause the dimpling, it helps decrease the amount of fat and it helps tighten the skin. As frustrating as cellulite could be, I find a lot of people waste a lot of money on temporary creams and treatments like that. I think the best thing to do, if you have cellulite that's bothering you, to understand why you have it and to come see a board-certified plastic surgeon that can give you some options. Thanks a lot.

Why Do I Have Cellulite?

Dr. Daniel Shapiro explains the circumstances of cellulite, answering basic questions, along with cellulite treatment suggestions.