Technology guide
Subcutaneous adipose tissue
The fat beneath the skin is the target of non-invasive slimming treatments. Understanding its structure and role helps you explain to your clients what the technologies can, and cannot, do.
Where is it located?
Subcutaneous adipose tissue is the layer of fat located between the skin and the muscles. Its thickness varies greatly depending on the area and the person: a few millimetres on the face, much more on the abdomen or thighs. It is distinct from visceral fat, located around the organs, which beauty treatments do not reach.
Its structure
It is made up of fat cells, the adipocytes, grouped into lobules. These lobules are separated by collagen septa that connect the skin to the deeper tissues; they are what give cellulite its dimpled appearance. A network of blood and lymphatic vessels supplies and drains the whole.
Much more than a reserve
This fat stores energy, insulates against cold and cushions impacts. It is also an active tissue that produces hormones, such as leptin, which is involved in the feeling of satiety.
Why technologies target it
Cryolipolysis and cavitation act selectively on adipocytes, which are more sensitive to cold or ultrasound than neighbouring tissues. EMT, on the other hand, does not act directly on fat: it makes the muscle work, which draws on the reserves.
Limits
These treatments address localised fat deposits, not overall excess weight. In the case of lipoedema, medical advice is needed. Eliminated adipocytes do not come back, but the remaining cells can grow larger if weight is gained.