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You know that lumpy or dimpled-looking skin you find around your thighs and your behind? Yeah that’s called cellulite, A.K.A “orange-peel” or “cottage cheese skin”.
And contrary to what you might think, it’s actually a pretty common thing that happens to a lot of people.
And while some people have no issues with it and consider it pretty normal and even sometimes beautiful, others may not like it too much and would rather get rid of it.
I happen to fall in the former category.
However, if you’re someone who’s not a big fan of cellulite, seeing it may be somewhat discouraging to you, and I understand that as well. But don’t you worry.
In this post, you’ll discover just what exactly cellulite is, what causes it, as well as some of the best natural home remedies you can use to get rid of cellulite.
Let’s dive in.
What Exactly Is Cellulite?
First thing first. Cellulite is not a medical problem of any kind and is pretty harmless. It’s more of an aesthetic issue.
It usually happens when the fat cells lying underneath the upper layer of our skin begins to sort of push out in a way. This process is what gives the dimpled or lumpy-like appearance we all see.
And like I said earlier, it’s a pretty common thing that happens to majority of people, especially women.
According to statistics, about 90% of women experience cellulite at some point in their lives. So that’s pretty much almost every woman out there.
But what are some of the factors that influence it?
Factors That May Influence It
1) Gender – Cellulite is way more likely to occur in women that it is in men. This may be due to the fact that the connective tissues under our skins seem to be structured a bit differently.
You see, the connective tissues in the female skin have a more vertical arrangement, while for men, it’s more of a zig-zag type of structure.
This difference in structure makes it easier for the fat cells to push upwards through the skin.
2) Age – The older you get, the more likely you are to have cellulite as well. This may be due to factors like the skin gradually losing elasticity over time.
3) Genetics – your genetic card also plays a role here. If your family has a history with cellulite, there’s a chance you could be next in line as well.
4) Hormones – Our hormones play important roles in the everyday chemistry of our bodies. Certain hormones, such as estrogen, insulin and the thyroid hormones can affect cellulite production, especially as we grow older.
5) Lifestyle habits – while the aforementioned factors are pretty much out of our control, some “in-our-control” lifestyle factors may also be contributing to cellulite.
For example, poor diets, low in nutrients and rich in processed ingredients may be a contributing factor.
Also, habits like heavy smoking can negatively impact skin health, which can eventually contribute to cellulite development.
6) Weight – since cellulite occurs when fat cells push up against the top layers of the skin, it makes sense for it to be a bit more common with people who are bigger. However, this doesn’t mean skinny people are an automatic exception.
Even though cellulite tends to occur more with people who gain weight, skinny people can still have it too.
Now that we understand what cellulite is, and what factors influence it, it’s time to discuss the possible solutions to it.
Best Home Remedies For Cellulite
While there is still some debate over the efficacy of several treatment methods, it is agreed that certain things can be done to help lessen the severity and appearance of cellulite in the body.
Here are some home remedies for cellulite you can try out.
1) Eating Healthier
I know I emphasize the importance of a healthy diet a lot, and that is because it really does have its undeniable benefits.
Proper skin care doesn’t just have to start from the exotic creams and body scrubs. Sure they are all good and useful, but proper skin care doesn’t start there.
It starts from our daily lifestyle, and that includes our diet. The type of foods we eat can, and do eventually affect the quality of our skin.
With that in mind, it is important to prioritize the right kinds of food, and make efforts to reduce or eliminate the intake of the not so good kinds.
What to eat (and avoid)
It’s been shown time and time again, that a diet rich in nutritious whole foods, such as fruits, veggies, fatty fish, whole grains, nuts, seeds, etc. promotes good skin health.
These foods help deliver important nutrients to all parts of the body (skin included) which is important for proper healthy function.
They also provide lots of skin-supporting benefits, such as boosting collagen production, improving skin elasticity, slowing down aging and so on. All of which can contribute to reducing the appearance of cellulite on the skin.
Similarly, diets high in refined carbs, sugar and unhealthy fats have been shown to have negative effects on skin health. And an unhealthy skin would no doubt be more prone to a cellulite outbreak, than a healthier one.
2) Proper Exercise
Another useful tool that can help you reduce or possibly get rid of cellulite, is proper exercise.
For decades, regular exercise has been recommended as one of the best ways to stay in shape and improve health. It is certainly no surprise that its benefits extend towards cellulite reduction as well.
But how exactly does this happen? Well, there are several reasons why it works.
First is weight loss. Proper exercise, in addition to a healthy diet stated above, can help you shed pounds. And since cellulite tends to be more visible when you gain weight, it makes sense that losing excess pounds can help reduce its appearance.
Another reason is circulation. During your sweat sesh, your body begins to pump blood at a higher rate, and circulation throughout the body is improved.
This improved circulation helps deliver nutrients to the cells more effectively, as well as carry away waste products, leading to a healthier looking skin overall.
The third reason why exercise can help in cellulite reduction, is because certain exercises can help tighten the skin.
Like I said earlier, cellulite is more likely to occur as the skin loses its elasticity. Therefore, exercises that tighten the skin around the cellulite-prone regions, and increase elasticity, can also help reduce the cellulite appearance around those regions.
Exercises like cardio, HIIT and glute workouts can all serve as useful tools to help you reduce cellulite appearance.
3) Massage
Moving away from diet and lifestyle choices, another tool you can try in the battle against cellulite is some good old massage.
While there is still some level of debate over the effectiveness of massages in cellulite reduction and how long the results last, a lot of people still report having some levels of progress with it.
This is because among other things, a massage when performed correctly can help improve circulation and redistribute fat cells around the affected area.
Both of these are believed to be useful in improving skin tone, which can in turn help reduce the appearance of cellulite.
Getting a massage can either be done with the help of a professional massage therapist, or at home. If you’re going to try the at-home option, here’s a comprehensive cellulite massage tutorial to help you get started.
Regarding how long the effects last, it is well accepted by experts that massages are not a one-time permanent solution that’ll make your cellulite magically disappear.
While they can still be pretty useful in improving skin tone, they have to be carried out occasionally in order to reap the benefits.