The Ultimate Guide to Cellulite Treatments: What Works, What to Expect, and How to Choose
Are you searching for ways to achieve smoother skin? At Calista Skin & Laser Center, we understand how important it is to feel great in your own body. Cellulite is incredibly common, affecting individuals of all shapes and sizes, regardless of weight, fitness level, or age. Fortunately, today’s advanced treatments can help reduce its appearance.
If you’ve tried creams, scrubs, or home remedies without success, you’re not alone. These topical products can’t address the underlying structural causes of cellulite. The good news? Medical-grade treatments like VelaShape III, CoolSculpting, and Morpheus8 offer proven results that topical products simply can’t match. This guide will walk you through the most effective cellulite solutions available, what to expect from each treatment, and how to choose the right option for your body and lifestyle.
Understanding Cellulite: What It Is & Why It Forms
Cellulite is a natural occurrence that affects up to 90% of women and a smaller percentage of men. It appears as dimpled or lumpy skin, most commonly on the thighs, buttocks, and abdomen. While it is not harmful or a medical concern, many people wish to minimize its appearance to feel more confident in their skin, especially when wearing swimsuits, shorts, or form-fitting clothing.
What Causes Cellulite?
Cellulite forms when fat deposits push against connective tissue beneath the skin, creating a dimpled texture. Several factors influence its development:
- Genetics: Family history determines your skin structure, fat distribution, and connective tissue strength.
- Hormones: Estrogen, insulin, and thyroid hormones impact fat distribution and connective tissue.
- Lifestyle: Limited physical activity, poor diet, dehydration, and smoking can contribute to cellulite visibility.
- Skin structure: Thinner skin shows cellulite more prominently. As we age, skin loses collagen and elasticity.
Cellulite is not a reflection of personal fitness or health—athletes and people of all body types can have it. At Calista Skin & Laser Center, we offer proven treatments that target cellulite in different ways, allowing us to customize your plan. While no treatment can completely eliminate cellulite, advanced technologies can significantly reduce its appearance and improve skin texture.
VelaShape III: Contouring and Smoothing Your Physique
VelaShape III is a non-invasive body contouring treatment that specifically targets cellulite and improves body shape.
How VelaShape III Works
It combines four advanced technologies in a single treatment:
- Radiofrequency (RF): Heats the deeper layers of skin, promoting collagen production and tightening tissue.
- Infrared Light: Warms the targeted area, enhancing circulation and metabolism.
- Vacuum Technology: Creates negative pressure that manipulates tissue and increases lymphatic drainage, helping reduce fluid retention.
- Mechanical Massage: Works synergistically with the vacuum to smooth fat deposits and improve skin texture.
What to Expect with VelaShape III
Patients often notice visible improvements after four to six treatments. VelaShape III is comfortable, with most patients describing the sensation as similar to a warm deep-tissue massage. The procedure requires no downtime, allowing you to return to your regular activities immediately.
VelaShape III is ideal for treating the thighs, buttocks, abdomen, and arms. Clinical studies have demonstrated measurable reductions in circumference and improvements in cellulite. Results may include firmer, more even skin, reduced appearance of dimpling, and improved body contours. Maintenance treatments every few months can help sustain your results.
CoolSculpting Elite: Reducing Fat for Smoother Contours
CoolSculpting Elite is an FDA-cleared treatment that uses controlled cooling to target and reduce stubborn fat cells. While primarily a fat reduction treatment, reducing underlying fat deposits can create smoother, more even contours that make cellulite less noticeable.
How CoolSculpting Elite Works
The process, known as cryolipolysis, works by safely cooling fat cells to a precise temperature that triggers their natural death, without harming surrounding skin, nerves, or other tissues.
Here’s how CoolSculpting helps improve cellulite appearance:
- Targets localized fat pockets beneath the skin that contribute to uneven texture
- Permanently eliminates treated fat cells from your body
- Enhances body contours for a more toned, sculpted appearance
What to Expect with CoolSculpting Elite
CoolSculpting Elite is non-invasive and requires little to no downtime. Most patients read, work on their phones, or relax during the 35-60 minute treatment. Initial cold sensation subsides as the area becomes numb.
Most patients begin to notice results within three weeks, with the most dramatic improvement visible after two to three months. Because the treated fat cells are permanently removed, results can be long-lasting when supported by a stable weight and healthy lifestyle.
Morpheus8: Reshaping Skin and Tissue for Lasting Smoothness
Morpheus8 combines microneedling with radiofrequency energy to address cellulite at multiple levels.
How Morpheus8 Works
This advanced treatment creates controlled micro-injuries using ultra-fine needles while simultaneously delivering radiofrequency energy deep into the tissue:
- Remodeling of subdermal fat: The radiofrequency energy heats and contracts fat cells, reducing lumpiness.
- Stimulation of collagen and elastin: Micro-injuries trigger your body’s natural healing response, stimulating new collagen production for firm, resilient skin.
- Tightening of fibrous bands: Radiofrequency helps restructure the fibrous septae that pull down on the skin and create dimpling.
- Improved skin texture: New collagen creates thicker, more resilient skin with improved appearance and elasticity.
What to Expect with Morpheus8
Morpheus8 is highly customizable, with adjustable needle depth and energy levels that allow your practitioner to tailor treatment to your specific needs. The device can safely treat all skin types without risk of hyperpigmentation.
Sessions last 30 to 60 minutes. A topical numbing cream is applied before treatment to ensure your comfort. Most individuals can return to normal activities within one to two days, with only mild redness and swelling. Improvements appear within several weeks, with continued enhancement over three to six months as new collagen forms. A series of three treatments spaced four to six weeks apart provides optimal results.
Choosing Your Ideal Cellulite Treatment
Selecting the right cellulite treatment requires careful consideration of your unique needs, goals, and lifestyle. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, which is why we take the time to understand your specific concerns during your consultation.
Key Factors to Consider
The right treatment for you depends on several key considerations:
- Area of Concern: VelaShape III excels for larger areas like thighs and buttocks, while Morpheus8 can target more localized concerns with precision. CoolSculpting is ideal for areas with noticeable fat deposits.
- Severity of Cellulite: Mild cellulite may respond well to VelaShape III alone, while moderate to pronounced cellulite might benefit from Morpheus8. Combining treatments can address cellulite at multiple levels.
- Desired Downtime: VelaShape III requires no recovery time. CoolSculpting involves minimal downtime and may cause temporary tenderness. Morpheus8 requires one to two days of visible redness and mild swelling.
- Results Timeline: VelaShape III provides gradual improvement over several weeks. CoolSculpting results develop over two to three months. Morpheus8 improvements continue to develop for several months as collagen production increases.
- Budget and Commitment: Treatment costs vary based on the technology used, the size of the treatment area, and the number of sessions needed. We provide transparent pricing during your consultation.
A personalized consultation allows our experienced providers to assess your skin quality, discuss your objectives, and recommend a tailored treatment plan that’s right for you. For many patients, this plan includes combining treatments to address cellulite more comprehensively.
What to Expect: Your Journey to Smoother Skin
Initial Consultation
A comprehensive assessment of your skin, medical history, and aesthetic goals. Your provider will examine the treatment areas, evaluate the severity of your cellulite, and explain which technologies are best suited to your needs. This is also an opportunity to ask questions and review realistic outcomes.
Treatment Sessions
Most therapies are completed in a series of visits:
- VelaShape III: Four to six sessions
- CoolSculpting: One to three sessions per area
- Morpheus8: Three treatments
These are general guidelines. Some patients may need more or fewer sessions depending on their individual goals and response to treatment. Your provider will tailor your treatment plan to your specific needs. Individual sessions last 30 to 60 minutes, making them easy to schedule during lunch breaks or between errands.
Comfort, Recovery, and Results
All treatments use proven, FDA-cleared technologies and are performed by trained professionals. VelaShape III and CoolSculpting require no recovery time, though CoolSculpting may cause temporary tenderness. Morpheus8 typically involves one to two days of redness and mild swelling that can be covered with makeup if needed.
Improvements may be visible within a few weeks, with continued enhancement over time. Results are progressive, with most patients seeing their best outcomes after completing their full treatment series. Periodic follow-up sessions help sustain improvements, while a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and adequate hydration, supports long-term success.
Smooth Your Skin With Expert Cellulite Treatments
Embracing smoother, more radiant skin is within your reach. As the leading provider of Velashape III, CoolSculpting, and Morpheus8 in Colleyville, TX, Calista Skin & Laser Center combines advanced technology with personalized care to help you achieve your aesthetic goals. Our experienced team understands that every patient is unique, and we take the time to create customized treatment plans that deliver real, visible results.
Whether you’re interested in VelaShape, CoolSculpting, Morpheus8, or a combination approach, we’re here to support your journey to greater confidence. Call Calista Skin & Laser Center at (817) 488-3838 to schedule your consultation today and discover how we can help you reveal your most confident, vibrant self.
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Disclaimer:
*We offer compounded versions of GLP-1 Weight Loss, which are not FDA-approved in any manner or clinically proven to provide any benefits. References to these medications on this website pertain to compounded formulations and are not associated with or equivalent to their non-compounded counterparts. Compounded medications are prepared by licensed pharmacies as prescribed by healthcare providers, and their safety and efficacy have not been evaluated by the FDA. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized medical advice.
About the Author
I’m Kenneth Baird, Medical Director at Calista. I’ve been practicing family medicine since 1989 and became involved in aesthetics in 2005, starting with Botox injections and dermal fillers. I further expanded the scope of my practice to include anti-aging procedures and am currently a BioTE and GAINESWave provider. My patients appreciate my care and passion for their wellness, resulting in many satisfied patients and referrals. At the beginning of 2017, I became the Medical Director at Calista, where I perform and supervise clinical procedures. I’m excited to be performing aesthetic injections on Wednesday evenings.
When I’m not in the office, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, exercising, and martial arts. As a third-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, I not only enjoy training but am also a corner judge and referee at state and national tournaments.
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Please fill out the form below or call us at 817-488-3838