Cellulite is unsightly subcutaneous fat that clings under the skin causing dimpling of the skin that resembles cottage cheese or orange peels. Cellulite affects 90 percent of women and only 10 percent of men (more on that later).
Cellulite usually appears on a woman’s buttocks, hips and thighs beginning at age 25 and can affect teenagers.
What Causes Cellulite?
As women approach menopause, estrogen production decreases and fat begins to accumulate and protrude due to decreased blood circulation in the legs and buttocks.
With decreased blood circulation, there is less oxygen and nutrition to the area, which results in a decrease in collagen production. Collagen is a structural protein found in skin that prevents wrinkles and dimpling.
As the collagen decreases, fat pushes through the collagen causing the lumpy cottage cheese appearance.
Why Does Cellulite Affect More Women Than Men?
Men and women are not the same. Biology is the reason why men have significantly less cellulite than women.
In ancient times, early women did not have cellulite because they were more active (running from predators such as dinosaurs).
As civilization evolved, women became lazier while men remained active – which explains why significantly fewer men have cellulite. Also, the structure of collagen in men is different from collagen in women. Collagen is much stronger in men and holds in the fat.
Estrogen (in women) creates fat while testosterone (in men) breaks down fat. As men age, their testosterone production decreases, but men still have better collagen than women, which helps to hold fat in and not allow it to reach their skin.
Can Cellulite Be Prevented?
According to Scientific American, the main cause of cellulite in today’s woman is diet and elastic panties. Back in the 1920s, women wore loose panties and longer skirts.
Panties with elastic across the buttocks cuts off blood circulation to the legs. If you draw a line from where your cellulite begins, it begins at the panty line.
More women have cellulite because today’s women wear less panty hose. Panty hose acts as a compression hose, reducing swelling and promoting better blood flow to the legs.
Scientific American suggests wearing less panties with elastic and wearing more thongs (make sure the thongs are 100% cotton). If you wear a size 10 in panties, go up a size so the elastic fits looser across your buttocks. Also, wearing panty hose helps to promote blood flow to your legs.
What About Diet and Exercise?
Diet does play a role in decreasing cellulite. American women tend to exercise less and sit at desks for most of the day. Women in third world countries work harder and tend to stay on their feet for most of the day.
Eating healthy and exercising more will help you to lose the extra fat that causes cellulite.
Is There Treatment for Cellulite?
Dermatologists and chiropractors treat cellulite with machines that include vacuum rolling and radio waves to break up the fat in thighs. Vacuuming, radio waves and rolling the thighs breaks up fat cells, which smooths out the skin.
Laser treatments are also available in addition to vacuuming and rolling (massaging).
“Subcision” surgery is used to reduce fat dimpling in buttocks, thighs and hips.
Discuss diet, exercise and treatment options with your doctor or health care provider.
This has been your Medical Minute.
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Any medical information published on this blog is for your general information only and is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice. You should not take any action before consulting with your personal physician or a health care provider. Sandrarose.com and its affiliates cannot be held liable for any damages incurred by following information found on this blog.
