Introduction

Cellulite is an extremely common problem among women, yet little research has been done to understand exactly what causes it. However, scientists and naturopaths have identified several likely factors that contribute to cellulite. Each of these plays a role in the development and severity of cellulite, so understanding and addressing these underlying issues can help you prevent, treat, and improve the appearance of your cellulite.

What is Cellulite

Cellulite is a common cosmetic condition that affects the appearance of the skin. It’s not a disease, but rather it’s a symptom of other conditions. Cellulite doesn’t affect your health in any way and it doesn’t mean you’re unhealthy or overweight. In fact, many people who are very fit and have flat stomachs have cellulite too! We all develop this kind of dimpling on our thighs as we gain weight around our hips (especially if we store fat there).

Cellulite is more common in women than men because women tend to have higher body fat percentages than men do; aside from genetics, hormones may also play a role — especially during pregnancy and perimenopause.

The Top 5 Causes of Cellulite

Genetics

Genetics is the most common cause of cellulite. It’s a hereditary condition. If your parents had cellulite, it’s likely that you will too.

Cellulite occurs when fat cells form on the outermost layers of skin, causing dimpling and unevenness in the skin’s surface. Genetics determine how much fat is stored in these cells and where they are stored. The more genetic material you have that predisposes you to storing excess fat around your thighs or buttocks, the greater your risk of developing cellulite.

Exercise and diet can help reduce cellulite by increasing muscle mass and reducing body fat, which causes less visible bulging beneath the skin’s surface when someone stands upright

Genetics

Genetics play a role in the development of cellulite, but many people don’t realize that genetics can be passed from one generation to another. When we talk about genetics and their role in cellulite, we often mistakenly believe that if you have it then your children will have it too. While this is true for some people, it’s not true for everyone.

The good news is that genetics are not something you’re stuck with—you can change them! Every time you exercise and eat healthy foods, you are building up your body’s strength and decreasing its sensitivity to damage from free radicals (which cause aging).

Diet and Exercise

There are many ways to reduce cellulite. As we’ve mentioned, one of the best ways is to exercise regularly. Exercise will help improve circulation and lymphatic drainage, which can reduce the appearance of cellulite. It will also help improve muscle tone, skin elasticity and body fat percentage.

You should also be aware that some foods may cause you to have more cellulite due to their high sugar content or unhealthy fats. For example:

• Foods high in saturated fat (e.g., fried chicken) can make your blood vessels constrict, reducing blood flow and hindering the elimination of toxins from your body — resulting in increased chances for developing cellulite on parts of your body where there aren’t many blood vessels like thighs or buttocks.* Alcohol increases estrogen levels which makes it easy for fat cells underneath our skin to grow larger than they normally would resulting in “orange peel” texture common among drinkers even if they’re not overweight.* Sugary drinks such as fruit juices contain high amounts of fructose which has been shown by studies conducted at Harvard University Medical School’s Department Nutrition Department: “Fructose causes similar changes as those seen when eating too much fructose.”

Hormones

It is important to note that hormones can affect the appearance of cellulite. As a result, women are more likely to develop cellulite than men at any age. Hormones play an important part in the development of fat cells and their size; when these change, so does your skin’s elasticity and firmness. The most common hormones that cause these changes are estrogen and testosterone:

• Higher levels of estrogen increase the production of fat cells in both male and female bodies, making it more difficult for them to shed their excess weight effectively
• Higher levels of testosterone can lead to an increase in the size of existing fat cells

Gender

Men and women are affected differently by cellulite. While both men and women have fat stored in the subcutaneous layer of their skin, our bodies store it differently. Men tend to store fat on the stomach, while women tend to store it in the thighs and buttocks (hence why you can see cellulite on each of those areas).

So there you have it! If you’re a woman who has been wondering why your thighs are lumpy and bumpy while your male counterparts don’t seem to be bothered by such things, now you know! It’s not just because they don’t care about how they look; it’s biology at work.

Treatment, Prevention and Reduction

There are many different treatment options that can be used to reduce the appearance of cellulite. These include:

• Exercise
• Massage
• Creams and lotions
• Waxing
• Laser treatments, including laser lipolysis (which uses a laser to break down fat cells) and non-ablative lasers like Picosure (which both work by killing fat cells) or VelaShape (which also uses heat).
• Liposuction is another option for removing cellulite from targeted areas, such as the buttock or thighs. It involves inserting a tube under your skin through which a vacuum draws out excess fat to remove the dimples created by cellulite. However, this method often requires multiple procedures over time for best results. Surgery is another option for those who want an instant solution but have limited funds—some plastic surgeons offer “miracle cures” that can instantly smooth out wrinkles or burn away fat deposits while leaving you with minimal scarring or downtime; however, these procedures often require hundreds of thousands of dollars and recovery times ranging from days to weeks depending on how much work needs doing in order to achieve optimal results!

Understand and address the causes of cellulite to prevent, treat and improve the appearance of cellulite.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of how to prevent and treat cellulite, it’s important to understand what cellulite is. Most people think of cellulite as being a purely cosmetic issue—something that only affects women and makes them feel self-conscious about their bodies. While this is true in some cases (and for many women), there are many other causes of cellulite that both men and women can experience. Here’s a short list:

• Excess body fat
• Insulin resistance (Type 2 diabetes)
• Hormonal imbalance (too much estrogen or testosterone)
• Immune system issues

Conclusion

The good news is, you can take steps to prevent, treat and reduce the appearance of cellulite. A balanced diet, daily exercise and proper hydration are keys to overall health and well-being, as well as reducing the appearance of cellulite. Additionally, VelaShape III offers a safe and effective treatment for cellulite reduction. The best way to find out if this treatment is right for you is with a consultation from a licensed specialist at your local med spa or dermatology office.