Top Treatments for Cellulite Removal

What is Cellulite?

            Cellulite is a harmless, common, skin condition that makes skin on the thighs, hips, buttocks, and abdomen appear lumpy or dimpled. It is caused by the connective tissue in the skin just below the surface layer and the layer of fat just below it. When the fat cells protrude into the layer of skin it gives the appearance of cellulite. The fat cells and connective tissues are arranged vertically in women and crisscrossed in men, as a result, women are more likely to develop cellulite than men.

 

Cellulite can be caused by several factors including, hormones, poor diet, an unhealthy lifestyle, toxins, genetics, weight gain, inactivity, and pregnancy. While cellulite is harmless and will not affect your health, many find the abnormality of the skin to be unattractive and seek to remedy it.

 

Topical Solutions

 

            One such remedy is a topical solution like a cream or a lotion that claims to remove cellulite over a period of application. It is important to know that most topical treatments do not actually treat cellulite, but instead simply help to reduce the visibility of cellulite.

 

Creams may make the skin appear smoother and firmer, and they add moisture, all of which may help reduce the appearance, but the fat cells still exist beneath the skin. A common ingredient in topical solutions is caffeine. Caffeine works as a diuretic and increases blood flow to the area. This temporarily changes the water content of the fat, thus reducing the appearance of cellulite. Some products reduce the visibility of cellulite by increasing the thickness of the outer layer of skin.

 

This is done with a chemical called retinol and creams containing it must be used for six months before measurable results. The creams also cause dryness, redness, peeling, and may make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Not all creams treat all patients the same and results may vary.

 

Weight Loss

 

            Weight loss, through both dieting and exercise, can be helpful in making cellulite less noticeable. Exercise can help reduce body fat, including the layer beneath the skin thought to be a factor in cellulite. If you decide to focus on exercising choose a routine that focuses on aerobic exercises combined with some strength training. This will burn body fat, as well as tone and define your muscles.

 

A more firm, muscular body makes skin appear smoother and tighter. As for dieting a balanced, healthy diet helps to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. You should reduce intake of processed and high-sugar foods, which could lead to an increased level of toxins and fat in the body. Increasing fiber intake will be helpful as well. Another dieting tip is to increase your hydration.

 

Dehydration makes cellulite more noticeable. Making a point to drink water will help to reduce the appearance of cellulite as well as help the body to flush toxins. Avoiding smoking and drinking will also help you to reduce cellulite as both only serve to increase the toxins in the body that lead to cellulite.

 

Supplements

 

            Some try to treat their cellulite with supplements such as grape seed extract, caffeine, or gingko biloba. These agents can be applied topically, orally, or by injection, however, none of them have been proven to be effective. Some people try to treat cellulite with compression stockings or other compression garments, but again these have not been proven to be effective and results vary.

 

Invasive Options

 

            There are some more invasive options available for cellulite treatment, such as subcision, and vacuum-assisted precise tissue release. Subcision, called Cellfina™ is an injection performed by a dermatologist that breaks up the tough bands just beneath the surface of the skin that causes us to see the cellulite.

 

This method is rather effective and lasts two years or more. The vacuum-assisted precise tissue release is also performed by a dermatologist. They use small blades to cut the bands and cause the tissue below to move upwards and fill the dimples. Although this is a relatively new method many patients are satisfied with their results and results last for about three years, maybe more.

 

Laser Skin Tightening

 

            Laser skin tightening is a safe, non-surgical, effective method to treat cellulite. Laser skin tightening is done with a combination of low-level lasers, radio frequencies, and magnetic pulses. The low-level lasers, radio frequencies, and magnetic pulses cause a thermal reaction in the tissue, causing the body’s natural healing process to respond and tighten the skin. The body does this by forming new collagen which then contracts and tightens the skin. This is what allows the procedure to be non-surgical, and since the body is doing all the work naturally, you will not feel any discomfort following the procedure. Since the body does all the work naturally, laser skin tightening treatment is a safe procedure.

 

            If you are interested in learning more about cellulite treatments, you can contact us by calling 877-721-4547 and scheduling a consultation in one of our offices. These consultations take as little as 30 minutes and are private one on one consultations with the clinic director.