Cellulite - Causes & Cures

Why women have cellulite ?

More than 80% women know the meaning of cellulite. Moreover, even half of them think that cellulite destroys their ability to live a normal life. Let’s discuss what factors cause this hated defect.

Cellulite is a kind of fat tissue just below the surface of the skin. This layer of skin contains bands of connecting tissue that have many fat cells and is surrounded by a liquid that nourishes it and provides an effective waste system. The waste products should be removed, however, because when toxins are trapped in the skin, this connective tissue thickens and gives the dimpling effect of cellulite. This layer also thickens as we age, which can produce the rippling effect of cellulite too.

There is a difference between cellulite and fat, though, in that fat insulates the body and cushions the organs, nerves, and muscles. Cellulite, on the other hand, provides no padding and only occurs in certain areas on the body, such as the thighs, buttocks, abdomen, and breasts.

Cellulite is not necessarily a factor of bodyweight. You don't have to be overweight to have cellulite. Though diet and lifestyle affect cellulite formation, a large part of cellulite is comprised of toxins and fat that build up in the body and can affect women of any size, weight, and body structure.

Usually, cellulite can be attributed to a combination of factors and isn't usually caused by just one. Below are the most common :

Bad food quality : Firstly, if you want get rid of cellulite - forget about fast food forever. Also, many women, who prefer to eat food full of trans fat acid (milk products and fat meat), suffer from cellulite more often then other ones. More to say, there was made a research and its results showed that in France and Japan, where people usually prefer to eat fish dishes and use much oil, there are less amount of women having the "orange peel" on the thighs. Bear in mind, that the fish oil improves peripheral blood circulation, so it is recommended to eat salmon, tuna, herring or scomber 2-3 times per week.

Diets : If a woman is on a diet for a long time, she will lose weight mostly from the upper part of body, but when she comes back to normal eating, she will usually gain weight on the buttock and thighs. Why is it so? There is a proportion of specific receptors in female’s body, which are responsible for fat storage and destruction: in the upper part of a body there are receptors that destruct fat and in the lower part that store fat. It means, that fast weight loss is not only unhealthy, but it also won’t help to get rid of cellulite, because woman will lose not only fat, but muscles too. Therefore, woman should better choose healthy eating and fitness instead of diets – it will help to restore skin’s elasticity, so cellulite will become not so visible.

Female hormones : Researchers had proved that cellulite belongs to the hormones’ balance in female organism, because they have an influence on the blood vessels. That is why cellulite usually appears during the adolescence, pregnancy, climacteric period and even when woman takes birth control pill. It means, that cellulite may appear even when you are only 14 years old.

Genetics : Does your mother or grandmother suffer from this condition ?

Lack of exercise : by following a strength training and cardiovascular program, you'll be able to lower your body fat as well as increase muscle tone, both of which can reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Insufficient water intake : water helps flush excess toxins from the body. Aim for at least 12 cups of water per day.

Smoking : you don't need me to tell you the evils of smoking, but perhaps you didn't know it can also contribute to cellulite formation. Smoking can weaken the skin due to the constriction of capillaries and damage the connective tissue that causes the dimpling effect of cellulite.

Stress : stress can cause muscles to seize up with tension while also causing the connective tissue that covers that muscle to seize up. Tension also blocks the tissue, preventing proper waste elimination and purification.

Now you know how it's caused and what it is... But can you get rid of it ?

The only surefire way of reducing the appearance of cellulite is through consistent exercise, a healthy diet, and plenty of water to flush out the toxins.

Don't just rely on long, "slow-and-go" types of cardiovascular exercise alone to get rid of the cellulite. You'll have to incorporate some strength training into your workouts too to increase the muscle tone and also decrease body fat. Many women want to reduce body fat but also firm up their problem areas—becoming leaner and firmer—weight-training will defiantly help to re-shape your body by adding nice, lean, toned muscle tissue to the places you want to firm up.

A program that targets the lower body may be ideal for you. For instance, you could do lower body strength training twice per week but incorporate different exercises on both days.

Great exercises for glutes and thighs include :

• Hamstring curls (on a machine or with a Swiss Ball)
• Step-ups onto a flat exercise bench
• Lunges—you can do a variety of lunges, such as walking lunges, stationary lunges, and split squats
• Squats (barbell or on a Smith Machine)
• Stiff-legged deadlifts (with dumbbells)
• Hyperextensions

Aim for 15 to 20 reps on each exercise, and do three different exercises on each of your lower body days.

With regards to diet, losing weight won't eliminate all cellulite, so don't try to crash diet. This will cause your body to hold onto the fat and may even worsen the appearance of the cellulite. Aim for a healthy, low-fat lifestyle that incorporates plenty of protein, complex carbohydrates, and some essential fats. And be sure to limit "saturated" fats.

Do the creams, potions and treatments work for reducing cellulite ?

Alleged "anti-cellulite" products include loofah sponges; cactus fibers; special washcloths; horsehair mitts; creams and gels to "dissolve" cellulite; supplements containing vitamins, minerals, and/or herbs; bath liquids, massagers, rubberized pants; exercise books; brushes; rollers; body wraps; and toning lotions. Many salons offer treatment with electrical muscle stimulation, vibrating machines, inflatable hip-high pressurized boots, "hormone" or "enzyme" injections, heating pads, and massage. I won't go through all these (especially the rubberized pants!), but let's touch on some of the more popular "solutions."

Cellulite creams and gels form the bulk of all cellulite treatments offered.

Some of the newer "body lift" creams such as Christian Dior's Svelte Perfect and Nivea's Body Skin Firming Lotion are all over the women's magazines. In fact, though, these are merely temporary solutions at best that work by plumping up the skin, giving it a sleeker appearance.

Endermologie treatments can be carried out at most day spas.

This is the first FDA-approved non-surgical cellulite treatment. This French machine kneads and massages the skin to release cellulite-forming toxins and increase circulation. Sessions run about $100 each, and it usually takes 10 to 15 sessions to see results. After that, it's recommended you have monthly maintenance sessions. Again, it's a temporary effect that you'd have to carry on with to continue to see results.

Body wraps are another popular treatment in day spas.

These treatments claim to be able to reduce inches off the waist, hips, thighs, and other areas of the body. Generally these facilities apply a special cream or lotion and then tightly wrap your body—often you're subjected to a heated sauna in your "mummified" state! Wraps do work to reduce some inches off the body; however, it's just temporary water weight, which is fine for a special event or night out, but it definitely doesn't reduce bodyfat levels. Losing the fat can only be done through a combination of diet and exercise.

Herbal supplements available in health-food stores.

Supplements such as borage oil, grapeseed extract, and Ginkgo biloba are believed to improve circulation, stimulate fat metabolism, and reduce localized fat storage. These haven't been clinically proven to work on cellulite, though, and a clinical study carried out in November 1999 on a popular herbal cellulite remedy showed no effect on cellulite or body fat levels. (Lis Balchin, M., "Parallel Placebo Controlled Clinical Study of a Mixture of Herbs Sold as a Remedy for Cellulite," Phtyother Res 13.7 (1999 Nov) : 627-9.)

Some of the above treatments may help smooth your skin and temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite, but you'll get much better results by doing some of the strength training aimed at your particular trouble spots and taking another look at your nutrition to see if there's anything that can be eliminated, such as caffeine.

The habits that make prematurely-aging skin

Many of the external causes of aging skin are determined by the health and lifestyle decisions you make every day. Making unhealthy choices can cause prematurely aging skin, and this makes you look older, faster.

An important part of any anti-aging skin care program is to know what you may be doing that is harming your skin and speeding up your skin's aging process.

1. Cigarette smoke: Whether you smoke, or you spend time with a smoker, cigarette smoke is damaging -- and aging -- to your skin. Research has shown that exposure to cigarette smoke significantly increases skin wrinkles and dryness. This is partly due to the behavior of smoking, and also because cigarette smoke depletes your body of vitamin C, which is a key ingredient for keeping skin plump and moist.

   Some researchers believe that exposure to cigarette smoke (whether you smoke or not) is as damaging to aging skin as exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays.

2. Sun exposure: Sun exposure is very aging to skin. Unprotected skin that is exposed to the sun becomes more mottled in appearance. Freckles can turn into brown sun spots, the skin takes on a dry, leathery appearance, and wrinkles and sagging increase. The risk of skin cancer is significantly increased by sun exposure.

   The good news is that sun damage is avoidable, and if you start now, you can improve the condition of sun damaged skin.

   • See your health care provider to assess the amount of sun damage you may have, and to rule out possible skin cancers. He or she may be able to prescribe medication that can help to reduce existing sun damage.
   • If you want to avoid aging skin but don’t want to avoid the sun, make sure you use sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Choose sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher, and use it all year-round, even on cloudy days. Clouds do not protect you from ultraviolet ray exposure.

3. Lack of exercise: Living a sedentary life contributes to aging skin, because exercise helps to tone your muscles and get your blood flowing. Exercise should be an important part of every anti-aging skin care program. Researchers have also discovered that sedentary older adults are at higher risk for dementia.

   In addition to the physical benefits of exercise, the benefits of a regular exercise program will show on your face. Having a bright smile and lots of energy will help you look and feel younger, at any age.

4. Exposure to cold weather: Cold winds and low temperatures contribute to aging skin by making skin dry, so if you venture out in the cold be sure to use a good moisturizer.

   It’s important to use moisturizer indoors too, as heated rooms can be very drying to skin. Consider using a humidifier to help keep your skin more comfortable and reduce the aging skin effects of heated rooms.

5. Alcohol use: Alcohol contributes to aging skin by dilating small blood vessels in the skin and increasing blood flow near the skin's surface. Over time, these blood vessels can become permanently damaged, creating a flushed appearance and broken vessels on the skin’s surface.
6. Stress: Maybe you’ve heard this expression: “Don’t frown, your face could stay that way.” Stress and worry cause frowning, and over time the muscles in the face actually conform to that movement.

   To help reduce aging skin due to stress, be aware of your stress level and try to vary your facial expressions during the day. A good anti-aging skin care program should include meditation, yoga, gentle exercise or other relaxation techniques. Keeping stress in check -- and frown lines and aging skin wrinkles to a minimum -- will help you look and feel younger.

7. Lack of sleep: Too little sleep makes you look and feel tired. One of the first places lack up sleep shows up is on the face, with dark circles and bags under the eyes, and sagging skin. Lack of sleep is also a major factor in memory loss and symptoms of depression that include low interest in daily activities and negative thinking.

   Research has shown that most adults function best with 8-9 hours of sleep each night. Reduce caffeine during the day (with none in the evening), avoid eating at least 2 hours before bedtime, and maintain a sleep routine that includes going to bed at the same time each night.