Endospheres for the calves in London

The calves are a zone in three of the maker's leg protocols, worked in the same session as the thighs, for a firmer-looking skin tone and a lighter feel in the lower leg. No maker series reports a result for the calves on their own, and we say so. The roller of 55 silicone spheres is worked up the calf towards the knee in slow passes, over a course the maker gives as twelve or eighteen sessions, two or three a week. The free consultation is with Dr Marie Duggan, GMC 7488383, at Endospheres Clinic, 8 Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2HF, with the price in writing.

What the maker's series covers

The calves and the shins are zones in the protocols of three maker series on the legs, which scored cellulite on the front of the thighs without a separate score for the lower leg. None of the series is randomised, blinded or sham-controlled, and none measures lymph flow, and we say so.

What it does and does not do

A firm mechanical massage worked upwards from the ankle changes the feel and the appearance of the lower leg for a time. It does not destroy fat or build the calf muscle, and we make no claim that it drains lymph. Swelling of the lower leg from fluid is a medical question the doctor asks about at the consultation before any course. In our experience the appearance returns over months without maintenance, which the maker describes as two sessions a month for three or four months after the course, then one a month.

The session and after

In our practice you lie on the couch; the roller is passed up each calf from the ankle to the knee in slow passes, and the operator adjusts the pressure with you. A session for the calves with the thighs runs within the maker's 45 minutes to an hour and a half. In our experience the skin can look pink and feel warm afterwards, some people are sore after a session like after a gym session, and the maker asks for at least 48 hours between sessions.

Who it suits

In our practice it suits an adult who wants a firm mechanical massage over a course for a firmer-looking lower leg. It suits someone who will attend two or three sessions a week and maintain the result. The maker's protocol excludes pregnancy and breastfeeding and asks for 30 days after fillers, and a history of a clot in the leg is a reason to see your doctor first. The heavy legs page covers the whole leg, and the full guide the rest.