Cellulite

Cellulite

LanLuma and subcision for cellulite

Cellulite treatment with LanLuma and subcision in Hale, Altrincham

Subcision and LanLuma can soften selected cellulite dimples on the buttocks and thighs, helping the skin look smoother and more even.

Cellulite can be easy to forget about until you're trying on shorts or packing a bikini for a beach holiday. Then the dimples on your thighs or bottom can become the thing you keep checking in the mirror.

LanLuma and subcision can help smooth those areas. Subcision releases selected bands beneath the skin that pull it down into dents, while LanLuma stimulates your own collagen to improve the surrounding skin. Dr Alex can combine them in one appointment, with the aim of softer dimples and skin you feel more comfortable showing.

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Dr Alex has previously been a LanLuma trainer and medical advisory-board member.

Book a consultation Learn more
Treatment
Subcision with LanLuma
Results
Develop over months
Comfort
Local anaesthetic
Recovery
Bruising around 2 weeks

What you've noticed

When the dimples start deciding what you wear

You can be perfectly happy with your size and still feel self-conscious about cellulite. Being fit doesn't mean you won't have it, either.

Dimples or an orange-peel texture

You might see a few deeper dents or an orange-peel texture across your thighs and bottom. It's often more noticeable standing up, especially when you're looking at the backs of your legs.

The changing-room mirror isn't helping

Your skin can look quite smooth at home, then much more dimpled under bright changing-room lights or out in the sunshine. You may notice it most when trying on swimwear or getting changed at the gym.

You'd like to wear the shorts

If you find yourself reaching for longer shorts or keeping a cover-up on at the beach, you may simply want the dimples to be less noticeable. You don't have to want a different body to want smoother skin.

At a glance

What the treatment involves

The plan depends on whether the main issue is a tethered dent, the quality of the surrounding skin, or a mixture of both.

Treatment
Subcision with LanLuma
Selected bands are released, with collagen stimulation used to support the surrounding skin.
Results
Develop over months
Allow healing and collagen changes to develop before judging the overall improvement.
Comfort
Local anaesthetic
The area is numbed; pressure and some discomfort can still be felt.
Recovery
Bruising around 2 weeks
Subcision can cause substantial bruising, sometimes lasting longer than two weeks.
Price
LanLuma from £900
The combined treatment quote will confirm the area, sessions and any subcision fee.

The improvement to look for

Softer dimples and a more even surface

The aim is to soften the dents and orange-peel texture that bother you, so showing your legs feels like less of a decision.

Dr Alex checks which dimples are being pulled down by bands beneath the skin and where the surrounding skin would benefit from collagen stimulation. Releasing a band helps soften that particular dent; LanLuma gradually improves the skin around it.

You'll need to let the bruising and swelling settle, then give the collagen response time to develop. When you compare the change, use similar lighting - a bathroom mirror and bright beach sunshine can give very different impressions.

✓

✓

Softer-looking dents in the treated areas.

✓

Less obvious orange-peel texture.

✓

Improved skin quality as the collagen response develops.

✓

Treatment directed at the particular dents that bother you.

Is it right for you?

Different kinds of unevenness need different treatment

A few deep dents, fine rippling and loose skin can look similar in a photograph but need different approaches.

You have individual tethered dimples
Subcision may help when a band is pulling a particular point of skin down. Dr Alex will examine the dimples before deciding which, if any, should be released.
The skin around the dents needs support
LanLuma can be useful when skin quality contributes to the uneven surface. If a deeper dent would also benefit from some additional volume, that is considered in the plan.
You can allow time for bruising
This is a treatment to plan around holidays, sport and occasions when the area will be on show. The recovery after subcision is more noticeable than after injections alone.

A useful boundary

Improvement, rather than completely smooth skin

Cellulite treatment doesn't remove body fat or guarantee that every ripple disappears. If loose skin is the main issue, or the unevenness isn't caused by tethering, releasing more bands may not help. Dr Alex will explain the likely benefit for the areas you show him.

How it works

Release the dent, then support the skin

Subcision and LanLuma do different jobs, which is why they can be useful together.

With subcision, Dr Alex works beneath the skin to release selected fibrous bands that pull it down. Local anaesthetic is used first. LanLuma can then be placed in the same appointment to stimulate collagen and improve the surrounding skin.

LanLuma contains poly-L-lactic acid, or PLLA. The body gradually breaks down the material while producing collagen in response to treatment. For cellulite, the main aim is better skin quality and a more even surface; adding volume is considered only where it would help the particular dent.

Your appointment

Planning the treatment around your dimples

The examination matters: Dr Alex needs to see how the skin looks when you're standing and which areas are actually tethered.

At consultation

Identify the areas to treat

You'll show Dr Alex the dents that bother you. He'll examine the skin, discuss previous procedures and check whether subcision, LanLuma or a different approach is most useful.
Before treatment

Agree the plan and recovery time

You'll discuss the areas, likely improvement, risks and cost. Allow for substantial bruising after subcision, especially if you're planning a holiday or an event.
During treatment

Release selected bands and treat the skin

After local anaesthetic, Dr Alex performs subcision where needed, followed by LanLuma in the same session when appropriate. You may feel pressure or movement beneath the skin despite the numbing.
After treatment

Allow the area to heal

You'll receive specific care instructions, including advice about activity and any massage. Bruising can last around two weeks or longer. The result is reviewed after healing and as the collagen change develops.

Why Dr Alex

Why choose Dr Alex for LanLuma and subcision?

Dr Alex has previously been a LanLuma trainer and medical advisory-board member. He has attended international training in Barcelona and presented on LanLuma at CCR in London.

For cellulite, he looks beyond the fact that the skin is uneven. A tight band underneath one dent, thin skin around it and a deeper hollow may each need a different part of the treatment. His approach combines subcision with LanLuma where both have a useful job to do.

He'll also be direct about the bruising. A smoother-looking result needs to be worth the recovery for you, so the timing deserves as much thought as the treatment itself.

GMC-registered doctor · 7072776

Full Member of BCAM

International toxin trainer

Aesthetics Awards winner 2021

Side effects and suitability

What should you know before treatment?

Bruising, swelling and tenderness are common after subcision, and bruises can be large. Some soreness may last while the area heals.

Possible side effects

Subcision can cause bleeding or a collection of blood beneath the skin, infection, scarring, altered sensation and unwanted changes in the skin's outline. LanLuma can cause lumps, delayed inflammation and uneven results. It cannot be dissolved with the enzyme used for hyaluronic acid filler.

Injury to or blockage of a blood vessel is an uncommon but serious complication that can damage skin and tissue. Dr Alex will explain the risks of the proposed combination before you decide.

When to get urgent help

Contact SONÜ immediately for unusual or increasing pain, or skin turning pale, grey, dusky or mottled. Rapidly increasing swelling, uncontrolled bleeding, spreading redness or fever also need urgent advice. Seek urgent medical care if you cannot reach the clinic. Call 999 for sudden breathlessness, chest pain or collapse, and mention the treatment.

When treatment may need to wait

Tell Dr Alex about medicines that affect bleeding, bleeding disorders, abnormal scarring, allergies, previous procedures and relevant medical conditions. Don't stop prescribed medicines on your own. Treatment is not offered during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and active infection or inflammation in the area needs assessment first.

You can take time to consider the recommendation before going ahead.

Treatment costs

How much does LanLuma cellulite treatment cost?

LanLuma cellulite treatments are listed from £900, with large-area treatment listed at £1,500. The cost of a combined subcision and LanLuma plan is confirmed after assessment.

Combined subcision and Lanluma plan
Agreed at consultationfor your agreed treatment plan
Lanluma cellulite treatment
From £900Lanluma only
Large-area Lanluma cellulite treatment
£1,500Lanluma only
The Lanluma reference prices do not include a combined subcision plan. Your quote confirms the area, sessions and whether subcision is included.
A consultation with Dr Alex costs £75. If you choose to have treatment within 3 months of your consultation, you can put this fee towards it, including at a later appointment. It cannot be used towards skincare products. If you decide not to have treatment, the fee covers your consultation.
Book a consultation
The LanLuma consultation fee is £75, listed separately. Your quote will explain the area, number of sessions and whether subcision is included, so you know the full cost before deciding.

Your questions

More about cellulite and subcision

These answers cover the differences between treatments and the practical side of recovery.

What is subcision?
It's a procedure that releases selected bands beneath the skin which pull it down into a dimple. Dr Alex numbs the area first, then works beneath the skin to release those bands. It is most useful when tethering is a real part of the dent you can see.
Why add LanLuma?
Releasing a band addresses the pulling underneath the dent. LanLuma stimulates collagen to improve the surrounding skin, and can add fullness where a deeper dent needs it. Dr Alex combines them when both are likely to contribute to the improvement, rather than automatically treating every area in the same way.
Does it work on thighs and buttocks?
Those are the main areas covered by this treatment. Suitability depends on the type of dimpling and the skin around it, rather than the body area alone. Dr Alex will assess the specific patches you want to improve.
Will it remove my cellulite permanently?
Treatment can soften selected dimples, but it doesn't guarantee permanently smooth skin. Your skin and body continue to change, and other dents may remain or become more noticeable. The useful goal is an improvement in the treated areas that you can see once healing and collagen changes have developed.
How long will I be bruised?
Plan for around two weeks of visible bruising after subcision, with some bruises taking longer to fade. The amount varies with the area and extent of treatment. If you're planning a holiday or wearing something that exposes the area, leave a generous gap and discuss timing before booking.
When will I see a difference?
There may be an early change after a band is released, but swelling and bruising can disguise it. The LanLuma effect develops over the following months. Dr Alex will explain when to review the area so you're judging the treatment rather than the temporary effects of the procedure.
Does subcision hurt?
Local anaesthetic is used before the bands are released. You may still feel pressure, movement or some discomfort, and the area can be tender afterwards. Tell Dr Alex if anything is painful during treatment; you don't need to put up with it silently.
Will I need more than one treatment?
Possibly. The number and depth of the dimples, the condition of the surrounding skin and your response all matter. Dr Alex will explain the likely course at consultation and review the change before recommending further treatment.
Can this help me lose weight or make my thighs smaller?
No. The purpose is to improve dimpling and skin appearance, not remove fat or reduce your weight. If size or loose skin is the main concern, Dr Alex will discuss whether a different treatment would be more relevant.
What about dents left by liposuction?
A dent after liposuction isn't necessarily ordinary cellulite. Scar tissue, uneven fat removal and skin changes can all contribute. Dr Alex can assess it, but the treatment needs to be based on the cause rather than assuming every dent should be released.

Related treatments

Other changes you might want to discuss

LanLuma buttock and hip-dip treatment focuses on shape and fullness. The general LanLuma page covers its wider uses. If crepey or loose skin is your main concern, skin-quality treatment such as Profhilo Body may be relevant; it doesn't release tethered cellulite dimples.

Lanluma in Hale, Altrincham

Lanluma stimulates collagen to improve crepey skin and selected contours, with treatment planned for skin quality, volume or cellulite.

Profhilo Body in Hale, Altrincham

Discuss treatment for crepey body skin, with realistic advice about loose skin and the course needed.

Your next step

Talk about the dimples that bother you

Whether it's shorts, swimwear or the gym mirror that brings it to mind, you can show Dr Alex exactly what bothers you at SONÜ in Hale, Altrincham. He'll explain whether LanLuma and subcision could help, what recovery involves and the full cost.

Book a consultation Contact the clinic
SONÜ Medical Aesthetics

34 Hale Road, Hale, Altrincham, WA14 2EX

Doctor-led treatment in a relaxed, private clinic

Close to Hale station and easy to reach from Altrincham, Manchester and Cheshire