Look to your left; look to your right. Pretty much anyone within your eyeline can be dealing with cellulite. Unwanted dimpling on the legs, butt and thighs occurs in 90 percent of women and 10 percent of men. Aesthetic company Endo, who makes the injectable cellulite treatment QWO, has set out to start an open discussion with those who are dealing with booty dimples with a “Butt First” campaign that encourages “judgment-free” discussions about the concern, as it affects so many women, no matter the race, age and body type.
During the “Butt First” kick-off event held in Miami (which some might say is the booty capital of the U.S.), dermatologists Annie Gonzalez, MD and Stacy Chimento, MD both shared the positive experiences they’ve had with the injectable treatment on themselves and their patients. Being in such a diverse city, the skin experts made it a point to highlight that QWO has been extensively tested and has been found to be safe and effective for women of all Fitzpatrick skin types.
“When you consider a treatment, you look at its efficacy and whether or not it’s safe for your patient population,” explains Dr. Chimento. “During the clinical trials for QWO, 30 percent of the participants had light brown to very dark skin tones, which are classified as Fitzpatrick skin types IV, V, and VI. I will tell you that all these women did beautifully and this treatment. Patients with more melanin-rich skin like African American patients or those of African descent did absolutely amazing. For us in Miami, we are very diverse, we have a lot of patients of Latino and Hispanic heritage, African Americans and Native Americans and all these women did beautifully and saw impressive results, which is excellent since women of all ages, from all backgrounds and with all skin tones get cellulite.”
While bruising is a common side effect that fades quickly after the first treatment—three sessions are recommended, each spaced 21 days apart, to get the best results—Drs. Gonzalez and Chimento stress that bruising, redness and swelling at the injection sites subside quickly. One concern that people with melanin-rich skin face often is the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) which can cause darkening of the skin. The doctors shared that while there is always a risk of PIH occurring as a reaction to a skin procedure that causes skin inflammation or injury, it’s not a major risk with QWO. It’s important to note, ongoing studies are being conducted on the injectable’s side effects and the risk and longevity of possible PIH in patients of color.
“Given the mechanism of action of QWO, leakage of blood from small blood vessels near the area that is injected can create bruising and temporary staining as the bruise heals.” Dr. Chimento shares. “This bruising is believed to occur due to the breakdown of the collagen in the fibrous bands of cellulite that support the blood vessels. Regardless of skin type, any individual is at risk for post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and it is not correlated with Fitzpatrick skin types. However, everyone clears bruises at different rates and while some residual hyperpigmentation may occur, patients always do well and see improvement.”
These types of conversations are exactly why Endo is continuing the “Butt First” campaign throughout the country—to give women and physicians a chance to speak freely about any concern, issue or challenge brought about from living with cellulite. As we know from the statistics, it’s a problem that many women deal with secretly, but not anymore. No matter your background, QWO wants you to know that they’ve got your back—and your Butt! Go to QWO.com to find a Butt First event in your area.
