Many, if not all, doctors will likely tell you not to worry about cellulite – that it’s not only not a health threat, it’s not at all rare, especially among most women.  Like it or not, we have to come to grips with the fact that if we have it, there’s really no way to get rid of it. Still some seem to suffer more from the dent it creates in their self-image than those it creates under their skin.

Even knowing we can’t eliminate it, many understandably want to make it as less noticeable as possible. A lot of this may be because of conditioning from the fashion industry.  But also some find it unsightly and more so on their own bodies than on others’.

For those wanting to know more about what cellulite is and how to fade that orange-peel appearance, Christine Heathman has published an informative article on the subject in Dermascope Magazine, titled “The Ugly Truth of Cellulite.”

 First, Heathman agrees that cellulite is nothing to stress over. In fact, stress can make it worse. After explaining what cellulite is and what might cause it, she offers a few tips to help those who would like to minimize its appearance.

Cellulite, says Heathman, is made up of “inflammatory adipose material.” According to Science Daily, adipose is just a fancy word for fat, more specifically “loose connective tissue composed of adipocytes.” Its purpose is not only to store energy but also to insulate and cushion with protective padding and provide a reserve of nutrients—making it not really so ugly as it may appear.

Although most women have cellulite, with hormones probably playing a significant role, there are considered to be four different levels of visibility of its rippling effect, labeled 0-3. Grade 0 represents no visibility; Grade 1 means it’s detectable but not excessively noticeable. Grade 2 is used to denote skin that is less elastic, colder and visibly pale; while Grade 3 is the one most dreaded and known as “terminal cellulite,” characterized by noticeable dimpling of the skin.

At least one study has indicated that estrogen production can lead to deterioration of collagen, that in turn leads to the erosion of connective tissues that help anchor fat cells beneath the skin’s surface. But estrogen is not the only hormone that affects cellulite formation. Noradrenalin, insulin, prolactin, thyroid hormones and catecholamine adrenaline are also involved. Heathman adds that if cellulite is related to heredity, no one has yet identified the gene that carries it.

Another reason that women are more likely to have noticeable cellulite has to do with the inflexible nature of the connective tissue that holds women’s fat cells in place. Because of this, as women gain weight, their fat cells bulge “..upward towards the surface of the skin, creating the ‘orange peel/cottage cheese’ appearance.” Men, however, have less fat on their thighs to start with and thicker skin on top, which keeps the fat cells from bulging below the surface.

Do you know despite its relationship to fat, cellulite is not weight-related, but it’s the last type of fat to leave due to diet and exercise. People of all body types and weights have it. Even children as young as 11 have it, usually appearing first with the onset of puberty. And although some doctors may recommend diet as a form of treatment, Heathman says it really only helps as a preventive measure, rather than a cure.

  Several lifestyle choices have been linked to cellulite. Smoking and exposure to other environmental toxins are suspect, along with high starch and high fat diets, drinking too little water and lack of sleep.  Also a factor is anything that restricts blood flow like tight-fitting underwear. And last, but never least—stress.  Stress’s link has to do with its increase in levels of the catecholamine hormone, which has an inflammatory effect on connective tissues.

  So the take-home from all of this is that we can’t really eliminate cellulite, and most likely we shouldn’t do so completely. However, Heathman believes it can be managed. Aside from popular therapeutic methods like thermotherapy, lymphatic drainage, electric therapy and drugs that may improve connective tissue, there are creams and lotions, she says, that can, in some cases, at least reduce the visibility of the cellulite if used regularly. Massage therapy may also help reducing stress and getting and staying, otherwise, as healthy as possible is important, as always.

Heathman’s complete article can be read here:

https://www.dermascope.com/conditions/the-ugly-truth-of-cellulite

Aesthetician, educator and author, Christine Heathman is considered a “leader in the research and development of skin care and progressive clinical protocols.”