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Thursday, February 26, 2009

What Causes Cellulite And How Do You Treat It?

By Dan da Silva

The usually unsightly condition known as cellulite is suffered by woman around the world and is universally hated. Do not be fooled into thinking that this is a condition purely confined to women who are overweight as most carry additional fat anyway but women who are naturally slim can also suffer with this unsightly problem.

Fat beneath the surface of the skin pushes against connective tissue causing it to give that dimpled look commonly known as cellulite. After many years of research, scientists still cannot determine the exact reason for its formation or why some are affected more than others but there may be some connection between toxins that enter the body and how certain fat cells store them.

This problem usually comes naturally with aging and similar to wrinkles that form in the face, it is actually the result of lower levels of collagen and elastin in the skin. Women are more prone to hormonal imbalances as they age and the fat found in their thighs and buttocks where it forms is different to the fat in other areas, unlike men who rarely suffer with this condition.

Even women who do not appear to have cellulite may have them and sometimes this is visible when the skin is compressed as in the case of squatting or when it is pinched between the thumb and forefinger; however as most women suffer with at some stage it seems to be a perfectly normal condition. Just how much a person has will depend on a number of factors like, age, gender, genetics and even the thickness and type of skin they have will affect how easily it can be seen.

One thing for sure is that technology has not as yet devised a miracle potion or treatment that can eradicate it completely. One method that hides the cellulite quite well by puffing the skin is deep massage and an increasing number of clinics are now offering this therapy.

Perhaps the most drastic therapy is liposuction where fat is literally sucked from the body or the more expensive procedure of injecting certain chemicals in a process called mesotherapy. Only temporary relief can be gained from both these procedures and liposuction despite its success at removing deep fat from large areas of the body, is not designed for the fats close to the surface as in the case of cellulite.

Unfortunately at the moment there isn't a magic formula for removal and it may be some time before it is found although some companies claim that they have creams that are effective but this seems to be better at hiding the effects. So far the best method is back to basics combining a healthy diet with exercise that gradually burns off the fat but not the connective tissue where it is found.

In addition, increasing the intake of water will help cleanse the system and flush out damaging toxins plus smokers should stop smoking or at least reduce it which will also be beneficial as smoking impacts negatively on the capillaries in the skin and reducing stress will help reduce the amount of cellulite.

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