First aesthetic laser device for long-term reduction in appearance of cellulite

Cynosure, Inc., a leader in laser- and light-based treatments for minimally invasive and non-invasive aesthetic applications, received a medical device licence issued by Health Canada for the Company's Cellulaze(TM) Cellulite Laser Workstation for the reduction in the appearance of cellulite.

Cellulaze is a new approach to long-lasting cellulite reduction in just one treatment. It is the first minimally invasive surgical device designed to reduce cellulite appearance by restoring the normal structure of the skin and underlying connective tissue. Cellulaze diminishes the lumpy pockets of fat, releases the areas of skin depression and increases the elasticity and thickness of the skin.

An estimated 85% of women over the age of 20 have some form of cellulite - pockets of fat deposited just beneath the surface of the skin, around the hips, thighs, and buttocks, which produces an "orange-peel" or a "cottage cheese" appearance. In the United States alone, treatment of cellulite is a multibillion-dollar industry, according to market estimates.

Nearly four years of clinical research puts Cellulaze in a class of its own: the only single-treatment aesthetic procedure to last one year or more. Clinical data has proven Cellulaze treatments can increase the thickness of the skin by 25% and increase the elasticity of the skin by 29% at one year. No other anti-cellulite treatment can make these claims.

"Cellulaze is a solution for the millions of women who have struggled unsuccessfully to eliminate cellulite through diet and exercise, or have tried the myriad lotions, potions and creams currently on the market," said Cynosure President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Davin. "Unlike those products, Cellulaze is the only aesthetic device that directly treats the physiological structure of cellulite, providing clinically proven, long-lasting results."

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Barry E. DiBernardo, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of Newark, New Jersey, was one of five investigators in a multi-centre study of Cellulaze. He has published one- year results on a subset of the treated patients.

"The study was designed with both traditional, subjective measurements of clinical improvement and new objective, quantitative measures as well. All of the analysis concluded that patients treated with Cellulaze maintained results at least one year," said Dr. DiBernardo.

Cellulaze uses a proprietary SideLight 3D(TM) side-firing technology to target the exact causes of cellulite beneath the skin: herniated pockets of fat, stiffened septae and thin skin. During the procedure, a tiny laser fibre is inserted under the skin, which gently heats the skin and disrupts or melts the fat. Next the laser releases the fibrous bands that create the dimpling effect from pulling down on the skin. This release creates a smoother look. Finally the laser's energy stimulates collagen production to increase skin's depth and elasticity for a more even, healthier appearance.

Patients usually see improvements within a few weeks, with the most significant results continuing to develop for a few months following the procedure. Cellulaze also complements other body shaping technologies, such as Cynosure's Smartlipo(TM) family of workstations. Together, these technologies synergistically deliver the benefits of cellulite reduction and skin tightening through tissue coagulation.

Cellulaze received CE Mark certification in February 2011 and is currently being marketed in the European Union.