Treatment of cellulite with optical devices: an overview with practical considerations.

Cellulite is a common condition in women for which treatment is frequently requested. Its etiology is unknown, but a myriad of factors including genetics, hormones, and inflammation appear to contribute to its formation. Despite the popularity of therapies touting their effectiveness for this pervasive condition, few have proven long-lasting benefits. Lasers and light sources are the latest devices to have entered the cellulite therapeutic market. This paper describes these optical devices and provides an overview of their published effectiveness. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.