What can Avéli treat, and what will it not fix?
Medically reviewed by
The LovMedSpa medical team, led by Dr. Ahmed Elsoury, MD and Mark Ennett, PhD, CRNA
Last reviewed: July 2026
Avéli is a targeted release of the specific fibrous bands causing individual dimples, performed in one visit under local anesthetic with real-time confirmation that each band has been released. It treats dimples. It does not treat loose skin or general surface texture.
What the device is cleared for, and how it works
The device is cleared by the FDA for long-term reduction in the appearance of cellulite in the buttocks and thighs of adult women, supported by clinical data through one year of observation. The mechanism is targeted verifiable subcision. A handheld device is passed beneath the skin, the specific septa creating a given dimple are identified and released, and that release is confirmed before moving to the next dimple. The verification step is the meaningful difference from blind subcision, where the provider works by feel and cannot confirm the tether is gone.
Candidacy: dimples, not laxity
Candidacy is what patients get wrong. Avéli treats discrete, identifiable dimples. It does not address skin laxity, crepey texture, or the diffuse rippled appearance that comes from loose skin rather than tethering. A patient whose primary issue is laxity will not be satisfied and should be evaluated for a tightening approach instead. Many patients have both, in which case sequencing matters.
What the visit and recovery actually involve
The procedure itself is worth understanding in advance. Dimples are marked while standing, because they present differently lying down and the map made on the table is not the map that matters. Local anesthetic is infiltrated, entry points are small, and the visit typically runs one to two hours depending on how many dimples are being treated. That count is also what drives cost, which is why two people quoted for the same procedure receive different numbers.
Expect mild pain in the first day, along with bruising and tenderness that generally resolve within about a month. Compression is usually worn for a short period afterward. Results are assessed at around three months, once bruising has cleared and the tissue has settled. This is a procedure performed under local anesthetic, not a facial, and it should be discussed that way.
Common questions
How is Avéli different from blind subcision?
The verification step. With Avéli, a handheld device is passed beneath the skin, the specific septa creating a given dimple are identified and released, and that release is confirmed before moving to the next dimple. In blind subcision, the provider works by feel and cannot confirm the tether is gone.
What does recovery look like?
Expect mild pain in the first day, along with bruising and tenderness that generally resolve within about a month. Compression is usually worn for a short period afterward. Results are assessed at around three months, once bruising has cleared and the tissue has settled.
Why are the dimples marked while I'm standing up?
Because dimples present differently lying down — the map made on the table is not the map that matters. Marking while standing captures how each dimple actually appears, so the provider releases the bands responsible for what you see in the mirror.
At LovMedSpa, Avéli is performed as a medical procedure under local anesthetic, under the oversight of medical director Dr. Ahmed Elsoury, MD (New York and Connecticut) and Mark Ennett, PhD, CRNA (South Florida), available across our Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, Aventura, and West Farms locations. A consultation is the best way to determine whether your concern is tethered dimpling, laxity, or both — and what the right sequence of treatment looks like.
This is general information, not medical advice; candidacy is determined by a licensed provider at an in-person assessment.