If the glossy gossip magazines are to be taken at face value, cellulite is the most heinous evil that womankind can inflict upon the general public. And woe betide the celebrity who dares to enter the public realm wearing shorts, a skirt or beach-wear whilst having cellulite. They can expect zoomed in, magnified, and yes, even digitally enhanced images of their thighs with captions such as “orange peel” underneath. The staff on these magazines presumably have the legs of shop window dummies. They arguably share their brains.

Only a tiny proportion of women go through their lives without ever having cellulite of some sort. It’s well known for appearing around the thighs or buttocks, but it can also appear on the abdomen and pelvic region, although this is much less likely to be seen in public. Interestingly, it is a condition that overwhelmingly affects women, and men who have signs of cellulite often have a medical condition related to hormones. It is thought that the reason for this male-female split is down to the fact that women’s fat cells are not as closely packed as men’s are, and it is the tightening of these loosely arranged cells that squeezes the fat outwards under the skin, causing the familiar dimpled effect.

Despite its ubiquity, cellulite is a condition that most women would rather not have. Particularly severe cases can look unsightly enough to sap confidence and force them to avoid skirts shorter than knee-length, or avoid situations such as beaches and swimming pools entirely. As cellulite tends to start appearing after adolescence has finished, it also hints at aging, something many of us, male and female, try to hide for as long as possible.

So while it certainly is not “wrong” to have cellulite, and it’s certainly morally wrong to poke fun at people who have it, there is nothing wrong with wanting to get rid of cellulite. Is it any different from having our teeth whitened or dyeing our hair?

First of all, cellulite is not a side-effect of being overweight, which is sometimes assumed. It can affect women of all sizes, although leading a sedentary lifestyle and eating an unhealthy diet can certainly make its appearance more pronounced. This is because bad circulation and drainage will increase the seepage of the fats that cause cellulite. So although cellulite is indeed a manifestation of fat, it is not the same as being fat – there are many different kinds of fat in the human body, and they serve vital purposes.

Once it is established, getting rid of cellulite is not the impossibility it once was, either. A particularly effective form of treatment uses a machine that emits radio frequency waves. These are the most effective waves that are known to penetrate just deeply enough under the surface of the skin (approximately 2 cm) to heat the fatty layer beneath the dermis, which effectively melts the fat, making it more fluid. Also, the stimulation of the dermis itself with this treatment can cause the production of extra collagen, having a beneficial firming effect.

So if preventative methods haven’t done the trick, even relatively advanced cases of cellulite can often be dealt with by a few trips to a clinic specialising in cosmetic treatment. And as the treatment is getting more and more common, you don’t need to be a celebrity to afford it.

Author Bio: Writing about cellulite treatment and other skin improvement procedures has made Tracey quite an authority. She understands the difficult choices faced by patients and also provides guidance on hair removal and anti-aging skin treatments.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
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