Cellulite is one of those wellness problems that never seem to go away. No matter how you look after your wellbeing through a healthy diet and fitness regime – which many experts assert is the only way to get rid of cellulite – those little lumps and bumps around your bottom, thighs and upper arms never seem to shift. Considering that up to 90% of all women will experience some form of cellulite at some time in their life after puberty, surely someone must have come up with a solution? If knowledge is power, maybe we should take a closer look at cellulite, and how you might be able to defeat it.
According to Emma Hobson from the International Dermal Institute, ‘Cellulite is a connective tissue disorder. Simply put, the structure of the body’s fat cell chambers break down and cause this dimpling to appear.’ But why? Hobson suggests that a poor circulatory system causes this breakdown in connective fibres. ‘Loss of circulation to an area – whether caused by lack of exercise, too much sitting, clogged arteries or nutrient deficiency – can have a serious impact and accelerate cellulite formation,’ she says, adding that, as cellulite is not like regular fat, it must be treated differently. ‘For years, many experts argued that cellulite is merely fat and can only be treated with diet and exercise,’ recalls Hobson. ‘Yet non-overweight, physically active women also plead for treatments or products to address dimpled-thigh skin.’
So perhaps you’ll never be able to eradicate 100% of your cellulite. Nonetheless, there are many things you can do to reduce its appearance. While a topical skincare product won’t do the trick alone, Dr Esra Ogru, molecular biologist and co-founder of Phosphagenics, recommends Elixia BodyShaper Cellulite Contour Crème, as it has an impressive dermal-delivery system and uses three tried-and-true cellulite actives. However, it’s interesting to point out that Phosphagenics is the pharmaceutical-based owner of Elixia. Still, Ogru notes, ‘Caffeine is well established in its ability to release fat from the fat site; forskolin is a naturally occurring plant extract that is very powerful in converting fat to muscle; and we also use a peptide that stops fat from going into storage.’ The company claims that 21 days of use can reduce your cellulite by 40%, as well as enhancing skin hydration and improving elasticity.
You might also like to turn to in-salon treatments for help reducing the appearance of cellulite, advises Hobson. She lists a number of therapies that she loves, including Endermologie (a French method of mechanized massage therapy); mesotherapy (vitamin and plant extract injections to improve circulation and metabolism); lipolysis (an injection of a fat-cell-melting substance); and, Velasmooth (a non-invasive device that uses a combination of radio frequency, infrared light and vacuum suction which works to break down fat cells). However, the treatment that Hobson really raves about manual lymph drainage.
Hobson explains that manual lymph drainage is a light form of massage that stimulates lymph flow, which helps reduce cellulite because a sluggish lymph contributes to poor circulation. Hobson argues that manual lymph drainage ‘may in fact be one of the most effective means of treating the causes of cellulite.’ Still, if you can afford the full salon treatment, it is possible to obtain similar benefits by dry body brushing at home. Hobson instructs, ‘Use a large soft natural-bristle brush to gently and lightly stroke the surface of the skin of the legs, the direction of the nearest lymph nodes (back of knees, groin.’ Do this for a few minutes each day and you’ll see results within a few months.
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