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Ask the Experts: Endermologie
For: The Skinny on Cellulite, February 2002

Q: A new massage treatment called Endermologie claims to remove cellulite and has FDA approval. Is this possible?

A: There is such a treatment, invented in France in the 1970s for treating scar tissue and available in the U.S. since 1996 for treating "cellulite." But it certainly does not remove it. There is no such thing, strictly speaking, as "cellulite," which is basically just fat, usually around the hips and thighs, with a dimpled appearance. Women are more prone to it than men because they tend to accumulate fat in those areas. The dimples may result when the fat is squeezed between bands of connective fiber. Even slender people can have it.

Endermologie, which can be done only by an M.D., is massage with a high-powered, hand-held device that looks like a vacuum cleaner. It kneads, pulls, pinches, and stretches your thighs. Presumably this is not painful, nor does it leave you bruised. Similar machines are being widely marketed for home use. But keep in mind:

• Results, if any, are temporary—a brief smoothing out of the dimples. Some practitioners claim that the device boosts blood flow and burns fat, but nothing burns fat except diet and exercise.

• Some people see no results at all. Women who have varicose veins or skin conditions or who are pregnant are not candidates, nor are people over 65.

• Sessions start at around $100 each, and you need 14 to 21 sessions, plus monthly maintenance. Insurance doesn't cover it.

Yes, the FDA did permit the machine to be marketed, but the only claim legally allowed is for temporarily improving the appearance of "cellulite." Claims may not be made for body contouring, and the massage is not a substitute for liposuction.

Basically, it's a costly gimmick. You should doubt the ethics of a physician who claims more for it than a temporary improvement in appearance.

UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, February 1999