Summer is the swimming season and the time for girls to show off their beautiful bodies, but there is a big problem that has been bothering many girls, and that is “cellulite”.
The skin is uneven from the outside, much like an orange peel. Other susceptible locations are, the arms, waist, abdomen, buttocks, etc.
Most of the time cellulite is hidden in clothing and pants, but when summer arrives, or when working out, wearing shorts and skirts can easily expose it. Cellulite is a major nightmare in the weight loss and slimming world because once it appears it is hard to get rid of and even if you are successful in losing weight it may still be there.
Cellulite is rare in men because of the different distribution of fat, muscle, and connective tissue between guys and girls, but about 80-90% of women experience the problem of cellulite.
Causes of Cellulite Formation
Our skin is divided into the epidermis, the dermis, and further down, the subcutaneous fat. When the strength and thickness of the connective tissue between the dermis and the fat layer are uneven, it causes the fat layer to protrude outward into the dermis. It looks like a mass of fat – cellulite.
Many factors can trigger cellulite formation, including:
- Age
- Unhealthy diet
- Slow metabolism
- Low estrogen levels
- Too little exercise
- Genetic factors
- Toxins and inflammation in the body
- Increased adipose tissue due to weight gain
- Lack of collagen
- Poor blood circulation (a common problem in the legs)
- Poor lymphatic drainage
- Thinning and sagging of the epidermis
Although cellulite is unsightly, it does not have a significant impact on overall health.
Cellulite Grading
In the chart below, cellulite is classified into four grades according to the severity of the cellulite, with grade 0 being normal skin.
- Grade 1 (Mild): no visible cellulite when standing, or only a few superficial depressions, but cellulite clumps appear when pushed by hand.
- Grade 2 (Moderate): Visible orange peel, especially when standing, but not when lying down.
- Grade 3 (Severe): cellulite is very visible whether standing or lying down, and the skin has severe drooping folds.
Stand in front of a mirror and check. If you are at level 0-1, congratulations, keep it up and take precautions. But if it has reached level 2, or even level 3, you need to pay special attention and find ways to work on improving it.
How to Prevent Cellulite?
Cellulite arises from many complex causes, so there is no uniform and simple way to prevent it. But there are still ways you can minimize the formation of cellulite.
1. Maintain a healthy diet
Stay away from high-sugar, high-carbon-water diets, and deeply processed junk food, eat more green leafy vegetables, ensure adequate dietary fiber and vitamins, and drink plenty of water.
Because the accumulation of toxins in the body can also cause poor metabolism and lead to the formation of cellulite, enough fiber, and water can help the body detoxify, which is good for preventing and reducing cellulite.
2. Bath
Use a loofah or Capricorn massage comb to brush the skin in circles when bathing, this can stimulate lymph and promote blood circulation to prevent the formation of cellulite.
3. Quit smoking and alcohol
Smoking and alcohol will increase the burden on the liver and kidneys, increase the accumulation of toxins in the body and reduce the body’s ability to eliminate harmful substances, making it easier to produce cellulite.
4. Do a massage
At least once or twice a week do a full-body massage, the conditions can ask professionals to do, or their usual home when watching TV, do leg, waist, and abdomen massage will also help. Massage time to apply essential oils on the skin can help the skin to better detoxify.
5. Proper exercise
Regular exercise helps maintain a healthy weight and can enhance muscle strength and skin elasticity, which can play a role in preventing and reducing cellulite.
6. Lose weight
The vast majority of overweight and obese people have varying degrees of cellulite, so if you don’t want to see them, the best thing to do is not to get fat. We have introduced many healthy weight loss methods in previous articles, such as the ketogenic diet, low-carb diet, and intermittent fasting, which have a good effect on fat-burning and slimming, and weight maintenance.
7. Supplement collagen
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our body, it is like the glue that holds the body’s tissues and organs together and functions correctly. The human skin contains 70-80% collagen, so healthy young skin will be moist and smooth, and elastic.
However, as we age, collagen is lost and the skin becomes saggy and rough. You can supplement collagen from your daily diet or take collagen supplements.
How to Get Rid of Cellulite?
All the preventive measures mentioned above will have some effect on reducing cellulite. If you want to get rid of cellulite fast, some people will choose surgical treatment!
- Laser treatment: It liquefies fat, cuts off connective tissue, loosens wrinkles, promotes collagen growth and skin tightening, increases blood flow, and reduces fluid retention. Expected results last for at least 6 months.
- Subcutaneous separation: This minimally invasive procedure cuts connective tissue, thus improving cellulite. Results can last for at least 2 years.
- Cryolipolysis: A new technique that uses a selective and non-invasive method to bring about localized fat reduction. It may take three treatments and 3 or 4 months to see results.
In addition to these three methods, two others are riskier and have a less-than-ideal prognosis:
- Injections: The doctor injects a chemical into the fat layer beneath the skin to promote breakdown and make cellulite less visible. However, it carries the risk of infection, swelling, rash, and rough skin.
- Liposuction: The biggest problem with this procedure is that the fat is not suctioned evenly, which can cause the orange peel on the skin to look worse.
The surgical method of fat elimination involves going under the knife after all, and although the results are faster, the relative risks are greater. So most doctors would recommend: unless your cellulite is so severe that you can’t leave the house, can’t see anyone, or has seriously affected your everyday life, then you don’t need to undergo surgery at all.
You can do some leg and hip exercises in your normal routine to help tighten the skin around your thighs, which is not the most complete and quickest solution, but safer. Stronger muscles and tighter skin will reduce cellulite, thus improving the appearance.
1、Deep squat
- Stand with feet apart and toes forward
- Bend both knees, lower your hips as if you were sitting in a chair, keep your back straight, and don’t cross your knees over your toes as much as possible
- Stand up and return to the starting position, and then repeat
2、Jump squat
This is the base of the squat plus jumping action.
- Do the regular squatting action
- Jump gently upwards when you get up, then land on your toes
- After landing, continue to squat, and then repeat
3、Back leg lift
- hands, knees on the floor, thighs at right angles to the floor
- Straighten one leg backward, lift it as high as possible, return to the original place, and replace the other leg
- Two legs alternately do
4、Straddle step
- Stand with your feet together
- Take a big step with your right foot to the side, while bending your right knee, lowering your body down, and keeping your back straight
- Retract the right foot, and replace the left foot to do the same action
5、Lying on your back to lift your buttocks
- Lie flat on the floor, both arms placed on both sides of the body, bend the knees of the legs, heels as close to the buttocks
- Raise your hips and support your upper body with your shoulders, hold for three seconds
- Return to the original position and repeat
There are many similar local exercise methods, you just need to choose a few of your favorite and stick to them. Repeat each set 12-15 times, 2-3 times a week, for at least 30 minutes each time. You can also increase the intensity of the exercise by lifting a dumbbell or other heavy object in your hand, depending on the situation.
Always remember to stretch before doing exercise to prevent muscle strain. For best results, combine anaerobic exercise (strength training) and aerobic exercise as much as possible. Aerobic exercise can help you burn fat, while strength training builds muscle and helps build skin elasticity.
A healthy diet and lifestyle habits, combined with proper and correct exercise, all of these efforts can help you reduce cellulite.
