Cellulite: the word women fear and men rarely notice. More than 90 percent of women develop some type of cellulite in their lifetime, while few men ever experience "cottage cheese" thighs.
Doctors believe that’s because estrogen plays a big role in cellulite formation: It appears that excess estrogen causes a weakening of connective tissue, which allows fat to bulge up under the skin, creating cellulite.
Whether they’re thin or heavy, active or not, cellulite is one of those things most women face, it doesn’t matter if that woman is black, white, Asian; it doesn’t matter if that woman eats right, does everything right — cellulite can still develop.
Because it can be genetic, doctors say one of the best ways to judge how much cellulite you’ll develop as you get older is to look at your mother’s thighs.
There are a couple of things you can do to curb your cellulite:
- Quit smoking. Lighting up damages connective tissue, which causes wrinkling.
- Watch your weight. Fat is fat; the more fat you carry, the more cellulite.
- Exercise the legs and buttocks. Invest in a treadmill. Exercise can firm up the skin. Cellulite is still there, but it decreases the appearance.
- Eat smart. No particular food can increase or decrease cellulite. Although for general health purposes you should eat right. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle decreases the appearance of cellulite.
Health experts agree, there are no permanent solutions for celulite. Although the American Academy of Dermatology addresses the myths surrounding cellulite and its many supposed cures, the group offers no advice for how to get rid of it. The AAD warns women that liposuction, a very popular procedure for removing excess fat, does not rid the body of cellulite. That’s because after liposuction, fat eventually replaces itself in the body. Liposuction can actually make the appearance of cellulite worse by physically breaking down the connective tissue, which creates even more depressions in the skin.
There are two FDA-approved laser treatments designed to break down fat to temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite: One combines light therapy with suction; the other combines light therapy with massage. The drawbacks? Both treatments require multiple sessions — as well as maintenance therapy — to create and maintain the effect. And they are expensive: A series of treatments can cost more than $2,000, and the results are temporary.
The reason why this treatment works is, that the tissue is being squoze, and squeezing that fat and cellulite so hard that it is being dispersed and it’s no longer in the top layer of the skin, it’s at the bottom layer, so you can’t see it any longer. Unfortunately, this isn’t permanent, and you need a lot of treatments.
About The Editor-
Lisa Macfarlane is a professional health writer and editor who specializes in sexual health and health issues.
