Cellulite, or cottage-cheese lumpiness common on the buttocks and thighs, has been nearly impossible to treat by any method, including liposuction, fat injections, mesotherapy, body lift, herbal or dietary supplements, and so on.

Only lower body lift and fat injections have even some data supporting any beneficial effect, while standard liposuction can actually make things worse.

Creams and lotions are a waste of money, as are suction, vacuum, and massage gizmos, no matter how much money you pay for them.

While people of Asian descent suffer from objectionable cellulite less often than those of other ethnicities, it is still a common and annoying problem.

Cellulite is caused by bands of strong fibrous tissue that connect the muscle to the skin. When bands are tight, fat can bulge between them causing rippling and dimpling. Almost all women have some cellulite and so do many men.

For people with more severe problems, now there is hope.

A recent study suggests that a combination of minimally-invasive laser treatment beneath the skin followed by fat transplantation by injection holds considerable promise.

The laser stimulates new collagen formation and causes skin tightening, while the fat injections fill in the depressions and dips.

Since cellulite formation is a chronic condition influenced by genetic and hormonal factors, this new treatment is not a permanent cure but does offer the possibility of a safe and effective approach.