Cellulite has finally met its match
Published 5:00 am Wednesday, December 8, 2004
Massage therapist Kjirste Orr unveils the Synergie system, worthy of Oprah.
There are lots of fine masseuses on Bainbridge Island, but only one owns a machine hailed for reducing cellulite on Oprah’s television show.
Kjirste Orr, who specializes in massage for women, recently acquired a Synergie Aesthetic Massage System for her Winslow Way practice.
“There’s nothing like it in this county,” Orr said.
The machine was developed by the medical equipment firm Dynatronics to help soften scar tissue; researchers inadvertently discovered that it reduced the appearance of dimply fat on the skin, as well.
“I have had the machine two months, and it provides great results,” Orr said, adding that it received FDA approved for the temporary reduction of cellulite.
Used in Europe for years, the therapy is new to American clients, she said.
The Synergie machine that Orr uses on her clients looks like a little like a vacuum cleaner, but the end of the hose has a massage head that sucks and kneads the skin at the same time.
Clients wear a white “cat suit” during the treatment so the massage head glides over their skin without pinching.
A smaller massage head is used on the face and neck for non-invasive “mini-facials,” Orr said.
The Synergie process, known as vacuum massage, is credited with manipulating the collagen fibers and connective tissue and increasing circulation, which helps smooth and even out the lumps of fat and water under the skin, known as cellulite.
The manufacturer claims that noticeable results can be seen within four to six treatments.
For optimum results, clients are encouraged to receive the therapy twice a week for 16 weeks, with monthly maintenance visits.
Single 45-minute treatments with Orr are $80, with a series of eight sessions reduced to $70 each, and a regimen of 16 treatments at $60 each.
Orr also uses the non-invasive Synergie device for rehabilitation, health maintenance, and ease of symptoms for her clients with illnesses like fibromyalgia, and edema due to cancer treatments.
The system also includes a “Light Therapy” component, which uses visible red light and infrared light to accelerate the body’s natural cellular functions.
Light Therapy was initially developed to treat burn victims. Orr said she has found it effective treating everything from bruises to wrinkles and jaw pain.
Orr said the therapy has been used for wounds, scars, neck and shoulder pain and other afflictions for years, and that her clients love it.
“I work with a viola player who gets really sore and has tendonitis,” Orr said. “She comes in for the light therapy and feels better right away.”
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More Orr
A licensed massage therapist who offers an eclectic array of body treatments, Kjirste Orr can be reached at 842-1331. Her studio is at 262 Winslow Way E. in the Winslow Mall, across from the flower shop and up the stairs.
