Nuera tight: Efficacy and safety in the treatment of the appearance of cellulite with minimal downtime

Background: Cellulite is a complex aesthetic problem caused by an interplay of dermal-fascial septae, lipodystrophy, and inadequate skin elasticity. Reliable solutions for cellulite remain elusive. Objective: To evaluate a novel radiofrequency-based body contouring device cleared by the FDA for the temporary improvement in the appearance of cellulite in the thighs and abdomen (NuEra; Lumenis, Ltd., Yokneam, Israel). Methods: A 2-part prospective cohort trial was designed: first, subjective patient and provider reported ratings of safety, comfort, and efficacy were collected using the NuEra system in the treatment of thigh cellulite in 9 participants. Following a review of this data, the second portion of the trial was conducted using the NuEra system to treat the abdominal area in the same patients, collecting anthropometric measurements using a 3-dimensional imaging system (Vectra M3; Canfield, Parsippany, NJ, USA). Five treatments were delivered at 1-week intervals with a final treatment after a 6-week delay. Results were assessed at the time of the treatments and at 2 months following the last treatment. Likert scales were used to evaluate subjective experiences and a standardized cellulite assessment scale was used to rate the pre and post-treatment photographs. Results: Patients rated the overall level of comfort at 4.3 and satisfaction as 3.3 on a 5-point scale. Pain scale scores during treatment averaged 1.4 on a 5-point scale. Providers reported very high levels of satisfaction with the ease of the treatment (4.3 on a 5-point scale). Evaluation of standardized photographs showed an average improvement of 0.53 (standard deviation [SD]=0.53), with an average pre-treatment score of 2.2 (SD=0.62) and post-treatment score of 1.64 (SD=0.68). The average reduction in waist and hip circumference measurements was 0.99 cm (SD=2.68 cm) and 0.71 cm (SD=1.44 cm). Conclusion: Radiofrequency-based body contouring is a safe, effective, and well-tolerated treatment for thigh cellulite.