How to Get Rid of Cellulite and What Causes It
It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like dimples—unless those dimples are part of cellulite.
The Mayo Clinic describes cellulite as a “very common, harmless skin condition that causes lumpy, dimpled flesh on the thighs, hips, buttocks and abdomen.” Cellulite is often said to have the texture of cottage cheese – not exactly what you want to see on your thighs!
While it’s reassuring to know that cellulite is harmless, it does little to make the condition less upsetting or more appealing. In fact, many people want to know how to get rid of cellulite—and a great majority of these people are women.
Where Can Cellulite Appear?
People usually see cellulite around their:
- Thighs
- Buttocks
- Upper arms
- Breasts
- Belly
Cellulite Is More Common in Women
The Cleveland Clinic reports that “between 80% and 90% of all women who’ve gone through puberty have cellulite.” They say that only about 10% of men will develop cellulite.
This disparity exists, in part, because women usually have more fat distributed in the buttocks, hips, and thighs. A woman’s thinner skin also makes cellulite more obvious.
What Causes the Appearance of Cellulite?
Cellulite appears when fat cells push up against the skin’s connective cords that are themselves pulling downward to bring the skin to the underlying muscle. The result is a skin surface that looks lumpy and unattractive.
Women also have a greater chance of developing cellulite because their fat cells are more likely to expand into the dermis; men have crisscrossing connective tissue structures that fat cells can’t easily push through.
Other Factors That Contribute to Cellulite
The appearance of cellulite can also, but not always, be affected by:
- Thickness of the skin
- Elasticity of the skin
- Age
- Muscle tone
- Weight gain
- Hormonal factors
- Amount of collagen in the skin
- Skin texture
- Level of physical activity
- GeneticsPregnancy
Ways to Get Rid of Cellulite
Today there are a variety of ways you can slightly reduce the appearance of cellulite, or actually reduce the amount of cellulite in your body.
For example, certain skin creams may help reduce the appearance of cellulite while a treatment like Velashape III can actually eliminate cellulite. Our specially trained medical professionals can perform this treatment at Vibrance MedSpa.
At-Home Ways to Reduce the Appearance of Cellulite
Is looking at your cellulite in the mirror upsetting you? Try incorporating some of these at-home suggestions into your daily routine.
Some recommendations will work better than others for you, and it can take a while to see results.
Stop Smoking
You may be tired of hearing reasons to stop smoking, but yes, here’s another one! By now, you probably know that smoking lessens the blood supply to your skin; over time, this makes your skin thinner and less resilient. Since thinning skin is more likely to show cellulite, stopping smoking may reduce the appearance of cellulite.
Use a Self-tanner
If you have fair skin, try using a self-tanner. Since cellulite is more noticeable on lighter skin, self-tanning will reduce the appearance of dimples. Good self-tanning lotions will also make your skin smoother and appear refreshed.
However, don’t waste your time tanning from actual sun exposure. This will only damage and age your skin.
Weight Loss
Have you ever been surprised to see a thin person with cellulite? Now that you know the causes of cellulite, you know why it’s a common occurrence.
However, it is possible that if a thin person puts on weight, their cellulite may become even more obvious—or maybe not! It all depends on the reasons they have cellulite.
Nevertheless, sometimes weight loss can reduce cellulite. (But if skin loosens with weight loss, cellulite can become more prominent!)
Given all these possibilities—should you try losing weight to reduce cellulite? The best answer is, if you’re not at a healthy weight, losing weight will offer countless health benefits, so it’s probably worth trying. Just know that losing weight won’t always reduce your cellulite.
If you choose to lose weight, do it in a healthful and gradual way or you may damage your skin and make your cellulite worse.
Eat Healthfully
Eat more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; avoid refined carbs. A high-fat diet creates more fat cells in the body. Eating lots of sugar expands fat cells.
Pay attention to how much salt you eat. Excess sodium in your diet cause fat cells to hold on to more fluid. They will swell and create the appearance of even more cellulite.
Drink lots of water to avoid dehydration; dehydration will make your cellulite appear worse as your skin will thin and weaken.
Exercise
Like weight loss, exercise can be a double-edged sword. Exercise can be a great way to reduce cellulite. But if you develop firmer muscles under a dimpled area, they may make your skin appear even more dimpled. Aim for gentle muscle toning.
Exercise can decrease your overall body fat, leading to the appearance of less cellulite and firmer and smoother skin.
Creams
Some body creams will temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite. Apply them daily.
Try creams that contain caffeine or retinol. Caffeine dehydrates fat cells; your skin will become firmer, and dimples will be less obvious. Retinol increases collagen. This will make your skin thicker and smoother.
Massage
Massage the areas on your body which have cellulite. The massage will improve the blood flow to your skin and release excess fluid. Again, the cellulite may appear less noticeable.
Professional Treatment to Reduce Cellulite
Velashape III
This is a non-surgical way to enhance your skin tone, slim specific areas, and improve the appearance of your skin. This safe and pain-free procedure will give the surface of your skin a tighter and smoother appearance.
Velashape III can reduce the appearance of cellulite in these areas:
- Arm
- Abdomen
- Thighs
- Buttocks
This professional treatment is suitable for all skin types, regardless of color.
CoolSculpting reduces fat cells in an area, so it may help cellulite become less noticeable as time goes on. This process breaks down fat cells under the skin with the application of freezing temperatures.
Here are the differences between Velashape III and CoolSculpting.
Read more about CoolSculpting treatment for love handles.
Other treatments to reduce the appearance of cellulite include:
- Laser treatments
- Injectable enzyme treatments
Contact us at Vibrance MedSpa for more information about Velashape III and CoolSculpting professional treatments.
