DENVER, CO—Lotions and potions, treatments and crèmes, over-the-counter or by postal delivery, natural and chemical, locally available and foreign-made. Advertisements in popular magazines, newspaper articles and television claim that cures for cellulite are as near as your wallet. In fact, says Ben Lee, MD, MBA, plastic surgeon in Denver, CO, despite all the progress in different cosmetic treatments—invasive and non-invasive—there is no cure for cellulite at this time.

“We just aren’t there,” Dr. Lee tells patients who inquire if the products they’ve seen on the market claiming to be the cure are worth their weight in, well, worth anything.

A condition as simple as cellulite can plague a woman her entire life. In fact 90 percent of women are affected by the condition that results from microcirculation impairments. The fatty deposits just beneath skin give a dimpled appearance to the skin surface, especially on the thighs or buttocks. Clinically, the enlarged female hypodermic lobules, which give the skin the dimpled "orange peel" look is caused by two forces: vertical connective tissue pulling down on the skin; fluid retention and enlarged fat cells pushing up on the skin.

Diet and exercise won’t eradicate cellulite either. Because cellulite is a complex problem it must be addressed from the subcutaneous layer to ace on fluid retention. Both diet and exercise affect deep fat but have no impact on the underlying cause of cellulite in the superficial tissues of your skin. Even women who exercise regularly and follow low fat-diets may still have cellulite.

In fact that’s where surgeons and laypeople are faced with the same hurdle, to field the manifold number of cures and treatments, prescription-based and otherwise, to see for themselves if the treatment merits the accolades sales reps naturally give it, or if the surgeon is better off waiting for the next great development vs. being a proponent of a less-than-satisfactory treatment.

“We’re consumers, just like the general public,” says Dr. Lee of the position he finds himself in assessing new products. “I take everything with a grain of salt. I wouldn’t want to be the first to get into any new treatment. I prefer to invest a more-than-adequate amount of time investigating results before jumping in.”

Beware of the over-promises inherent in false advertising (false if any product promises to eradicate cellulite) and reserve your enthusiasm for any new treatment that is not yet FDA approved or if your surgeon can’t show you before and after photos of several patients he/she has treated for the same condition you’re interested in getting treated.

Chances are, in your lifetime you may yet see the cure for cellulite. Just be sure you see it first in a reputable surgeon’s office supported by ample Before & After photos of his/her patients that you’re welcome to call for more personalized references.

Visit Dr. Ben Lee on the web at www.drbenlee.com. Or call 303-783-9997.