Cellulite Treatment

What is Cellulite ?

Cellulite is the cottage cheese like lumpy substance in the skin that is commonly found in legs, thighs, stomach and butt. The word cellulite was derived from the French word for "cell" combined with the suffix "-ite" which means disease. It is the dimple or pucker like in the surface of the skin that resembles the peel of the orange. Cellulite is also often defined as the herniation of superficial and deep fat into the dermis.

Damage in the delicate capillary in the fat layer beneath the skin causes the cellulite. Once the cellulite is present it will continue to accumulate which makes it difficult to eliminate. Such damage is not visible to the naked eye until it becomes a lump in the skin. Circulation problems, food additives, water retention, chemical preservatives and hormones are some of the factors that contribute to the development of cellulite. Some causes of cellulite include poor lifestyle, having no exercise, excess intake of saturated fat, excess consumption of sugar and poor hydration.

Studies and research relates the presence of cellulite to the hormone estrogen. The estrogen is the hormone of the female that breaks down collagen. It is deemed that the breaking down of collagen connected to the fatty tissues present in the thighs and the hips of women leads to the development of cellulite. Cellulite formation is common among women undergoing puberty, pregnancy and pre menopausal and postmenopausal.

To check if one has a cellulite, one must pinch into the skin around the upper thigh. If it appears to look a little lumpy, then a cellulite is present. Cellulite is common among women of different ages whether they have problems in weight or not. Around 90% of women experience the presence of cellulite in their skin. Certain factors such as gender, genes, amount of fat in the body, thickness of skin and age affect the amount cellulite that is present in ones skin and its visibility.

There are four identified different types of cellulite. These are the slight cellulite, compact cellulite, loose cellulite and the last is the painful cellulite. The slight cellulite is only visible once the skin is contracted or pinched and is not visible while standing. The compact cellulite is the ones that are visible even while standing but it does not cause any pain. The loose cellulite is present but cannot be seen while the person is standing because of the water retention in the hypodermis and the dermis. And lastly, the painful cellulite is a type of cellulite that is painful and tender if pinched or contracted.

The females usually develop the formation of cellulite upon the start of puberty due to change in hormones. It is identified that women above the age of 18 possess some degree of cellulite. For the males, loose on the hips, chest and the thighs bear a resemblance of cellulite.

Having cellulite is a problem experienced by most women and some men even those that do not struggle with their weights since a person does not have to be overweight to experience the formation of cellulite in their skin. Proper and balanced diet, ample exercise and sufficient intake of water can help minimize the development of cellulite. Cellulite are hard to get rid off once it has developed. So in the case of cellulite, one must really follow the saying, "prevention is better than cure."

Read More:

What is Cellulite ?

Ways to evaluate and classify cellulite