Cellulite Subcision and the Bands Behind Dimples

A cellulite dimple has a mechanical cause. Fibrous septa run from the underside of the skin down to the deeper fascia, and lobules of fat sit in the compartments between them. Where a septum is short or stiff, it anchors one point of skin while the neighboring fat presses up, and the surface takes on an orange-peel pattern that becomes clearer when you stand and tense the thigh.

Subcision works on that anchor directly. A thin instrument enters through a small puncture and is moved in a flat plane just beneath the skin, dividing the septa under each marked dimple. Once a band is divided, the skin above it is free to rise toward the level of the surrounding surface. The fat and the skin themselves stay where they are.

Because the cut is made in the band, subcision suits dimples caused by tethering. Thin, loose skin that hangs in soft folds is a separate problem, and subcision by itself does not tighten it.

Subcision takes place inside a program session of about 40–60 minutes. The sequence below shows what each part involves.

Microwave energy from Onda, aimed at the fat layer, is part of the same session, and the price list also names circulation care within it.

Dividing a band leaves a small space under the skin. A collagen-stimulating product placed there is intended to hold the lifted point up while the tissue heals and new collagen forms. The energy step addresses the other side of the pattern, because a dimple looks deep partly due to the fat bulging beside it.

Only the release step deals with the tether itself. If a person has bulging fat but few anchored points, the session leans on the other components, and that balance is set when the area is marked.

Bruising is the expected result of cutting septa, because small blood vessels run alongside the bands. By the clinic's guidance, bruising and swelling last 4–5 days and can stretch to 6–7, concentrated where the anesthetic went in. A review of treatments that target fibrous septa describes bruising as typical and notes that some patients develop longer-lasting brown discoloration from post-inflammatory pigment or hemosiderin, the iron left in tissue after bruising (Shridharani, 2023).

Other risks to weigh are tenderness, lumps or unevenness where the collagen product sits, infection at a puncture, and incomplete release that leaves some dimples visible. Contact the clinic by WhatsApp or through the form on this page if redness spreads, the area turns hot and painful, or you develop a fever.

The research base for cellulite care is thin. A systematic review of 67 treatment studies found methodological weaknesses throughout, counted just 19 randomized placebo-controlled trials, and found no treatment with clear evidence of effect (Luebberding, 2015). The clinic's own guidance is similarly cautious: repeated sessions smooth the surface without making cellulite disappear, and keeping body weight stable is what lets the change hold for a long time.