What is cellulite?
A. In laypersons’ terms, cellulite is “superficial trapped fat” which appears on the skin surface as “orange peel” or dimpled skin. In medical terms, it is a modification of the subcutaneous tissue, involving the microcirculation network, the elastic, collagen connective fibers, and adipose cells. As a result, an alteration of fat tissue, including nodules, fibrotic changes, and fluid accumulation, occurs beneath the skin. Cellulite is the most common “lipodystrophic” condition, differing from diffuse adiposity mainly because it appears in limited areas such as the abdomen, buttocks, hips, thighs, and knees. Usually it does not pose any serious health risk. There are cases where the following symptoms do occur: heaviness and tension in the lower limbs, cold feet, night cramps, retention of excess fluid in the tissues concerned and usually pain, resulting from compression or pinched skin. Although at present, there is not a general agreement on the main causes of cellulite, it is the op
Cellulite is the dimpled appearance of the skin mainly seen around the thighs, buttocks and abdomen mostly where fat deposits are found in close proximity to the skin. Skin is connected to underlying muscle by VERTICAL strands of tissue. This connective tissue looses its elasticity as we age and the enlarged fat cells in the subcutaneous layer pushes upward creating the dimpled appearance. Circulation may be impaired as a result. Cellulite occurs in about 80% of the adult female population. There are many causes of cellulite including diet, lack of exercise, genetic predisposition and inevitable lifetime hormonal changes. Weight loss and exercise does not necessarily improve the appearance of cellulite and even slender people have cellulite.
The term cellulite simply describes a pitting, bulging, and deformation of the skin caused by the over-inflation of fat cells from an increase in fat storage. Cellulite usually appears on the thighs, buttocks, abdomen, calves, and arms, and is most common in women because their fat cells reside closer to the surface. Genetics and insufficient water intake can also contribute to cellulite development. More than 80% of women over the age of 20 years, regardless of their weight or size, are affected by cellulite. Over the years different techniques have been used to try to improve cellulite. These have included a variety of creams and lotions that promise a reduction in the appearance of cellulite, but generally have led to less than satisfactory results. Surgical removal has also not proved to be a popular approach. Newer methods, involving the use of lasers and laser-like technologies, such as the VelaSmooth and others, represent non-invasive non-surgical methods of reducing cellulite a
Cellulite is that bumpy looking fat around mainly on your thighs and buttocks that seem so difficult to get rid of. You may have heard before that it is an accumulation of water and waste products that are not properly eliminated by the liver, kidneys and intestines. These supposedly get trapped just under the skins’ surface and cause the characteristic dimpling of the skin. This however, is FALSE! Actually, cellulite is just plan, ordinary . . FAT! Strands of special tissue connect our skin to deeper tissues and muscles. These strands separate clusters of fat cells. When our fat cells increase in size, these clusters start to bulge and pull on the strands separating them. This what causes our skin to have that puckered orange-peel appearance. Women seem to be more prone to cellulite than men. This is because men have thicker outer layers of skin and can hide the bulging fat clusters better.
