THERE are few women allowed to remain blissfully unaware of cellulite and its unpleasant effect.

The result of fatty deposits, it causes a dimpled, uneven appearance frequently likened to orange peel. Worse, it's unavoidable for the majority of women. Ninety per cent of females are prone to cellulite, the condition caused by weight gain, hormonal change and genetics.

There is good news. About a decade ago, a French engineer developed a method of treatment which has greatly improved the appearance of cellulite on skin. Known as Endermologie, it has received praise from clients in North and South America, Europe and Japan.

Widely endorsed by celebrities and lauded in magazines, the practice has now established a healthy following in Bermuda where those in the know swear by its results.

"It's my understanding that 90 per cent of women get cellulite at some point," said Karen Mayor. A registered nurse, she so believed in the method of treatment that she purchased the island's only Cellu M6 machine and Body Sculpture, the business behind it.

"Some women are genetically disposed to it right from their 20s. With weight gain, you increase your likelihood of cellulite. Genetics also play a role. The one thing that affects all of us, that none of us can change, is our hormones. And so from the age of 40 onwards, higher oestrogen levels predispose women to cellulite.

"(The technology does) work, as demonstrated over the past 12 years in thousands of case studies from around the world. I haven't personally had the experience but the results look quite dramatic and the clients who have been coming for a while swear by it. A couple of the girls had been using it for years before they moved to Bermuda and they insist it keeps the skin really toned and smooth."

The Endermologie system was developed in the late 1970s by Paul Guitay, an engineer who suffered extreme muscle and skin damage as a result of a road traffic accident. Unhappy with the standard of physiotherapy he was receiving, he created a machine to better aid his recovery. The machine employed rollers and a suction device similar to a vacuum. Together, they effected a deep massage which proved successful at stimulating scar tissue.

"He designed technology which produced the same effect as the manual massages. This mechanical system allowed the therapy to be performed quicker and in a more consistent fashion.

"As they used it on more and more patients," Mrs. Mayor added, "they also found that their cellulite was disappearing. Their skin was toning up and evening out, reducing the appearance of cellulite and altering fat distribution."

The machine was approved by the American watchdog, the Food and Drug Administration ? that group accepted as fact its ability to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

British-trained, Mrs. Mayor was employed at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for more than 20 years, largely in surgery and wound care. Last year she joined the Elan Clinic, where she now works with plastic surgeon Christopher Johnson. In addition to her more recent entrepreneurial venture, she is pursuing a master's degree in wound care via correspondence, at Cardiff University.

"Working with Dr. Johnson has been incredible, really fascinating," she said. "I'd never worked in an operating room before, only on surgical floors, so I've learned a lot."

The Body Sculpture opportunity has proved equally as satisfying ? a great benefit is that the two forms of healthcare partner well. "Endermologie is recommended by many plastic surgeons before and after liposuction. And so as far as collaborating with the work done at the Elan Clinic, it's good for the patients. It probably helps give a good result ? pre-operatively it helps stimulate circulation, and post-operatively, it helps to tone the skin and counteracts the rippling and hard fat deposits that can occur with liposuction."

Aside from its previously mentioned benefits, the Cellu M6's ability to tone and repair muscle makes it a useful aid to sports enthusiasts and persons with fibrosis.

An added advantage is that it is capable of effecting lymphatic drainage ? a bonus for those who have had facelifts. The technology was introduced to the island by a local chiropractor, the late Donald Ray, who used it in his practice. Upon his death, the business was purchased by Heather Ingham. Last November, as she was preparing to leave the island, she sold Body Sculpture to Mrs. Mayor.

The nurse undertook a course of instruction which left her proficient in cellulite reduction. She aims to undertake further study, eager to become more experienced in the complete range of services the Cellu M6 has proven capable of providing.

"One of the reasons why I decided to buy the business is that the technology was proven," the nurse said. "Everything was based in research. It was all evidence-based."

Medical trials showed the Endermologie system capable of increasing tissue circulation by as much as 300 per cent ? for several hours ? and improving lymphatic drainage by 200 per cent.

Those details were significant as, according to Mrs. Mayor, a deep massage administered manually "boasts only a 60 per cent increase in circulation. It's quite a difference."

Although creams on the market are advertised as capable of cellulite reduction, their reach extends only as far as the top layer of skin, the epidermis. The Cellu 6 enables treatment to extend underneath, to the sub-dermal layer.

It is suggested that clients undergo 14 sessions, each lasts 35 minutes in duration. Improvements are usually noticed within five or six sessions ? however, for best results, the treatment should partner with a complete lifestyle change as diet, exercise and water intake also contribute to its success.

"It is quite a revolutionary machine and it's the only one on the island," Mrs. Mayor added. "When I first took over the business I was half expecting most clients to be older, people with a lot of cellulite. Many of the girls who come in are only in their 30s.

"They're following a fitness regime and want to keep their skin tissue nice and supple. They might not have a lot of cellulite but they're using the Cellu M6 as a method of prevention, as a means of keeping their cellulite under control."

For more information on Cellu 6 and its many benefits, telephone 292-5164. Body Sculpture is located in Suite 403 of the International Centre, Bermudiana Road.