Cellulite most often appears on the breasts, abdomen, and thighs. In places where it occurs, the skin structure is lumpy, wrinkled, and fibrous, so cellulite has been called orange peel skin. Its size and appearance depend on the stage of advancement. It is more challenging to fight in the advanced stage.
When visible and accompanied by excess weight, cellulite should be classified as a disease. It is because it is directly related to fat, and its symptoms increase with the amount of fat in the body. It is common in most women
, with a higher prevalence in obese women or those who accumulate fatty tissue in the lower parts of their body.
Lumps visible under the skin are enlarged adipocytes– fat cells. When they enlarge, they compress the blood and lymph vessels close to them. As a result, circulation and metabolism in cells are worse, they absorb less oxygen and nutrients, and toxins (i.e., by-products of this process, are removed from them much slower. As a consequence, toxic residues and water remain in the tissues.
From a medical point of view, cellulite is an uneven distribution of fatty tissue, where fat lumps form empty spaces between themselves, in which water and metabolic products collect. Then, edema appears in a given place, leading to complications with blood supply. The body tries to save fat “for later,” which is why it is so difficult to fight this condition.
We divide cellulite into two primary types. These are waterand fatcellulite.
Water cellulite, otherwise known as edematous cellulite, appears the earliest. If you squeeze the skin folds with your fingers, an uneven surface appears, and you can see slight swelling. Proper gymnastics will help at this stage.
The skin is covered with depressions, palpable lumps, and small nodules. Fat cells are enlarged. It takes much more effort to fight it. Ways to fat cellulite are exercise and intensively acting cosmetics.
Cellulite in patients usually forms within those places where is a greater amount of adipose tissue, like:
Orange peel skin on the arms is also a problem for many patients.
The most common cellulite causesare:
The first degreeof cellulite is not very visible. To determine it, pinch a patch of skin on your stomach or upper thighs with two fingers. If the skin becomes slightly lumpy, this is the first stage.
The second degree of cellulite works just as well as the first, but the skin looks like orange peel when squeezed, and you may feel slight pain when you touch this area.
The third degree of cellulite is visible without squeezing, and the lumps have a larger volume. The skin in the deeper layers is unevenly folded over the entire surface (not to be confused with wrinkled).
The fourth degree of cellulite is the moment when the skin even shakes from the excess folds. You can feel them when touching them. They may cause pain and discomfort.
Patients struggling with the problem of orange peel skin should not forget to follow the principles of a balanced dietthat reduces cellulite. It must be rich in vegetables and fruits (due to vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber).
It is advisable to limit the consumption of animal products and white bread, sweets, and fast food, as well as limit salt and sugar.
Also drink plenty of water, green tea, fennel, or nettle tea.
Treatmentsperformed in a beauty salon for cellulite are:
You can also try fighting cellulite with ultrasounds, oxytherapy, or needleless mesotherapy.
People using the services of cosmetology cabinets often wonder how long it takes to get rid of cellulite. There is no one correct answer to this question. It all depends on the lifestyle and nutrition of a person struggling with the problem of cellulite.
Regular physical activityconsisting in performing strength and aerobic exercises is the cheapest and at the same time the most effective method to get rid of the orange peel skin. Perform exercises for the lower body – squats, lunges, hip thrust. You can also run, ride a bike, exercise on an elliptical cross trainer, or swim. Regular training speeds up blood circulation, thanks to which the body gets rid of toxins in the tissues faster. In addition, they accelerate metabolism and thus contribute to fat reduction.
It is also significant to follow the rules of a balanced and healthy diet. Combining a diet with exercise gives effective results that can be observed after four weeks from the start of training.
Some people use various supplementsto fight cellulite. The preparations may contain plant extracts, including algae, green tea, and citrus, often omega-3 acids, vitamins, and substances that accelerate fat metabolism in the body and strengthen capillaries and lymphatic vessels, improve blood circulation and metabolism.
Anti-cellulite cosmeticsare also significant: scrubs, lotions, anti-cellulite creams, or shower gels with active substances.
Home remedies for cellulite have been known and used for years. You don’t have to spend a fortune on professional treatments to get rid of orange peel skin. We present the best, most effective methods of fighting cellulite.
It is worth starting your home anti-cellulite therapy during your daily bath. Supporters of slow and relaxing baths in the bathtub can easily take advantage of the beneficial effects of algae or other substances of marine or oceanic origin, and even simply add a large amount of sea salt to it.
In the shower, it is worth using the recommended alternating hot and cold showers on the thighs and buttocks, which support blood circulation, strengthen blood vessels and help remove excess toxins and retained water from the tissues.
Not everyone can use this method. For example, people with circulatory problems or diabetes should avoid it. Instead, they should opt for cooler showers.
While bathing, both in the bathtub and in the shower, it is also worth massaging cellulite-affected body parts with a rough sponge or glove.
Deep massagealso plays an increasingly important role in combating cellulite, which, in addition to stimulating blood circulation and lymphatic drainage that cleanses toxins, allows the relaxation and flexibility of the fascia – the subcutaneous connective tissue surrounding the muscles, which loses its properties due to inactivity, injuries, and aging of the body, causing irregularities visible on the surface of the skin. This type of massage is usually performed with hard rollers for exercise and massage.
The effectiveness of purchased and applied anti-cellulite cosmetics can also be increased thanks to the so-called body wrapping. At home, this treatment consists in tightly wrapping problematic parts of the body with foil after applying firming preparations.
It is worth additionally covering yourself with a blanket so that the heat generated will allow the active ingredients to penetrate even better into the skin. After about 30 minutes, remove the foil and massage in the remains of the lotion or cream (unless it is recommended to wash it off).
Sea salt peelingstimulates microcirculation and increases lymph flow. These actions reduce the visibility of cellulite, making the salt scrub one of the best home remedies for cellulite. Soak your body in warm water and massage with a handful of sea salt into the area affected by cellulite for 2 minutes. Then wash the skin with warm and cold water. Don’t worry if your skin starts to itch. This reaction is caused by an increase in blood circulation.
Sugarcontributes to the formation of adipose tissue, and thus cellulite. However, “white death” can also help get rid of the orange peel skin. Mix brown sugar with honey, grapeseed oil, and almond butter. Massage the resulting mass into the moistened skin of the thighs and abdomen. Sugar peeling soothes irritations, which is why it is recommended for people with dry and sensitive skin.
It is one of the most popular and simplest home treatments for visible cellulite – it works similarly to peeling. Its purpose is to improve blood and lymph circulation, more effective removal of metabolic products from tissues, and smooth and make the skin more elastic. Brushingalso removes dead, calloused skin.
It consists in scrubbing the body, especially the areas affected by cellulite, with circular movements using a brush or a glove made of natural material, e.g., sisal. Brushing can be done even daily, for a few minutes, always in the direction of the heart.
Start your day with a refreshing shower to wash away dead skin cells and impurities. However, this method is not recommended for women with delicate skin or fragile blood vessels.
Another home treatment that helps in the fight against persistent cellulite is massage. It can be performed with the use of a variety of instruments and balms or olives that ensure proper “glide”. Remember to follow the most significant rule – perform it in the direction of the heart.
Massage is the best home method for effective lymphatic drainage, cleansing tissues of toxic metabolic products, reducing swelling, improving blood circulation, and reducing visible cellulite. The least troublesome is the classic manual massage, which does not require any device. However, it is worth using specialized, comfortable, and ergonomic massagers that facilitate this activity. They are usually equipped with appropriately flexible protrusions or spikes.
Performing a Chinese cupping massageis a bit more demanding, and it is not recommended for women with varicose veins.
Each massage, regardless of how it is performed, should be performed with the use of olive, balm, or essential oils. In the case of anti-cellulite therapy, it can be combined with the application of specialized preparations with active ingredients that help reduce the orange peel skin. Thanks to this, they are even better absorbed through the upper layers of the skin. Massage can also be very effective in the fight against the so-called water cellulite.
Pour two drops of rosemary oil, two drops of fennel oil, and three teaspoons of almond oil into the dish. Massage the resulting mixture of essential oilsinto the thighs and buttocks. In this way, you will quickly and effectively get rid of the orange peel skin because the massage improves blood circulation and increases the flow of lymph, which is responsible for swelling in the body.
Regularly used coffee groundspeeling will make our skin smoother and stronger. Mix ground coffee with body lotion and rub it into cellulite-affected areas for a few minutes. Then wash the skin with warm water.
It’s time to heal cellulite “from the inside out”. For this purpose, some people claim that all you will need is lemon juice with the addition of cayenne pepper. Pour the juice of one lemon into 3/4 cup of water, add a pinch of cayenne pepper, and mix thoroughly. Drink the juice three times a day, and cellulite will start to disappear. This mixture can boost your immune system.
Remember to always ask your doctor before starting a new treatment. Read carefully the information on the packages. If you notice any alarming symptoms – stop the cellulite treatment.
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