Validated Assessment Scales for Cellulite Dimples on the Buttocks and Thighs in Female Patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND New treatment methods for cellulite require globally accepted scales for aesthetic research and patient evaluation. OBJECTIVE To develop a set of grading scales for objective assessment of cellulite dimples on female buttocks and thighs and assess their reliability and validity. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two photonumeric grading scales were created and validated for dimples in the buttocks in female patients: Cellulite Dimples—At Rest, and Cellulite Dimples—Dynamic. Sixteen aesthetic experts rated photographs of 50 women in 2 validation sessions. Responses were analyzed to assess inter-rater and intra-rater reliability. RESULTS Overall inter-rater reliability and intra-rater reliability were both “almost perfect” (≥0.81, intraclass correlation efficient and weighted kappa) for the At Rest scale. For the Dynamic scale, inter-rater reliability and intra-rater reliability were “substantial” (0.61–0.80). There was a high correlation between the cellulite scales and body mass index, age, weight, and skin laxity assessments. CONCLUSION Consistent outcomes between raters and by individual raters at 2 time points confirm the reliability of the cellulite dimple grading scales for buttocks and thighs in female patients and suggest they will be a valuable tool for use in research and clinical practice.

Proteomic and Ultrastructural Analysis of Cellulite—New Findings on an Old Topic

“…MRI and ultrastructural results could influence the microsurgical methods proposed until now to treat the dimpling [19,20], or therapies based on radiofrequency [21] and on laser employment [22]. Most of these techniques, in fact, are based on the collagen fiber remodeling or cutting, but we are not sure that the remodeling of collagen septa is the most efficient method to treat cellulite.…”

Insights Into the Pathophysiology of Cellulite: A Review

“…The inability to objectively quantify the severity of cellulite at baseline, lack of grading scale standardization among studies, and variability in assessing degrees of cellulite improvement are further limitations. 67 …”

NuEra tight: efficacy and safety in the treatment of the appearance of cellulite with minimal downtime

“…A prospective case series study was designed following the Guidelines of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Regulations for the Protection of Human Subjects, to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the intervention. Subject inclusion criteria were female sex, age between 18 and 65 years, subjective dissatisfaction with appearance of their upper leg/ thigh region, and objective rating of mild or greater (>1) on the Cellulite Severity Scale [5] by the provider. Exclusion criteria were inability to complete the entire treatment series, loss to follow-up before the final result photographs were obtained, or undergoing any other treatment of the skin or subcutaneous tissues of the treated areas that could be deemed to confound the study results.…”

“…Photographs of the participants prior to any treatment and at the four week follow up were rated by two of the authors (SYT and CJM) and the appearance of cellulite in the thigh area was rated on the Cellulite Dimples-At Rest scale, as per Hexsel at al [5]. Anthropometric data from the 3D photographs was analyzed to evaluate changes in abdominal and hip circumference measurements, according to established protocols [6].…”

“…The average change on the Cellulite-At Rest scale [5] was -0.53 (SD=0.53), with the average pre-treatment score of 2.2 (SD=0.62) and post-treatment score of 1.64 (SD=0.68). Representative results are shown in Fig.…”