the ‘mattress’ or ‘orange peel’ appearance that a woman may have in her natural stance or when lying down, which is referred to as cellulite.
What can be done about it?
If you're determined not to hide your cellulite forever, working out can help you take off some of the fat. By exercising and sticking to a low-fat diet, you can make the dimpling less pronounced. More on this later.
But since thigh fat can be pretty persistent, even among vigorous exercisers, you might be tempted to turn to creams and techniques that promise to smooth out dimpled legs and thighs. Unfortunately, many people spend thousands of dollars trying to get rid of cellulite with little, if any, result. Many treatments, however, can be downright dangerous. Here's a rundown of what's out there.
Laser and Radiofrequency Treatments
Laser and radiofrequency treatments offer the most promising medical therapy to rid your body of cellulite, according to the Mayo Clinic. There are two devices available on the market to treat cellulite: one uses massage, radiofrequency, and infrared light, and the other uses massage and diode laser energy. The treatment goes on for several weeks and the results are temporary, lasting up to six months.
Thigh-Thinning Creams
Many people believe creams help the appearance of cellulite, but no study has confirmed their effectiveness. Anti-cellulite creams contain a small amount of aminophylline, an asthma drug, and they are touted as being able to break down fat molecules inside cells into fatty acids that can be carried away in the bloodstream. Preliminary trials did show some improvement after six weeks, but dermatologists speculate that this was probably due to temporary water loss. It's unlikely that much, if any, of the drug could have penetrated the skin, and at $10 for a small tube, it may be a waste of money. The US Food and Drug Administration warns that some people may be allergic to aminophylline and cautions asthma patients to avoid anti-cellulite creams with aminophylline because they may become sensitized to it.
Creams that contain retinoids (vitamin A compounds) may thicken your skin a little, making it somewhat less apt to show dimpling. Manufacturers generally suggest you rub these creams into the affected areas daily for five to six weeks in order to see results. But they also recommend exercising regularly and drinking plenty of water, which is probably the reason for any improvement in appearance.
Roller-Suction Massage Treatments
Some treatments promise to squeeze out the fat, but you should be cautious about this procedure before you spend hundreds of dollars on it.
The manufacturer of the roller-suction massage device claims this treatment creates a smoother appearance by stretching and relaxing the connective tissue that pulls on skin and makes little indentations appear. The Food and Drug Administration has agreed that it can be temporarily effective, but dermatologists say that's because the vigorous kneading leads to swelling in the tissues which simply masks the dimpling.
In the roller-suction treatment, a technician kneads and massages your flesh with an electric device that sucks the skin between two rollers. If you schedule a session, you'll be asked to wear nylon stockings to decrease the friction.
Six to eight treatments are recommended at about $100-$200 a pop, with regular follow-up sessions required to maintain results.
Liposuction
Routine liposuction can actually make matters worse by removing deep layers of fat, leaving the superficial layer to dimple even more. A new "liposculpting" procedure draws out surface fat, but the skin's basic structure isn't changed and you may regain the fat and find your cellulite has reappeared. The cost for liposuction in just one area is about $1,800 to $4,000, and it can take months to recover.
Moreover, some people who have gone through these procedures have been unhappy with the scarring, and some deaths have been attributed to the procedure.
Here are some no nonsense solutions to getting rid of it, without surgery, or painful laser treatments.
The common denominators for any success produced by the topical treatments listed, are diet, exercise, which of course helps in weight and fat loss; and massage, to help promote circulation and stimulate the production of collagen (which tones the skin and reduces the appearance of dimpling). Massaging cellulite dense areas and kneading the area will help to break down pockets of dimpling, when administered regularly.
Foods (or drinks) that are high in saturated fat, clog the lymphatic system, or are very high in sugar or sodium, can cause cellulite. Anything that is toxic to the liver or gallbladder which have functions to break down fat, will also be major contributors.
Here are a few commonly ingested culprits to avoid:
Alcohol, dairy products, animal fats (lard, butter, meats, chicken skin), sugar, ALL carbonated beverages, coffee and caffeinated teas (despite the benefits of anti-oxidants in some teas, the caffeine can be dehydrating and affect collagen production, subsequently diminishing skin elasticity and tone).
Skin tone really is key here. You can see it in very young women, even who are fuller in figure, that carrying a few extra pounds doesn’t necessarily add up to their having visible cellulite. With young, healthy, collagen rich skin, typically problem areas can still look smooth and firm. Add a few years of poor diet and hard living, alcohol, smoking and collagen diminishing choices and cellulite will appear sooner than later.
The number of fat cells one produces, called adipocytes, is set during childhood and adolescence for both lean and obese people. How many are produced, or reproduced will determine how easily one will gain or lose weight during their adult life.
Lifestyle and dietary choices play a major part in this production. It was once thought that genetics played the most significant role in one’s weight, and or the propensity to gain and lose it; the logic being that overweight parents produce overweight children.
If logic prevails, it makes sense that parents with poor eating habits pass them onto their children. Children are often fed what their parents are eating. Similarly, children of healthy living parents, more often grow up mimicking those choices and/or healthy habits. Any significant, negative changes in habits, will manifest physically, even for those who didn’t have weight issues earlier in life.
When one loses weight, fat cells shrink, but do not go away; when weight is regained, they fill up and expand. Avoiding a high production of fat cells during all developmental years will make weight maintenance much easier later in life.
Weight (resistance) training is great for reducing cellulite. It helps burn more fat, even when you’re sleeping. Muscle burns fat. The more of it you have, the more fat you'll burn every minute of the day, because your body requires more calories to sustain it.
Muscles create a "body-lift". Just as a face-lift, or injectable solutions do for your face. They sculpt and lift the muscle under the skin, giving it tone and a smoother appearance. Cellulite may not disappear entirely, but it will be reduced. And, I’m sure you’ll agree it will look a lot better if it’s not moving around as much.
Thank you for your question D.
Anna |
