One would expect that sleek, slim, much photographed celebrities like singers Rihanna and Beyounce, actresses Blake Lively and Halle Berry and even Victoria’s Secret models Alessandra Ambrosio and Candice Swanepoel really do have the perfect bodies. But as lithe and lean as this ladies are – no one would ever suggest they were in any way overweight and in need of a slimming machine – numerous ‘paparazzi’ photographs have demonstrated they all still suffer from one of the big banes of many women’s lives when it comes their appearance; cellulite.
Cellulite can, and does, strike even the slimmest figures and even those who spend hours a day at the gym working out. In fact cellulite just can’t be dieted or stairmastered away in the way that most body fat often can be and it’s one of the toughest beauty problems anyone can try to tackle. But just what is this stuff and what causes it?
What is Cellulite?
Cellulite is a collection of slightly hard, fatty deposits that lie just below the surface of the skin and press against the connective tissues resulting in that dimply, orange peel look that can mar even a swimsuit model’s beach look, especially as it is most commonly found on the thighs, buttocks and stomach, all the areas you want to display once the sun comes out.
What Causes Cellulite
BMI and actual weight seems to have very little to do with the development of cellulite, thus why standard dieting rarely affects its appearance. Instead research has suggested all of the following (and more) play a factor:
Diet Quality – What you eat may contribute to the development of cellulite. Those who maintain an unbalanced, nutrient deficient diet tend to be more likely to develop cellulite.
Age – Like wrinkles, cellulite is often one of those things that develop with age, no matter how much you might weigh.
Traumatic Injury – Often one of the ‘after effects’ of a traumatic injury is that cellulite forms around the site and remains long after the injury itself has healed. Cellulite also often forms around surgical scars in a similar way.
Bad Habits – Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking have both been linked to an increased likelihood of developing cellulite.
Hormones – Men do get cellulite, but far less often and in far smaller quantities, leading most to agree that female hormones play a part in cellulite formation too, an assertion that research is beginning to back up.
Genetics – If your Mum or Gran have/had cellulite chances are that you will develop it too, no matter how much you all weigh(ed)
Using Common Sense and High Tech to Combat Cellulite
There are dozens and dozens of creams, oils, pills and more out there that claim to be able to rid you of your pesky cellulite. Unfortunately the two things they tend to have in common is not that they are effective but that they are rather expensive and really don’t help.
There are some rather common sense things that you can do to diminish the appearance of cellulite though. Cutting down on alcohol and eliminating smoking altogether is likely to help those who indulge in such things. Lowering the temperature of your morning shower can help as well as hot water tends to exaggerate the appearance of the nasty lumpy, bumpy cellulite you’d rather hide. Some people have also found that taking a glucosomine supplement helps a little as well.
Technology can help as well. Slimming machines have been shown to visibly and effectively reduce the appearance of cellulite using electronic muscle stimulation and infrared technologies. The nice thing about this technology is it’s not only state of the art but can also be completely home based so no one has to waste time and money trying to make it to a fancy spa when the little machine in their own home can be working on their cellulite problem for them while they at home relaxing after a long day or simply whenever they have a spare few minutes.