Cottage cheese thighs: everyone knows what cellulite looks like. Dimpling is only cute on a baby. Cellulite is the bane of many women. No matter how much weight they lose, or how much exercise they do, the cellulite is still present.
So what is cellulite? Cellulite is fat that is deposited in pockets just below the surface of the skin. It occurs around the hips, thighs, and buttocks. Because it is very close to the surface of the skin, cellulite leads to a dimpled appearance. It is estimated that 89% of women have cellulite to one degree or another. See the insert below to look at a picture of mild cellulite.
Cellulite may be more visible than fat deeper in the body. Even thin people can have cellulite, because we all have layers of fat just below the surface of the skin. Collagen fibers that connect fat to the skin may stretch, break down, or pull tight, allowing the fat cells to bulge out. This creates the rippled look of cellulite.
Your genes may play a part in whether or not you have cellulite. A poor diet, "fad" dieting, a slow metabolism, hormone changes, and even dehydration may play a role. Tips for avoiding cellulite include:
• Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fiber
• Staying hydrated with plenty of fluids
• Exercising regularly to keep muscles toned and bones strong
• Maintaining a healthy weight (no yo-yo dieting)
• Not smoking
A great deal of money is spent by people who want to rid themselves of cellulite, but no amount of weight loss, exercise, massages, wraps, creams, supplements, or surgery has proven to effectively eliminate it once you have it. Liposuction, for instance, is not recommended for cellulite, and may even make it look worse.
However, new technology is being trialed which looks very hopeful. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported on this technique at their recent annual meeting. An injection of an enzyme, collagenase which is naturally made in the body, is administered around the dimpled area. There was an 89% decrease in cellulite within one month. After 6 months, this figure had decreased to 76%; therefore, it is likely that repeat injections would be needed. Surgeons are anticipating that this technique will be on the market within the next few years; offering hope to all those women who are concerned about their dimpling thighs.
Sources
National Institutes of Health
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/19490.htm
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
http://www.plasticsurgery.org/media/press_releases/Goodbye-Dimpled-Thigh.cfm
del.icio.us
Digg this
