Frequently asked questions

A cordless handheld device that applies adjustable vacuum suction and gentle heat to the skin. It lifts and rolls the skin and the tissue underneath it, increasing circulation in the area you're working on and encouraging fluid movement. Ten-minute sessions, three times a week, on thighs, hips, glutes, abdomen and upper arms.

It uses the same mechanism — mechanical suction applied to tissue — as in-clinic vacuum massage treatments like Endermologie and LPG. It's a home device rather than clinical equipment, designed for shorter, more frequent sessions you run yourself.

The Contour CS-1 device, a USB-C charging cable, a printed quick-start card, and The Method — our full guide to using it.

A body oil. This isn't optional — oil lets the device glide instead of dragging on your skin, and going without is the most common cause of discomfort and bruising. Any body oil works: almond, jojoba, coconut. Our Glide Prep Body Oil is formulated to stay slippery for a full ten minutes rather than absorbing halfway through.

Because cellulite isn't fat — it's structural. Fibrous bands of connective tissue called septae run from your muscle up to the underside of your skin, with fat sitting in the spaces between them. The bands pull down, the fat pushes up, and the dimpling is the result. In women those bands run vertically; in men they cross in a lattice, which is why 80–90% of women have cellulite and almost no men do, at every size.

Diet and cardio shrink fat cells. They don't change the connective tissue creating the dimpling. That's why cellulite shows up on very lean and very athletic women too.

Your lymphatic system carries excess fluid out of your tissue, and unlike your circulatory system it has no pump — it only moves when something moves it. When it's sluggish, fluid collects between those fibrous bands, the tissue swells, and the dimpling looks more pronounced. It's why your legs look worse before your period or after a long flight. Moving that fluid changes how the area looks.

It shouldn't, at any level. You'll feel firm suction and warmth. If anything is painful, the intensity is too high for that area — turn it down. Pain isn't a sign it's working.

Thighs, hips, glutes, abdomen and upper arms. Not your face, neck, throat, chest, breasts, genitals, or directly over your spine or bony areas.

Ten minutes, three times a week, with a rest day between sessions. The device stops itself at ten minutes and that limit is deliberate — more often doesn't speed anything up, and a short session is one you'll still be doing in six months.

Always toward your lymph nodes. Legs and thighs: upward toward the groin. Arms: upward toward the armpit. Abdomen: clockwise. This matters more than any other technical detail — lymph only flows one way, so working against it pushes fluid toward a closed end. The Method guide has a full diagram.

Level 1, on your first session, on every area. Build up over the following weeks. The right level is the highest one that stays completely comfortable.

Keep it moving continuously — roughly one slow stroke every two to three seconds. Holding it still in one spot is the single most common cause of bruising, and it achieves nothing extra.

No, it isn't waterproof. Use it on dry skin after you've showered and dried off, with plenty of oil.

Most people feel a lightness in the limb after the very first session — that's fluid. Reduced puffiness usually shows in the first week or two. Changes in skin texture typically take four to six weeks of consistent use.

Because they're different things. Fluid moves quickly; tissue and skin quality change slowly. The early wins are real, they're just not the same as the later ones.

No, and we won't tell you otherwise. Cellulite is structural. This works on how the area looks and feels — less puffiness, and support for the appearance of firmer, smoother skin. Anyone promising complete removal from a home device is overselling.

They hold while you keep using it. Like anything to do with circulation, stopping means the effect gradually fades. Ten minutes, three times a week, ongoing.

No. Cellulite is structural and appears at every size, so this doesn't depend on your weight or dress size. Smooth skin and a smaller body are two different goals — we only work on one of them.

Don't use it if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, have a pacemaker, defibrillator or any implanted electronic device, have a bleeding or clotting disorder, take anticoagulant medication, or are under 18. If you're being treated for cancer or have been within the last five years, or have lymphoedema, lipoedema or a history of DVT, speak to your doctor first.

Over broken, irritated or sunburnt skin; over varicose, thread or spider veins; over moles or any lesion you're unsure about; on recent scars or surgical sites; on healing tattoos; or anywhere with reduced sensation. If you have any medical condition or take prescribed medication, have a quick word with your GP before your first session.

It shouldn't. Mild pinkness during and just after a session is normal and settles within the hour. Bruising means the intensity was too high or you held the device still — drop two levels, keep it moving, and use more oil.