All About Cellulite – What Are The Causes and Treatments?

What is cellulite?

When we mention this word we typically refer to the skin condition that looks like orange peel.

This is mainly seen on the thighs, hips, some ridges and sometimes on the belly and insides of the arms. And it is more commonly seen in women than men. In fact, over 85% of women suffer from this.

The dermatologists refer to cellulite as the inflammation of the skin’s connective and fatty tissues. The inflammation is caused by bacteria from one’s body’s waste products.

A Closer look into different layers of skin

Our skin consists of three layers;

The top layer or the epidermis is very thin and water repellent.
The next layer, the dermis which is a thicker layer that consists of a network of connective tissue that gives skin strength and elasticity.
In the deepest layer hold the first of fat cells and blood vessels. Here is where grease, liquids, sugars, proteins and chemical agents and toxic waste are stored.

How do we get cellulite?

Unfortunately, there are no obvious reasons why we get cellulite. Anyone can suffer from cellulite, regardless of age or gender.

One thing for sure is that it is not reserved for obese people or older menopausal women.

In fact, the most common target group is younger women who just got out of puberty or women who become pregnant.

Cellulite can occur for a cause or causes of several in combination

A common cause is that you have poor blood circulation, which means that waste products in the body are not cleared out. These clumps together with fat and water then form unevenness.

credit photo to Wikipedia

Other common causes include hormonal imbalance that occurs in women when they go into puberty and even when they get pregnant.

Even men who are suffering from hormonal imbalance or lack of testosterone can have cellulite.

Do fat people have more tendency?

There are no scientific studies showing that obesity or overweight is the cause of cellulite. You can have it in all the places that you have subcutaneous fat, in both normal weight and overweight.

However, it is clear that the person who is overweight has more visible cellulite.

When you have more fat on certain body parts, the skin on those parts becomes thinner and makes the cellulite more visible.

What is responsible for the accumulation of fatty tissues and toxic waste?

It is more likely the poor circulation of blood that is to blame as it causes your body to store more fat and toxic waste.

Likewise for pregnant women often have visible cellulite on her stomach and breasts. It is because of hormonal imbalance that negatively affects the metabolizing process of the body and its ability to get rid of the waste products.

And when the skin of the body parts such as the stomach and breasts become stretched out and thinner, the cellulite can also become more visible.

exercises-to-get-rid-of-cellulite

Cellulite Treatments – Can You Get Rid of It?

Different people promise different things when it comes to how to treat cellulite or end it.

Many people are looking for that so-called ‘best cellulite treatment’ or the best cellulite creams or lotions that promise to erase the problems in no time.

Unfortunately, you cannot get rid of the cellulite permanently, or totally. And those who happen to have more tendency to get cellulite (as explained above) will always tend to get more if the matters are not taken under control.

With that said, there are ways for you to make cellulite less visible. Many methods are proven to be very effective, even though they are not permanent solutions.

Can Exercises Help You Get Rid of Cellulite?

It has been concluded that so far there is no permanent cure for cellulite. You cannot get rid of it entirely.

With that said most dermatologists agree, that exercise and a good diet is a good start for the skin, and can dramatically improve your cellulite situations.

In addition, there are studies proving that the right training could well reduce cellulite in the majority of women.

There is a study conducted at Quincy College in Massachusetts in the United States with 79 individuals who had never worked out over a period of eight weeks of strength training. They would carry 3 sessions of 20-minute workouts every week.

After the study was completed that showed that 70 percent of the women in the group had significant reduction of cellulite.

The reason for the reduction was concluded that when the trained muscles were trained, the skin got stretched out and became smoother hence the less visibility of the cellulite.

Do this exercise three times a week and see results!

Simply put:

An hour on the training sessions focusing on the buttocks and thighs every week for a period of 8 weeks can produce noticeable results that no other creams or treatments can provide.
Results also can be based in the building of muscles instead of occasional burning of subcutaneous fat, which most likely provides longer lasting results.
There are several exercises you can do to train thigh muscles and gluteal muscles. Not only will you get stronger muscles, you develop better posture, have smoother skin and also stronger bones.
Exercises and eating healthy can do wonders for many people. But it’s NO Guarantee that everyone will have a similar success story!
You can combine the training with regular traditional exercise, such as walking, to get the circulation going. Together with a good diet (less intake of mainly sugar and increased intake of raw vegetables) you will have better chances of reducing the appearance of cellulite. The bonus is you will also feel healthier, as you look better!

Diet that helps reduce cellulite

Basically, start with drinking no less than 2 litres of water a day. This alone can dramatically improve the cellulite problem, along with other skin problems you may have. It helps flush out the toxins and improve your metabolism.

Eat more green leafy vegetables and citrus fruits daily. Make sure to avoid preservatives and most processed foods. Obviously, you will want to eat enough protein and enough fatty acids that are good for you.

If you want more details about what to eat to reduce cellulite, check out this video.

Cellulite Removal Treatments – What Are They and Do They Work?

The professional treatments can cost from USD$900 up to US$6000 per session. And most of them require several sessions of treatment before you see substantial results.

There are many types of laser treatments for cellulite. One of the many that claim to do a good job at this based on real testimonials on Realself.com is Cellulaze treatment. The average cost of treatment is US$6000 per session and it must be done by certified surgeon only.

Courtesy of Cellulaze.com

A few other professional cellulite treatments available;

Endermologie – this treatment involves massaging, rolling, and sucking at the skin surface to stimulate the break up of stubborn deposits of cellulite
Radiofrequency (RF) energy treatment is allegedly a new and promising technology for non-surgical body contouring, fat and cellulite reduction.
ThermiTight – Subdermal Tissue Remodeling
Zwave – Acoustic Wave Therapy
Vanquish is an FDA-approved body contouring procedure, which uses radiofrequency energy to allegedly heat and kill fat cells in a non-invasive way

Does anti cellulite cream work?

No cream or potion can erase the cellulite or melt away fat lumps under your skin. But that doesn’t mean that all of the topical products on the market are completely useless.

Some of the ingredients in the topical products that claim to treat cellulite have actually been proven to help.

Retinol and caffeine are the active ingredients that can help reduce the appearance of the orange peel skin. The caffeine allegedly increases promote better blood circulation, while retinol helps make the skin around the problem areas smoother.

The two should be used in combination to deliver the best results possible.

There is no need to spend more to get more when it comes to cellulite creams

Many high-end brands make bold claims and promises. Some of which can cost up to US$300 a jar.

They do decent jobs most of the time. (Or they would have been out of business already considering the asking price!)

But there are many drugstore products that work just as well! Below is our list of promising and affordable cellulite creams we recommend.

Lipoxyderm Firming and Defining Lotion

lipoxyderm-firming-and-defining

(8 fl oz USD$ 54 – USD$ 60 Get The Best Price from Amazon.com)

Claims:

Tightens Loose Skin
Reduces the Appearance of Cellulite
Dramatically Improves the Texture of Your Skin
Helps Improve Your Muscle Definition
Helps Make Stubborn Fat Vanish

7 active ingredients:

Caffeine 5%
Glycolic Acid
Aminophylline
L-Carnitine
Yohimbe
Gotu Kola
Vitamin E

Divine Alchemy Cellulite Cream Organic Botanicals & Herbs

(US$ 17 – US$ 20 for a 4 Oz bottle) Get the best price on Amazon.com

divine-alchemy-cellulite-cream-organic-botanicals-herbs

Cruelty free
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
Smooth texture
Smells great
Fast Acting

Claims:

Helps You get rid of Unsightly Cellulite and Provide Immediate Long Lasting Skin Softening and Moisturizing
Tested and proven in Salons and Spas for well over 7 years
Coenzyme an Active ingredient in Caffeine has been successfully Proven to Treat Cellulite
Our Lotion Tones Tightens Moisturizes & Smoothens Your Skin Fast
Reduce unsightly Cellulite (Orange Peel) with regular use

Ingredients:

Organic Gotu Kola
Organic Dandelion Leaf
Organic Horsetail Plant
Organic Cinnamon
Organic Pink Grapefruit
Caffeine
Organic Green Tea
Hyaluronic Acid
Vitamin A; E
Vitamin B5
Sweet Almond Oil

Body Merry Cellulite Cream with Caffeine + Retinol + Seaweed

4 oz for US$ 17- 20 Get the Best Price on Amazon.com

body-merry-cellulite-cream-with-caffeine-retinol-seaweed

Ingredients:

Organic Herbal Mix, Organic Aloe, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Sodium Stearate, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Coconut Oil, Menthol, Cetyl Alcohol, Caffeine, Algae Extract, Japanese Green Tea Leaf Extract, Fragrance, Organic Sweet Almond Oil, Hydroxyethyl Cellulose, Carrageenan Gum, Retinol, Kelp, Dulse, Wildcrafted Horsetail, Organic Cayenne, Apricot Kernel Oil, Vitamin E, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexyl Glycerin.