Summer Skin Beauty Countdown
MISSONI
Photo Credit: Dan Lecca
SMOOTH MOVES
Cellulite isn't partial to age, weight, or race, according to Manhattan dermatologist Dr. Bruce Katz. It's no wonder the 80 percent of women plagued with the condition might sell their firstborn to get rid of it. While there's still no foolproof cure, new breakthroughs help diminish dimpling (and keep your family intact).
Three Months: One of the most effective ways to smooth out lower body lumps is with Cellulaze, a new in-office treatment that uses short-pulsed, high-energy laser beams underneath the skin (through a small incision) to tighten tissue and increase smoothing via collagen production, says Katz. Though only a single treatment is needed, it costs about $3,000 and takes three months for best results to appear.
One Month: No magic exercise erases cellulite altogether, but superstar trainer Tracy Anderson (who whips Gwyneth Paltrow into shape) recommends doing a combo of dance cardio and repetitive thigh-busting leg moves (go to tracyandersonmethod.com for videos). "Doing 20 to 40 reps of each move pulls fat away from the muscles — the cardio burns that fat to help diminish the look of cellulite." A mini-mum commitment of three workouts a week for a month is necessary to build lean muscle that cuts the orange-peel look.
Two Weeks: For short-term relief, the latest crop of caffeine-infused sculpting gels, slimming scrubs, and firming creams promise to help drain water retention for a toned effect. Diane von Furstenberg and Cyndi Lauper get their fix with regular Resculpting Body Treatments — which involves getting zapped by a mild electrical current to stimulate lymphatic drainage — at Tracie Martyn's Manhattan spa. At home, Liv Tyler swears by Martyn's Resculpting Body Serum, made with coenzyme A and seaweed extract, that claims to firm up saddlebags.
One Day: New transdermal skin patches from Comfort Zone are applied to problem areas for 24 hours and deliver black-pepper extract to hike up circulation and plump skin, so cellulite appears immediately smoother. It's up to you how to explain them to your bedmate.
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