Cellulite - Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Cellulite describes dimpling of skin , caused by the protrusion of subcutaneous fat into the dermis creating an undulating dermal-subcutaneous fat junction adipose tissue . These are mainly found over hips, thighs, and buttocks. This appearance is much more common in women than in men because of differences in the way fat, muscle, and connective tissue are distributed in men and women's skin. Although female hormones may play a role in contributing to this fat distribution, cellulite is not treatable by hormone therapy. In other words, the dimpled appearance of cellulite is one way many perfectly normal human beings look. Just as some people have thick hair while others have thin hair and some have large noses and others small, some women have the smooth buttocks and thighs that everyone seems to want while others have less satisfactory, dimpled ones.

There are several factors that decide whether you will be afflicted with cellulite. If you've inherited the "cellulite gene," you're pretty much destined to have cellulite regardless whether you're a size 2 or a size 12. Gender is another factor, and women get the short end of the stick when it comes to cellulite. This leads to the next contributing factor the postnatal body. Of course, body fat plays a role in how much cellulite you do or don't have.

Diet and exercise also contribute to cellulite, as well as age, smoking, medication, traumatic injury and water intake. A huge industry has grown up out of our obsession with conquering the battle against cottage cheese, a common euphemism for cellulite. There are creams, medications, shoes and spa treatments available that claim to reduce cellulite or the appearance of it. There are also medical treatments, such as liposuction and mesotherapy , the injection of drugs, but they are usually expensive and only temporarily reduce cellulite.

Cellulite is a normal human variation that is viewed by a segment of the public as some sort of a disease. Cellulite is a "cosmetic" condition that occurs mainly in women. Cellulite occurs in vary degrees in different women. A small percentage of women have very little or no cellulite. However,  the majority of women (90%) have some degree of cellulite that ranges from mild pitting or bulging when the skin is pinched, to extensive pitting, bulging and deformity know as the "mattress" phenomenon.  Cellulite begins to form during puberty, although it isn't always noticeable on younger women. Under the skin, there are three layers of fat. The top layer is called the subcutaneous layer, and it is where cellulite occurs. The bottom two fat layers are "reserve" areas, where excess calories are stored as fat cells.

Cellulite does not occur in these layers. In obese people, however, these two bottom layers push out the top cellulite layer, making it more noticeable. -In the subcutaneous layer, directly under the skin, there is a mesh-like or net-like fibrous connective tissue called septae. This septae forms a network of compartments, in which fat cells are located. This fibrous tissue's functions are to keep the fat cells tightly packed, provide structural support for the skin, and to insulate the body. In cellulite, the subcutaneous fat cells are pushed upwards, and the septae are pushed downwards. As a result, the fat cells are squeezed into small bulges that translate into the lumps and "orange peel" look of the skin. Because of aging, a woman's skin begins to become thinner, and her septae become more fibrous. This results in the worsening of cellulite's appearance.

Causes of Cellulite

Cellulite commonly appears on the hips, buttocks and legs, but is not caused by being overweight, as many believe. Cellulite appears in the subcutaneous level of skin tissue. Fat cells are arranged in chambers surrounded by bands of connective tissue called septae.

Find common causes and risk factors of Cellulite

• Poor eating habit like alcohol, caffeine may contribute to cellulitie.
• A family history of cellulite increases the chances to get affected by it.
• A sedentary lifestyle, may contribute to the formation of cellulite.
• Cellulitie may be caused by the insufficient water intake.
• Smoking weakens the skin by causing constriction of capillaries. It further damages the connective tissue that causes the cellulite.

Signs and Symptoms of Cellulite

Sign and symptoms may include the following :

• Feelings of tightness.

Treatment for Cellulite

Treatment may include:

• A low-fat diet is usually recommended as part of a weight maintenance lifestyle. This will definately help in the treatment of cellulite.
• In the past few years, several machines have been introduced that massage the areas affected by cellulite. These machines use rolling cylinders to gather areas of skin and massage them inside a chamber.
• The dietary supplements, such as ginkgo biloba, sweet clover, grape seed bioflavinoids, bladderwrack extract, oil of evening primrose, fish oil, and soy lecithin are effective in the treatment of cellulite.

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