(Family Features) Fighting the bumpy, lumpy appearance of cellulite is a discouraging battle many women face. After all, although it may successfully sculpt and tone the muscle below, no amount of time in the gym is likely to erase the telltale dimples of cellulite.

Cellulite is the result of a push and pull between fibrous bands that connect skin, muscle and fatty tissue. Fat cells push against the skin, while the fibrous bands pull away toward the muscle. The result is the uneven skin surface that resembles an orange peel or even cottage cheese.

Risk factors
To some extent, the presence of cellulite is influenced by genetics, and although weight gain can emphasize the dimples, some lean people also have cellulite. Older individuals, whose skin is less elastic, as well as those with inactive lifestyles, are more prone to cellulite.

Treatment options
While there is no medical concern associated with cellulite, it can hamper self-esteem and drive affected individuals to avoid clothing that may expose skin showing the presence of those dreaded dimples, such as bathing suits and shorts.

For the most part, there are few options to treat, reduce or eliminate the appearance of cellulite. A doctor, dermatologist or plastic surgeon can help you explore appropriate treatment options, which, according to the experts at the Mayo Clinic, may include some combination of weight loss, laser or radiofrequency systems, or liposuction.

However, a new minimally invasive procedure was recently cleared by the FDA to improve the appearance of cellulite for at least a year – longer than any other FDA-cleared treatment for cellulite.

Performed by a qualified physician in an office setting, the Cellfina™ System uses innovative, proprietary technology to treat the primary structural cause of cellulite. By releasing the fibrous bands under the dimpled areas, Cellfina provides a long-term solution to cellulite in just one treatment session. The result is a smoother look that gives patients the confidence to wear a bathing suit and higher hemlines.

“I've been practicing liposuction for 20 years, so I've been dealing with women and body issues and what they see when they look in the mirror for a long time,” said Dr. Michael Kaminer, a dermatologist, managing partner at Skin Care Physicians and associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale Medical School. “It's a really neat thing to have the technology now that allows me to say, I can help you.”

Kaminer says Cellfina treats the primary structural cause of cellulite, is minimally invasive, and is unique in that it is FDA cleared for improvement in cellulite that lasts at least a year.

Including the administration of a local numbing agent, the procedure takes less than an hour, depending on the number of dimples being treated and the patient’s individual needs.

The majority of patients started seeing results in as little as three days and the results were still apparent a year after the procedure. In fact, 94% of Cellfina patients were satisfied after one year, surpassing satisfaction rates of other leading cellulite treatments*.

Visit www.Cellfina.com to learn more about cellulite treatment options, request a free informational packet, and sign up for automatic updates and notifications.

*Satisfaction rates were evaluated separately and are not based on direct comparisons among treatments.

Important Safety Information for Cellfina™

The Cellfina System is intended for long-term improvement in the appearance of cellulite in the buttocks and thigh areas of adult females. Safety and effectiveness in other anatomical areas have not been established. The most common side effects reported were soreness, tenderness, and bruising. The Cellfina System is only available through a licensed physician. For full product and safety information, visit cellfina.com/IFU.

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