Apr
7
Cellulite Problem: Is There a Solution?
April 7, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Cellulite is the lumpy substance resembling cottage cheese (or orange peel) that is commonly found on the thighs, stomach, and other body parts. Cellulite is actually a fancy name for collections of fat that push against the connective tissue beneath a person’s skin, which causes the surface of the skin to dimple and look lumpy.
While not life threatening, it’s considered unsigthly to the point that wearing a bathing suit or shorts becomes a real torture for some women.
Interestingly, the term “cellulite” isn’t even a medical term. It was first introduced by a fashion magazine in the 1920s and was picked up by English language publications in the late 1960s. From the medical perspective, “cellulite” is a quack term for ordinary body fat.
It is a myth that you won’t get cellulite if you stay slim. Cellulite is a random physical condition in women of all ages and body sizes. There are a number of reasons thin women can still get cellulite, which include unhealthy diet of fatty/starchy foods, lack of exercise, poor blood circulation, smoking, and sitting or standing in a single position for long periods of time.
How to Get Rid of Cellulite?
All you need to do is begin a search for information about cellulite and you will find yourself bombarded with commercial messages. There are hundreds of resources claiming to reduce or eliminate the embarrassing orange-peel, and “for only $$$ you too can permanently get rid of this condition.”
The most popular are various creams, balms, and gels. These products are said to help reduce and prevent the appearance of cellulite by improving the skin’s elasticity of the skin. They also claim to do everything else from strengthening to renewing and softening the skin. In conjunction with increased circulation and a change of diet and lifestyle, some of these products reduce the appearance of orange-peel by strengthening the network of connective tissue. These products do not, however, remove cellulite forever, as cellulite is nothing but fat, so once you stop using these creams the skin returns to its original state.
Many spas and salons offer a treatment called body wrapping. This procedure claims to remove inches from the waist, thighs, hips or other parts of the body, as well as eliminate, or at least reduce, cellulite. Whether that last claim is true or not, I’ll leave up to you to determine. What I can say is that visiting a spa or salon for body wrapping may be a wonderfully rejuvenating experience, leaving you rested, relaxed and refreshed. Who wouldn’t like to have a few hours being pampered and fussed over in a relaxing environment regardless if it helps the cellulite problem.
The most radical treatment for cellulite is liposuction. Liposuction is an invasive procedure that involves surgery with a tool with a v-shaped blade that is inserted through small excisions in the skin to cut the fibrous bands of tissue that form the structure where the cellulite is formed.
It is important to remember that liposuction is a surgical procedure and that there may be serious complications. The cosmetic effect after liposuction may be good and many patients report being satisfied, however, it is possible that it will be less dramatic than what you were expecting and may not be permanent. In summary, it’s a costly surgical procedure that could hinder the body’s natural circulation and waste-elimination processes, and has left some women with more lumps than before.
There are many other methods as well, such as electric muscle stimulation, hydrotherapy, body brushing and massage with use of caffeine or juniper oil. However, the bottom line is that no cream, oil, electronic device, or surgery can completely eliminate cellulite. Some may in fact slow down the accumulation and lessen appearance of cellulite temporarily, but none have been proven to actually eliminate it.
Is there any hope?
With all this said, I am sure you are wondering if there is hope. Well, actually there is.
Study after study has shown that the key to reducing cellulite significantly is by a combination of both proper diet and exercise. If you get rid of excess weight and exercise regularly to tone up muscles, you will most definitely see an improvement.
We all wish there was a “magic genie bottle” to help us get rid of orange-peel, but in the end there really is no substitute for good, old-fashioned, healthy nutrition and exercise.
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.