What is cellulite?
You may be well aware that the dimpled appearance that appears across buttocks, thighs and hips is cellulite, but what is it? It is fat deposits that have pushed and distorted the connective tissue that lays beneath the skin, and led to the changes in the skin’s appearance. The skin appears similar to that of an orange’s skin peel.
It is referred to medically as EFP, edematous fibrosclerotic panniculopathy. It is more common for women to have cellulite than men due the differences in the distribution of fat, muscle and connective tissue.
It’s important to note that cellulitis and cellulite are not related, the former is a bacterial infection.
It’s perfectly normal and can be down to the thickness of the skin, heredity, age, and the amount of body fat and its distribution. It’s believed that cellulite occurs due to the fibrous tissue cords, that anchor the skin, shortening or shrinking. As stated above it is more common in women, however men can be affected, too. Additionally, it happens across all races throughout the world. While experts do believe that hormones may play a part, cellulite cannot be treated by hormone therapy.
If you have a family history of cellulite then you are more likely to suffer from it yourself, however, pregnancy and an inactive lifestyle could also increase your risk of developing cellulite.
There are different types of cellulite, too.
Adipose cellulite is the type that causes the orange peel effect on loose skin. Fibrotic cellulite has the orange peel effect and is hard and compact. While Oedematous cellulite is caused by fluid retention.
Additionally, there are four grades of cellulite.
Grade 1. The cellulite is not visible, even when pinching the skin.
Grade 2. The cellulite is not visible when standing, or lying down, however when the skin is pinched the orange peel texture is visible.
Grade 3. While cellulite is visible while standing, it tends to disappear when lying down.
Grade 4. The cellulite is visible both when lying down and when standing.
The majority of women have some grade of cellulite somewhere on their body, and even thin people are susceptible. Because it forms in the areas that have the least circulation it can be very hard to budge. The most likely forms of exercise to make an impact on it are swimming, running, or a brisk walk. This is because those three exercises are excellent for blood circulation, which will loosen the fat tissues. Once you have completed your exercise you could apply a cellulite product, doing so after exercise allows the product to be absorbed more effectively. If you’re looking for an efficient cellulite cream, look out for the key ingredient: Centella asiatica. This helps restore the macromolecules which provide skin with its elasticity.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do to prevent cellulite, however, you can help by being as active as possible. If your job is mostly desk bound, you should take every opportunity to get up and move around.
