July 3, 2005, Updated September 13, 2012

The VelaSmooth is the only device that combines four different methodologies – two heating components, infrared and conducted RF current, a vacuum charger and mechanical manipulation of the skin.Texas resident Shanan Brown spent her first 30 years in a normal weight range and kept her body trim. Then she had two children, and cellulite moved in.

“All of a sudden, it was ‘Oh my gosh, this is a big difference,’ ” Brown, a saleswoman, told the Dallas Morning Herald. “How the heck am I going to get rid of this?”

Working out and dieting didn’t do the trick for Brown, 34. It wasn’t until her doctor offered to put her into a clinical test of an Israeli-developed device called the VelaSmooth that she saw immediate results.

“It was amazing,” she said. “It significantly reduced my cellulite. And I dropped two pants sizes.”

Soon, cellulite sufferers throughout the US will be able to take advantage of the VelaSmooth’s ability to reduce the appearance of cellulite and safely and effectively re-contour the skin’s surface and body shape. Its makers – Syneron – announced last month that the VelaSmooth had received FDA marketing clearance for the temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite, and for the relief of minor muscle aches, pain and spasm and the temporary improvement of local blood circulation.

Cellulite refers to fat that bulges under the skin. When skin and the fibers connecting the skin to layers of fat underneath weaken, fat cells can rise to the surface. That creates a lumpy look often indelicately compared to cottage cheese.

According to Syneron’s Dr. Amir Waldman, the clearance of the VelaSmooth offers a new non-surgical, no downtime alternative for patients wishing to treat the appearance of cellulite, and its launch marks a new era in the medical treatment of cellulite.

The device features Syneron’s patented ‘elos’ technology – ‘electrical optical synergy’ – which combines two sources of energy – infrared light and radio frequency – with rollers that manipulate the tissue. This combination sends heat into the tissue more deeply than existing treatments to help break down fat within cells and shrink the cells.

“The VelaSmooth is the only device that combines four different methodologies – two heating components, infrared and conducted RF current, a vacuum charger and mechanical manipulation of the skin. All are applied simultaneously in order to get the optimal effect,” he told ISRAEL21c.

“There are some massage units for cellulite on the market, and there are also some that use heat lamps and infrared light for a variety of indications. But there’s virtually no device that combines all four. This technical superiority is what makes it so effective,” explained Waldman, the company’s Vice President for Business and Applications, and the overseer of VelaSmooth’s clinical testing.

“Trials were conducted at over 100 sites – primarily in the US and Canada, but also in Israel, Europe and Japan. In all, over 500 people were tested with the VelaSmooth – 100% of the patients achieved positive results, some more than others. The two major indicators were cellulite improvement and the reduction of the waist circumference and diameter of the thighs,” said Waldman.

Dr. Mary Lee Amerian , a dermatologist in Los Angeles who has participated in the clinical trials of VelaSmooth, told The Los Angeles Times that her patients all showed positive results.

One controlled clinical trial of 20 patients showed that all had some improvement in the appearance of cellulite, and 75 percent had a reduction in the circumference of the treated thigh, with an average reduction of one inch.

Patients typically undergo 45-minute treatments twice a week for about six weeks. Any improvement from the initial series of treatments tends to last about six months, Amerian said. Monthly treatments are needed to maintain the benefits. Most people do not find the treatments painful, she says.

“You also have the mechanical action of the rollers that kneads the skin. It kind of massages it and facilitates penetration of the heat,” she said.

VelaSmooth, which costs about $200 a treatment, is an improvement over massage-only techniques, says Dr. Tina S. Alster, the founding director of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery in Washington, who also conducted clinical trials on the device.

“There has never been a viable treatment for cellulite which is disappointing given the fact that 80 percent of women are affected by it, and the other 20% think they have it. I am now convinced that we have a viable treatment for this condition,” she said.

“In our clinical study of 20 women of various ages and skin types with moderate thigh and buttock cellulite, significant clinical improvement was observed in skin contour irregularities, and thigh circumferences were also reduced. Patients didn’t lose weight, but they looked as if they had. Our research has shown that it is no longer necessary to endure painful and lengthy recovery times or be exposed to general anesthesia that is typical of other procedures like liposuction in order to achieve improvement of cellulite.”

According to Waldman, the FDA created a new product code for the VelaSmooth, confirming its unique position in the aesthetic device market.

“The FDA’s designation of a new product category specifically for the VelaSmooth reaffirms how technically innovative this device is for the treatment of cellulite,” he said.

Waldman stressed that the VelaSmooth is not meant for home use and because of the energy level of the device, the treatments must be performed or supervised by a doctor.

“It’s cleared as a medical device – and will be purchased by physicians for use in clinics; it’s not a home use device,” he said.

The Velasmooth is just the latest in a line of six platforms Syneron has developed using their elos technology which provide solutions for a broad range of medical-aesthetic applications including hair removal, wrinkle reduction, rejuvenating the skin’s appearance through the treatment of superficial benign vascular and pigmented lesions, and the treatment of acne, and leg veins.

Founded in 2000, Syneron is headquartered in the Northern Israeli town of Yokneam, and has offices and distributors throughout the world including North American headquarters in Canada and European headquarters in Germany.

But all Shanan Brown in Texas cares about is that her unsightly cellulite can be controlled. And for that, she has Synernon and VelaSmooth to thank.

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