Cellulite and Cellulite Treatment

Both women and men can have cellulite that makes them feel overweight, uncomfortable in certain clothes and unhappy with their overall appearances. Cellulite refers to bumpy areas of dimpled skin under which the body stores excess body fat. Typically, cellulite occurs in the hips and thighs.

What is Cellulite?

Although once thought to be a disease, cellulite is currently referred to as a skin condition that occurs in the third layer of the skin. Under the outermost layer of skin, called the epidermis, lies the dermis, which is home to hair follicles, sweat glands, nerves and other essential elements. Beneath this layer of skin is the top layer of subcutaneous fat, the layer is responsible for the appearance of cellulite.
 
Cellulite appears on the surface of skin when excess fat squeezes out of the connective collagen layer that supports fat structures under the skin. Although collagen is a resilient protein, it has little elasticity. As a result, when too much fat is stored in a particular location, it stresses the elasticity of the collagen, causing it to squeeze out and make cellulite dimples appear on the skin’s surface.
 
Keep in mind that cellulite can appear on anyone, regardless of body type, ethnicity and lifestyle. For example, cellulite can appear on the obese, as well as thin people.
 
However, gender may play a role due to the fact that women generally have more body fat than men. While men typically have around 10 to 15 percent body fat, women tend to carry between 20 to 25 percent body fat. This is due to the fact that women’s bodies are naturally built to support a growing fetus and, therefore, need to carry enough fat to sustain both the mother and the growing baby.

Types of Cellulite

Cellulite can come in two forms:
  • Compression cellulite: This type of cellulite appears when you squeeze (or compress) certain areas of your body, namely your thighs and hips. For example, compression cellulite can cause a person’s skin to dimple when he or she is sitting or crossing their legs.

  • Orange peel cellulite: This form of cellulite is visible when a person is relaxed or lying down, much like the ripples present on the surface of a resting orange.
When most people talk about “cellulite,” they are referring to orange peel cellulite.
 
Where Does Cellulite Occur and Why?
An enzyme called lipoprotein lipase, or LPL, controls the distribution of fat deposits within the body. As the body accumulates more fat, the LPL that rests on the walls of your blood vessels directs fat to specific locations. Studies have shown that women tend to have higher levels of LPL in their thighs and hips. As a result, these are the areas where cellulite tends to appear.

How to Get Rid of Cellulite

Many ointments, creams and herbal treatments claim to get rid of or reduce cellulite. Although some of these cellulite treatments may work temporarily, none has been proven to have lasting effects. Liposuction also offers no success in reducing cellulite. Contrary to popular belief, liposuction can actually lead to an increase in cellulite’s appearance.
 
The best way to reduce cellulite is to eat a proper diet and to get regular aerobic exercise, such as walking, swimming and resistance workouts. Weak muscles that lie beneath our subcutaneous fat contribute to the appearance of cellulite. Regular exercise helps tone these muscles and tighten the skin, helping to reduce the appearance of cellulite and burn some of the subcutaneous fat stored in affected areas.
 
Diet also helps reduce and treat cellulite. Low-fat, high-fiber diets create an environment in which the body utilizes the excess subcutaneous fat stored in the hips and thighs.

Exercises to Target Cellulite: Thigh Exercises and More

Here are some exercises you can do both in your home and at the gym that can help target your thighs and buttocks and reduce the appearance of cellulite:
  • cycling
  • leg curls
  • leg presses
  • lunges
  • skipping rope
  • squats
  • swimming.
Resources
 
Atlas, Joey E. (n.d.). Tone Up Your Cellulite Areas. Retrieved on August 16, 2007, from the Body Building For You Web site: http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/articles-submit/joey-atlas/tone-up-cellulite-area.htm.

Fat Free Kitchen (n.d.). Remedy for Fat Thighs (Inner Thighs), Transform You Fat Thighs Into Thin Thighs. Retrieved on August 16, 2007, from the Fat Free Kitchen Web site: http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/weightloss/fat-thighs.html.

Kravitz, Len, Ph.D. (n.d.). Cellulite: Everything You Want To Know and More. Retrieved on August 16, 2007 from the Dr. Len Kravitz Web site: http://www.drlenkravitz.com/Articles/cellulite.html.

Lane, Riana D. (n.d.). Five Activities To Slim and Firm Thighs. Retrieved on August 16, 2007, from the Ezine Articles Web site: http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Five-Activities-to-Slim-and-Firm-Thighs&id=177500.