What is Cellulite Anyway?

legs of woman showing her buttocks and leg transformation

You know those dimples that start to appear on your hips and legs as you age? Those are caused, typically, by the buildup of fat beneath the surface of the skin. This fat buildup causes the surface of the skin to ripple and morph in order to account for the new subsurface matter. The dimples that appear on your skin is called cellulite.

Don’t worry, this buildup of fat sounds a lot more unflattering or detrimental to your health than it really is. This is something that commonly occurs with age as weight gain and fat build up becomes much easier and more common. This means that cellulite is rather common as well – yet, having cellulite continues to be something few are happy with.

Luckily for you, there are treatment options! Cellfina is guaranteed to remove dimples, and EMTONE is the latest cellulite treatment and mommy-makeover available. Essentially what has happened is that your skin has stretched due to new mass below the surface and these dimples have reared their heads. Similar treatment methods for people who have undergone severe weight loss are available as the skin has stretched over the years. Finding a method to sort of kneed out the dimples is difficult, but they are available for you.

Understanding Cellulite

As we’ve mentioned, cellulite is a very common disease that affects millions of people across the United States. Every year, 3 million people are diagnosed with cellulite so take solace in knowing that you’re not alone. This is a simple disease that can typically be detected by looking at the spot under question. There’s little need for a doctor diagnosis or medical treatment. Self-treatment and self-diagnosis is possible with cellulite.

Common symptoms to look out for with cellulite are similar throughout cases. The most common symptom is the appearance of dimples or lumpy skin on the thigh, hip, butt, or belly. If you begin to sense the appearance of these dimples, it’s likely a symptom of cellulite. This is technically a chronic disease, but that does not mean it comes without possible treatments or cures.

Possible Causes of Cellulite

The most common cause is the buildup of subsurface fat beneath the problem area. This buildup of fat typically causes a disruption of everything above it which includes the surface area of the skin. Once this build up occurs, the skin stretches and begins to morph causing the appearance of dimples on the surface or lumpy skin.

Unfortunately for some, Cellulite might be in your genes. Some people are simply more susceptible to getting the disease based on their family tree. This means that the fat buildup doesn’t need to be as much for these people in order for the surface morphing to become apparent. For anyone with a family history of Cellulite, it’s going to be more difficult to treat the disease than for others.

While the appearance of toxins in your body has been proven to not have an effect on Cellulite, smoking has been linked with poor skin. Smoking causes your skin to become weak and unhealthy which has been linked to easier morphing and stretching. If your skin is easily stretched, then the fat buildup will have an easier time appearing on the surface of your skin. Cutting smoking improve your skin’s health, as well as your overall body health.

Cellulite: Myths and Facts

With Cellulite being such a common condition, plenty of misinformation has arisen about symptoms, causes, and treatments of the skin condition. Here, we would like to set the record straight on some of the more popular myths about Cellulite. Three of the most common myths are presented below as well as three facts that help to clarify information about the disease.

Myths

  • Skin firming creams help – Many people believe that simply applying a skin firming cream to the area of trouble will help to strengthen the skin and reduce the dimples. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Skin firming creams work to provide a temporary reduction in the effects of cellulite, but nothing lasting. If you rely on skin firming creams, you’ll find yourself dependent on applying them week in and week out forever.
  • Cellulite only affects those who are out of shape – Everyone can get cellulite no matter how “in-shape” you might be. Sure, being out of shape makes the cellulite more visible as the subsurface fat tends to stretch the skin and cause the dimples. However, you do not contract cellulite simply because you’re out of shape. It affects anyone and someone who exercises daily could find themselves with c
  • Toxins in the body cause cellulite – This is one of the most popular myths about Cellulite despite the fact that no scientific evidence backs this claim. Cellulite is not caused by toxins in the body and thus no medication that claims to reduce these toxins will help clear the body of the disease. Cellulite is simply the buildup of fat in the body that causes a stretching and morphing of the surface skin.

Facts

  • Cellulite gets worse with age – Unfortunately, as the body continues to age, our skin starts to get weaker and begins to sag. Here’s an article explaining why that is. This helps the cellulite that might already be present in the body to expand and amplify itself. Cellulite does get worse with age and tends to start effecting people later in life.
  • Women are more likely to get cellulite – Women tend to have more of a fat build up around their hips and thighs than men do. This is simply the natural buildup of the body and these fatty pockets are connected by less supportive tissue. This combination makes it so that the buildup of fat in these areas is more common and Cellulite is easier to contract.
  • Exercise helps reduce cellulite – General exercise is great for the body as a whole and greatly reduces the buildup of fat. What exercise does is it combats the fat in the body and starts to burn any excess fat. This helps reduces the pockets that are found around the hips and thighs where cellulite is common. By reducing this build up, the stretching of skin is less common and less effective.

Plenty of treatments are available for combating cellulite. Exercising and taking care of your body as you age are some of the most effective. As you age, this need for taking care of your body becomes greater and more difficult, but the more you stay on top of things, the less likely you are to contract cellulite.

About The Dermatology and Laser Group

The Dermatology and Laser Group is a top-rated dermatology clinic in NYC that offers numerous treatment options for Cellulite. Contact us here to book an appointment or call (212) 444-8204.