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Vacuum-assisted cellulite treatment produces durable results for at least 1 year

Researchers found vacuum-assisted precise tissue release effectively treated cellulite in a multicenter, nonrandomized, open-label study, with no reduction in treatment benefits for up to 1 year.

Michael Kaminer

The study included 55 healthy women between the ages of 18 and 55 years with a BMI of less than 35 and areas of moderate-to-severe cellulite on the buttocks and/or thighs. Each patient underwent a single treatment with the vacuum-assisted tissue release system, and assessments were performed at 3 and 14 days; 1, 3 and 6 months; and 1 year after treatment. The outcome measures assessed at follow-up included blinded assessment of patient photographs, a validated Cellulite Severity Scale (CSS) and the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS). The researchers also recorded patients’ levels of satisfaction and pain ratings. Overall, five patients were lost to follow-up at 1 year.

Prior to treatment, patients’ mean CSS score was 3.4, which decreased to 2.1 points at the 3-month follow-up and to two points at the 1-year follow-up, thus meeting the study’s primary efficacy endpoint at each evaluation.

Fifty-one patients (92.7%) improved by one or more points in cellulite severity grade at 3 months, and 47 patients (94%) improved by one or more points at 1 year, which exceeded the powered secondary endpoint performance goal of 60%, according to the researchers.

Based on the physician GAIS assessment, 54 patients (98.2%) were determined to have noticeable improvement at 3 months, of whom 74.5% were considered to be markedly improved or better. By the 1-year follow-up, all 50 patients were determined to have noticeable improvement, and 72% had marked improvement or better.

Self-reported patient satisfaction on a five-point Likert-type scale was 0% at baseline, which increased to 85% at 3 months, 88% at 6 months and 94% at 1 year after treatment.

The highest level of procedural pain occurred during anesthetic infiltration and was moderate, according to the researchers. Post-treatment pain was controlled with acetaminophen or ibuprofen in 51% of patients for an average of 1.5 days. No expected treatment effects met the definition of an adverse event. – by Abigail Sutton

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.