Cellulite: a new treatment approach combining subdermal Nd: YAG laser lipolysis and autologous fat transplantation.

BACKGROUND Cellulite is an alteration of the topography of the skin that occurs in body areas where fat deposition seems to be under the influence of estrogen: mainly the hips, buttocks, thighs, and abdomen. The presence of cellulite is a significant source of patient dissatisfaction. There is currently no cure or consistently effective treatment for cellulite. OBJECTIVE The authors sought to show that the subdermal application of the neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser combined with autologous fat transplantation is a safe and effective treatment for cellulite. METHODS From January 2003 to December 2006, 52 female patients with Curri grade III to IV cellulite were treated with subdermal 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser lipolysis combined with autologous fat transplantation. Patient assessment was collected for data analysis. After the treatment, tissue samples were obtained in some subjects in order to ascertain the histologic effects of the laser treatment. RESULTS This treatment resulted in significant clinical improvement in cellulite. The adverse effects were mild and temporary, and the postoperative period was well tolerated. A majority of patients (84.6%) rated the results of treatment as either good or excellent. CONCLUSIONS The treatment of severe cases of cellulite (Curri grades III and IV) by a combination of 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser lipolysis and autologous fat transplantation proved to be both safe and effective. In addition, subdermal laser lipolysis has the advantage of inducing neocollagenesis and stimulating postoperative skin tightening. This represents a new treatment option for the ubiquitous cellulite disorder. Although this treatment has shown promising results in this pilot study, further studies are necessary in order to draw final conclusions.