Non-surgical body contouring and cellulite management: modalities, durability of results, and real-world longevity

Demand for non-surgical body contouring and cellulite treatment continues to grow, yet the question patients ask first - how long will this last? - is poorly served by a literature dominated by 4- to 12-week endpoints. We reviewed clinical studies of device-based and injectable modalities reporting outcomes beyond the last treatment visit. Durability segregated by mechanism rather than by device category: interventions that irreversibly remove adipocytes or release fibrous septae sustained benefit for 12-36 months, whereas externally applied energy devices produced real but decaying change, typically attenuating within 3-6 months.