What Causes Cellulite and What are the Solutions to Reduce or Prevent It?

Have you noticed dimpled or lumpy skin, commonly known as cellulite, in areas such as the stomach, buttocks or thighs? Well, you’re not alone. Cellulite is reported to affect up to 90% of all women and some men. The skin condition is where collective fat deposits store themselves beneath the skin and push up against the connective tissue to leave the surface looking dimpled, with a “cottage cheese” effect.

Even though cellulite is completely normal and extremely harmless, you may be considering ways to make it less noticeable, especially during the beach season. Fortunately, there are a number of ways that can help you to reduce the appearance of cellulite including massage, exercise and cosmetic procedures.

What Causes Cellulite?

The cause of cellulite can be determined by several factors including your age, estrogen or hormone levels, family history and loss of collagen. Poor blood circulation, increased fatty tissue from weight gain and tissue inflammation can also play a role in the development of cellulite.

Estrogen & hormonal changes

Estrogen and hormonal changes can play a major factor in the appearance of your cellulite. These changes usually take effect during pregnancy, menopause or when taking supplements and contraceptives in the course of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). As we age, estrogen levels begin to decrease which can result in poor circulation and a reduction of collagen production. 

Age

With age, our skin becomes thinner and slowly begins to lose its elasticity. This can cause cellulite to become more visible and expose rippled skin of connective tissue. We cannot change the natural process of aging but there are things we can do to prevent fast aging symptoms including scheduled procedures with an accredited surgeon, massage and a healthy lifestyle.

Exercise

No doubt lack of exercise can lead to weight gain and an inactive lifestyle, but it also contributes to how cellulite presents itself on your skin. By completing weight training or HIIT exercises, you can keep your skin tight and reduce any sagging.

Scientists also believe that stress, lack of exercise and a poor diet can contribute to the slow production of collagen which can cause dimpled skin in areas of the thighs, stomach and buttocks. Collagen, the main protein found in skin and connective tissue, is a vital element that keeps the skin looking youthful and tight. A deficiency of collagen-rich fibres in your skin can cause you to experience a lack of elasticity which prevents your skin from staying tight and thus, produces cellulite.

How to Reduce Cellulite

Although you cannot completely remove cellulite, you can most definitely reduce its appearance. A combination of a healthy diet with exercise can help to strengthen the connective tissue within your skin and improve blood circulation and collagen production. Staying hydrated with water, minimizing your consumption of salt-heavy foods and significantly lessening your sugar intake can also improve the look of cellulite. This is because sugar stores itself in fat cells and causes them to expand which will only create more cellulite.

Unfortunately, not everyone is able to live an active lifestyle and some people find that their cellulite doesn’t decrease, even with one. Lotions, creams and dry brushes may only temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite which can leave you feeling frustrated and embarrassed or shy to show off your body. Getting a massage can definitely help with blood circulation but may also be a temporary solution to your ongoing problem. If you are looking for a longer-term solution to address your concerns about cellulite, you may wish to consider your options in a cosmetic procedure. Thankfully, your options for a cosmetic procedure are not limited as there are a number of treatments available in many Toronto clinics performed by accredited surgeons.

Before you go ahead with choosing the best course of treatment for you, you should consider your lifestyle, your overall health and whether you qualify as a good candidate. Invasive treatments including surgery or liposuction can offer a more permanent solution in a one-off procedure but may cause complications with long-term side effects. Non-invasive treatments including laser therapy or radiofrequency can tackle your cellulite efficiently with minimal side effects and lesser downtime, however; you may need more than one session.

At Body MedSculpt, we prefer to tackle your cellulite using a holistic approach of radiofrequency. Using state-of-the-art machinery, we can help to significantly reduce the appearance of cellulite in just one session, leaving you to feel more confident and comfortable in your skin. Our non-invasive course of treatment is not only quick but offers minimal downtime meaning you can resume your daily activities right after the procedure in comparison to more aggressive, invasive treatments which have a longer recovery period.

If you are ready to get rid of the stubborn cellulite in your thighs, buttocks or stomach for smoother and more youthful-looking skin, book a consultation with our team today!