Patient Details
This 30-year-old woman presented to Dr. Mihail Climov seeking comprehensive improvement in her body contour, including a smoother appearance of the buttocks and improved waist-to-hip proportions.
At the time of surgery, she weighed 154.6 lbs with a BMI of 27.4. In addition to circumferential 360° power-assisted liposuction and an ultrasound-guided Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), Dr. Climov incorporated Celluleaf structural tissue release to address superficial tethering and improve the smoothness of the gluteal contour.
Celluleaf is designed for subcutaneous blunt release of fibrous septae in soft tissue. These fibrous bands are an important structural contributor to the depressed dimples associated with cellulite.
Procedures Performed
- Celluleaf Structural Cellulite Release / Subcision
- Circumferential 360° Power-Assisted Liposuction
- Bra-Line Liposuction
- Ultrasound-Guided Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)
- CellulEAF-Assisted Superficial Pre-Dissection Before Fat Grafting
What Causes Cellulite?
Cellulite is not simply "extra fat."
Beneath the skin is a network of fibrous connective-tissue bands called septa. In areas affected by cellulite, these fibrous structures can tether the skin downward while the surrounding soft tissue pushes upward.
The result is the familiar dimpled, depressed, or uneven appearance commonly seen on the buttocks and thighs. Structural abnormalities of these fibrous septa are recognized as an important component of cellulite formation.
This helps explain why cellulite can remain visible even in women who are thin, athletic, or have very little excess body fat.
What Is CellulEAF?
CellulEAF is a tissue-preserving, non-cutting mechanical device designed for blunt release of fibrous septae beneath the skin.
Rather than treating only the skin's surface, CellulEAF allows Dr. Climov to work within the superficial soft tissue where structural tethering occurs.
The goal is to release selected fibrous attachments contributing to visible depressions while preserving the surrounding tissue as much as possible.
For appropriate patients, this allows cellulite treatment to focus on the structural cause of individual dimples rather than simply trying to camouflage their appearance.
How Does CellulEAF Treat Cellulite?
CellulEAF works through a concept known as subcision or structural release.
Dr. Climov evaluates the buttocks and identifies areas where superficial fibrous attachments contribute to dimpling or contour irregularity. The device is introduced beneath the skin and used to perform a controlled blunt mechanical release of selected fibrous septae.
Once an appropriate tether is released, the downward pull contributing to the depression is reduced, allowing the overlying tissue to assume a smoother contour.
Subcision as a treatment category has been studied for cellulite because it directly addresses the fibrous septa responsible for certain cellulite depressions.
CellulEAF vs. Traditional Cellulite Treatments
Many cellulite treatments focus on improving the appearance of the skin, while structural release focuses on what is occurring underneath it.
The best cellulite treatment depends on why the irregularity is present. Cellulite can involve fibrous tethering, skin laxity, differences in fat distribution, or a combination of factors, so treatment should be individualized.
Who Is a Good Candidate for CellulEAF?
CellulEAF may be appropriate for women who have:
- Visible cellulite dimples on the buttocks or thighs
- Individual depressions caused by superficial tissue tethering
- Cellulite that remains despite exercise or weight loss
- Reasonably stable body weight
- Good overall health
- Realistic expectations about cellulite improvement
It is particularly important to distinguish true tethered cellulite dimples from generalized skin laxity or irregular fat distribution, because these concerns may require different treatments.
Not every indentation should be released. Careful evaluation of the underlying anatomy is essential when planning structural cellulite treatment.
Why Cellulite May Remain After Liposuction or BBL
Liposuction, BBL, and cellulite treatment accomplish different things.
Liposuction removes excess fat.
BBL adds and redistributes volume.
Celluleaf addresses selected fibrous tissue attachments beneath the skin.
A patient can therefore have excellent body proportions and still have cellulite.
For this reason, treating the structural component of cellulite can be an important finishing step for selected body-contouring patients.
Celluleaf Combined with 360 Liposuction and BBL
This patient's treatment is particularly interesting because Dr. Climov approached her silhouette at multiple anatomical levels.
360 liposuction was used to sculpt the torso and improve waist definition.
Ultrasound-guided BBL was used to strategically enhance gluteal volume and shape.
Celluleaf was incorporated to address superficial tethering and prepare selected superficial tissue planes for smoother fat distribution.
Rather than relying on additional fat alone to camouflage irregularities, this approach allowed Dr. Climov to address both volume and underlying tissue structure.
Celluleaf Pre-Dissection for a Smoother BBL
In this patient, CellulEAF also served an important role before gluteal fat grafting.
The superficial plane above the superficial gluteal fascia was pre-dissected with Celluleaf before the fat was transferred.
This preparation creates expanded superficial grafting planes and allows the surgeon to distribute fat across a broader prepared area.
The goals of this approach include:
- Releasing selected superficial tethering
- Creating additional space for fat distribution
- Expanding the superficial grafting plane
- Facilitating more uniform fat placement
- Creating smoother transitions between treated areas
- Refining the overall gluteal contour
Dr. Climov refers to this combined approach as a Smooth BBL because the objective is not simply to increase buttock volume, but to create a smoother and more refined contour.
Can Celluleaf Be Performed Without a BBL?
Yes.
A patient does not need to undergo liposuction or a Brazilian Butt Lift to be evaluated for CellulEAF treatment.
For someone whose primary concern is discrete cellulite dimpling, CellulEAF can be considered as a targeted structural treatment based on the patient's anatomy and treatment goals.
For other patients—such as this case—it may be incorporated into a larger body-contouring procedure when cellulite, fat distribution, and gluteal shape all need to be addressed.
Why Choose Dr. Mihail Climov for Cellulite Treatment?
Dr. Mihail Climov is a fellowship-trained aesthetic plastic surgeon who approaches cellulite as an anatomical problem rather than simply a surface skin concern.
Successful cellulite treatment requires understanding the relationship between the skin, superficial connective tissue, fat, and overall body contour.
Dr. Climov evaluates these components together to determine whether a patient would benefit from structural cellulite release alone or a customized combination of CellulEAF, liposuction, fat grafting, and other body-contouring treatments.
Schedule a Celluleaf Cellulite Consultation in Houston
If you have persistent cellulite dimples that remain despite exercise, weight loss, or other aesthetic treatments, the underlying problem may be structural.
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Mihail Climov to determine whether CellulEAF structural cellulite release is appropriate for your anatomy and whether it should be performed alone or incorporated into a broader body-contouring plan.
