LPG USA Announces the First Cellulite Breakthrough; FDA Agrees That the ES1 Endermologie Therapeutic Massager Is Effective for Temporarily Reducing the Appearance of Cellulite.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(BW HealthWire)--June 3, 1998--LPG USA Wednesday announced that its ES1 Endermologie Therapeutic Massager has been found as an effective treatment for temporarily reducing the appearance of cellulite.

ES1 is the first device manufactured to date to be permitted to make this claim by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Regulatory permission in the United States was granted by the agency based on a technical/clinical petition submitted by LPG.

This is very good news for millions of women. Until now, there has never been a satisfactory treatment for bumpy, pitted orange peel skin. LPG's Endermologie, which incorporates the ES1 device, has earned worldwide recognition as an effective way to enhance the appearance of cellulite.

Endermology works by providing a controlled, repetitive deep mechanical massage. The ES1 has a computerized treatment head consisting of two motorized rollers and powerful suction that draws tissue up between two rollers, folding and rolling it. The treatment is safe and comfortable, while it dramatically improves local circulation.

For optimum results, patients receive one or two weekly treatments for seven weeks, with regular monthly follow-up sessions.

A 1997 pilot study at New York University used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to clarify and validate the effects of Endermologie's ES1 Therapeutic Massager. This research showed that Endermologie treatments reduce the thickness of subcutaneous tissue on the MRI images.

According to Dr. Robert A. Ersek, assistant clinical professor, S.W. Texas State University Health Sciences School, who conducted a yearlong study on the effects of Endermology, "What we call cellulite is normal body fat that takes on a `quilted' appearance when the connective fibers going from the skin to the muscles shrink, usually from age or poor circulation.

"Even slender people can have it, and you cannot diet it away. In my experience, the only effective treatment for cellulite is Endermologie."

Endermologie was designed in France in the mid-1980s, where it was initially used to rehabilitate damaged muscle tissue, soften scars and standardize physical therapy. However, patients noticed an interesting side effect: a noticeable improvement in what the French call "peau d'orange." Since then, cosmetic use of Endermologie has become established in Europe, Japan and South America, with more than 5,000 Endermologie centers around the world.

There are now 700 centers in the United States, where the treatment has been available since 1996, primarily through physicians, including plastic surgeons, OB-GYNs and dermatologists. Treatment costs average between $80 and $100 per session, depending upon the area of the country.

For the nearest Endermologie center, call 800/222-3911. The Endermologie Cosmetic Therapy System is marketed and distributed by LPG USA, 3101 North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Telephone: [phone]. Web site: http://www.lpgusa.com.

    CONTACT: LPG USA, Fort Lauderdale
              Michel Van Welden or Colleen Shea, 954/568-5005
              (company spokespeople)
                    or
              Kip Morrison & Associates
              Kip Morrison, 310/274-6726 (media contact)