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| (Image credit to Getty Images) |
Thighs, hips and buttocks are some common sites of the body where cellulite usually occurs. But sometimes it also can be found on the skin of legs, breasts, upper arms, and even lower abdomen. The name of ‘cellulite’ may sound like a certain medical condition, but actually it is nothing more than fat beneath your skin. The big question, can you get rid of it? What are best ways to get rid of it? Keep reading – the following are pieces of information about these issues!
Some experts say that there is no cure for it, but others say that there are some options that can help ease the problem. Before continuing, you might also like to read the previous posts about lupus skin rash and simple ideas to look younger!
The bad appearance of cellulite is caused by the excess fat that pushes against the connective tissue of the skin, as a result you will notice some puckers of skin. This problem is more likely to occur in women than in men. The thinner skin in women is one of reasons for why it is pretty common in women. Generally about eight out of every 10 women have some degree of cellulite – according to Mayo Clinic.
Whatever the size of it, you may feel less confident when you have it! Trying to remove it may be a long process. But if you have completely understood what actually it is, then you may know what your best options are!
What does it look like?
It is a little bit like upholstery – minor spots of cellulite can be noticed when the skin is pinched. You will see the dimpling on the pinched skin with cellulite. In severe degree, it looks like dimpled skin (bumpy) with valleys and peaks - in many cases of severe cellulite, it can be noticed without needing to punch the skin.
As mentioned before, the thicker skin of men is the reason why cellulite is relatively more difficult to be noticed than in women. Below is a picture of minor cellulite.
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| (Image credit © to mayoclinic) |
How do you get cellulite – what are the causes and risk factors?
There are a lot of rumors associated with risk factors of cellulite, but which one is true and which one is only a myth?
Weight loss vs. weight gain
Many people think that weight gain (being overweight /obesity) can cause cellulite – is it true? Before jumping to the final answer, let us understand the actual cause of the problem.
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| (Image credit © to mayoclinic) |
The picture above explains that cellulite occurs when there are some excessive fat cells that lying between the fibrous connective cords and the underlying muscle. More fats that accumulate will give more pressure to push the skin, as a result though cords of fibrous cannot maintain the even surface of the skin and then will create dimpling (uneven surface on the skin).
Then, how about with the issue of weight gain and weight loss? In general, the problem is more likely to occur (more noticeable) when you are being overweight. However, this doesn’t mean that it cannot occur in individuals who have normal weight – but ‘yes’ it is less likely noticeable.
In other words, gaining weight can increase the chance of having more fat cells that accumulate in the fibrous cords – as a result, cellulite is more likely to be noticeable. If you are being overweight, weight loss can help hide it.
However if you are being at your normal weight, weight loss idea is not always recommended. Even this may increase your risk of losing the elasticity of your skin which then will make the dimpling to become more noticeable.
What are other risk factors of the problem?
The following are other conditions that increase your risk of having cellulite /more noticeable:
- Age (the unchangeable risk factor)! The elasticity of the skin decrease as you age, and as mentioned before the level of elasticity on your skin has a significant contribution to hide any dimpling.
- A family history of cellulite! If your mother or sister has cellulite, this doesn’t mean you will definitely cellulite, but you are more likely to experience the same condition.
- Some experts also believe that lack of physical activity may have contribution to cause more dimpling on the skin.
- Your risk may also increase if you have unmanageable stress or depression.
Additionally, some studies found that there may be a link between the use of certain hormonal contraceptives and cellulite – however more studies are needed to confirm this issue!
What are best ways to get rid of cellulite on thighs and legs?
There are some options, and the following are some of them:
The appropriate creams
There are a lot of products of creams to treat and remove cellulites. But in fact, most of them don’t live up to the level of their claims. Creams are not always good option. Some women find that they can help ease the problem, while others cannot find any improvement.
Antioxidants, minerals, retinols, herbal extracts, caffeine, and vitamins are some common ingredients of cream products for cellulite. However, not all these ingredient meet to your skin. Even one /some of these ingredients may bring a new problem to your skin (such as skin rashes or other unusual reactions)! So to keep safe, it’s much better to consult with your doctor first before making a decision.
Some recent studies found that retinol and caffeine may be more effective than other ingredients to reduce cellulite. Retinol can help stimulate more production of collagen. More collagen on the skin can make your skin look thicker & more elastic. And for caffeine, it may help shrink the cells of fat in the fibrous cords – as a result, the appearance of cellulite can be reduced.
Massage therapy
The choice of massage is purposed to improve the circulation beneath the skin, decrease the fluid (excess fluid) in the prone sites of cellulite, remove toxins, and improve the blood flow.
A method called ‘lipomassage or endermologie’ is one of common massage therapies for removing cellulite. In this kind of massage therapy, to improve the circulation of the skin, a hand-held appropriate machine is used to knead the skin. It may takes about 10-45 minutes for each therapy that usually recommended for about 2-3 times a week.
Though it is high-priced (about $1000 for a package of 11-12 sessions), but some studies found that it works effectively in reducing the dimpling due to cellulite.
Lasers and sound waves (radiofrequency system)
If you consult more the problem with a doctor, she may talk about Zerona and Smooth Shapes (a kind of machine that uses lasers) or Accent XL, Venus Freeze, & VelaSmooth (cellulite machines that use the energy of sound waves). How effective are these machines?
In general, they work by using the heat energy that generated from lasers or sound waves. The heat then will be used to thicken and firm the skin and sometimes also can be used to melt some excess fat cells in the fibrous cords.
Regardless to the cost (about $2,000 to $4,500 – depending on how many times you do the therapy), it can provide about 25 – 25 percent of improvement – according to an article published on WebMD.
Cosmetic surgery
There is now a new surgery (cleared by FDA) called “Cellulaze”. In this kind of surgery for cellulite, the specialist will inject a pain killer before starting the operation.
Then with a few tiny cuts, a side-firing laser will be inserted under your skin. And then the specialist will use an appropriate laser to restore and sizzle away any septae band – this procedure works in a grid pattern. The use of laser is also purposed to reduce bulges.
The most significant improvement from surgery usually can be noticed about 6 months after surgery Regardless to the cost (about $ 7,500), this surgery may be the best way to get rid of cellulite – patients (on average) may get about a 65 percent improvement on the problem of their cellulite.
But experts claim that this kind of surgery only work for women with mild and moderate cases of cellulite! It may less effective or even doesn’t work for women with big folds of fat. It is also not recommended for those who have deep depressions.
Another popular cosmetic surgery for cellulite is liposuction. But many specialists now think that it is less effective than cellulaze surgery. It may work well to shape the body, but doesn’t help enough to reduce and remove cellulite -- or even it may make the problem get worse!
