Whether it reminds you of tapioca pudding, cottage cheese or rugged terrain, cellulite is every woman’s worst nightmare. Cellulite does not discriminate based on gender, but it seems to be a problem more women than men face. Cellulite also doesn’t discriminate based on age – attacking teenagers and the elderly without regard. Even thin people sometimes manage to have cellulite on their hips and thighs. But…what is it?

Cellulite is a fat that pushes itself right up against the tissue just beneath your skin. It is no different than other fat, except that it puts itself so close to your skin that you can actually see the fat cells while looking at your body.

Unfortunately, cellulite is indiscriminate when selecting who to torment. Your body is either made with a propensity to have these fats that stay close to the surface of your skin, or not. Weight loss prompts the loss of fat in general, but fat under the skin is the last to be used, so weight loss is usually ineffective at treating cellulite.

This does not mean that diet and exercise have no value when treating cellulite.  In fact, they remain the first line of defense to prevent fat migrating to the skin surface by encouraging circulation in the skin, building collagen in the middle skin layers, and reducing cellular inflammation.

Cellulite treatments

Creams and lotions: Some methylxanthine based creams have proven effective against cellulite. Methylxanthine is a form of caffeine believed to induce fat burning or lypolosis below the skin.

Light and radio frequency therapy: Using laser, infra red or high intensity radio waves in combination with mechanical massage is a promising therapy that melts fat beneath the skin and loosens the fibrous bands or septa that holds the fat in place. Results are long lasting.

Massage: Hi-tech mechanical massage known as endermologie uses rollers and suction to increase blood flow and lymph drainage in cellulite areas. The results are temporary.

Mesotherapy: Designed to break up fat cells and dissolve the septa bands, cellulite targeting mesotherapy uses a series of tiny injections to push medications, vitamins and herb extracts into the cellulite areas. Results are long lasting.