What is Cellulite

Cellulite is a term used to describe the chain of wrinkled fat cells and subcutaneous connective tissue beneath the skin and which seems to be more prevalent in women than men. Do not be fooled into thinking that this is a condition purely confined to women who are overweight as most carry additional fat anyway but women who are naturally slim can also suffer with this unsightly problem.

Cellulite forms just below the surface of the skin in the thighs and buttocks region, where areas of fat collect and force themselves against the tissue creating a puckered look to the surface of the skin. The real cause of is unknown so is the reasons why some women are more prone to suffering with it than others but scientists believe that it could be due to the way the cells are structured beneath the skin of each individual.

This problem usually comes naturally with aging and similar to wrinkles that form in the face, it is actually the result of lower levels of collagen and elastin in the skin. It is classified as a hormonal imbalance experienced by women and seldom appears on males as normally fat stored in the thighs and buttock is the same as fat stored all over the body so no difference is observed.

Cellulite often goes unnoticed for the majority of the time for most people and is only seen when a person has their thigh muscles compressed in the case of squatting for example or when the skin is pinched in the thigh area and the puckered skin becomes apparent; when the fatty tissue can be felt but most women suffer with this. Just how much a person has will depend on a number of factors like, age, gender, genetics and even the thickness and type of skin they have will affect how easily it can be seen.

Currently there isn’t one single treatment that can rid a person of this condition because the cause has remained elusive despite considerable research into the area. Where cellulite removal massage is offered at a clinic, all that is done is deep tissue massage which just masks the affect so it cannot be seen as readily.

Liposuction is sometimes used to remove fats generally from the body and can be attempted for this condition as well but the use of drugs injected into the cells to remove it is costly and out of reach for most women. However, these are only temporary measures so do not provide permanent relief and liposuction is really only efficient for deeper based fats and not those close to the surface as with cellulite.

Unfortunately at the moment there isn’t a magic formula for removal and it may be some time before it is found although some companies claim that they have creams that are effective but this seems to be better at hiding the effects. So far the best method is back to basics combining a healthy diet with exercise that gradually burns off the fat but not the connective tissue where it is found.

Water too is useful as it has the effect of flushing out toxins that accumulate and are thought to be partly responsible for the cellulite; in addition to this smokers are urged to quit or reduce their smoking which is an effective way for toxins to enter the body.