What is Cellulite?

Some say it looks like cottage cheese. Others liken it to an orange peel. But regardless of what you call cellulite, chances are, you have some on your body.

Basically, cellulite is fat found just beneath the surface of the skin that’s bulging out through a web of connective tissue.

But what’s actually going on beneath the skin to give it that dimply, puckered appearance?

When you’re young, that connective tissue, made up largely of a protein called collagen, holds the fat in, but as you age, the fat begins to stick out through the tissue. That causes a dimpled, lumpy appearance on the skin.

One way to picture what’s going on is to think of a net that’s holding your fat.  If the fibers of the net are too loose or too tight, the fat can poke out through the holes.

Exactly when it shows up, and how visible it is, are thought to be influenced by hormones, genetics and diet.  Perhaps because of hormonal factors, men don’t get as much cellulite as women do (though some men do get cellulite). And yes, although cellulite is fat, its appearance actually has nothing to do with weight.

Age is another factor.  Cellulite starts to appear after puberty, and generally gets worse after that. Unfortunately, there’s nothing a person can do to avoid it.

Even procedures such as liposuction, which literally removes fat from the body, can’t get rid of cellulite.(According to the National Library of Medicine, liposuction may actually make cellulite look worse.)

Skin treatments like endermologie can help reduce the appearance of cellulite.  In addition, endermologie also provides a number of health and wellness benefits such as increased circulation, lymphatic flow and mobility.  It’s a very comfortable, relaxing treatment that feels similar to a massage that relieves muscular aches and pains.  The fibromyalgia has approved endermologie as a treatment to reduce pain.

Want to know more?  Feel free to give us a call or contact us for a consultation.