**6. Future directions**

Continual improvement of energy-based technologies has led to enhanced patient outcomes for body contouring. The currently available technologies are suitable for minimal to moderate skin laxity, but no device is able to provide surgical results for patients with severe excess skin and laxity. Furthermore, few therapies have proved useful for the treatment of skin rippling and dimpling associated with cellulite. Future directions should focus on maximizing fibroseptal network and skin contraction, addressing rippling cellulite, and preventing postoperative liposuction deformities.

Furthermore, our patients yearn for less invasive options as well as less stigmata of having had a surgical procedure. Technology will continue to evolve to achieve further skin and soft tissue contraction in combination with fat reduction. Eventual advances will ideally allow these changes to occur percutaneously without the need for any incisions or downtime.
