In simple term, cellulite is the appearance of a bumpy looking fat on the body. Cellulite is often found around the thighs, buttocks, abdomen, and sometimes upper arms of women. Some men have exhibited cellulite in these areas also, but it happens most common in women, in particular post-pubescent women.



When cellulite occurs, it makes the skin looking like it has dimples similar like what an orange peel appears to be. It is certainly very repulsive and not at all attractive to look at and thus many women often try to cover up these parts with items of clothing which you can be sure that they are not short skirts or bikinis.

You are not sure when or how this condition happened, but recently you found yourself staring into your full length mirror in horrible disgust at the sight reflected back at you. You could see the first sign of cellulite along the tops of your thighs and all along your backside. You were in horror, thinking back to all those times that you and your friends joked around about women at the swimming pool who have cottage cheese look. Now, you found that you have the same problem. You felt that your words are coming back to haunt you.

Causes of cellulite

Your grandmother has it and even your mother has it, as well as nearly every woman at the gym. Unfortunately, while there is a lot of info on cellulite, there is no concrete answer on where it comes from, or why it plagues most, if not nearly all, women. Many doctors and researchers have theorized the causes of cellulite, but there is no agreement within these communities.

Some believe that it is directly related to estrogen, a dominant hormone in women, which makes sense considering the high propensity of this issue among post-pubescent women. It would also clarify why women have more problems with cellulite than men, because of the difference and level of estrogen found in the male and female bodies. However, estrogen is not the only hormone that occurs during that time, and any one of those could actually be the culprit. In addition, when patients combine exercise, diet, and anti cellulite cream, they may get successful result indicating that hormone is only a part of the issue.

Another research has shown that it is thought an accumulation of swollen fat cells leads to the formation of cellulite, since the swollen fat cells can press on the connective fibers around them. The pressure will make these connective fibers bending and the skin is pulled downward which results in a puckered look on the surface that leads to cellulite. The fat cells can also clog up the lymphatic system in which there is insufficient flow of blood and thus allows cellulite to gather in those regions.

Old age is believed to be another cause of cellulite because when a person ages, there is less ability in the body to get rid of toxins and the fluids will loose their strength which causes toxins to gather beneath the skin and thus allows for the growth of cellulite. Others declare that cellulite is a metabolism issue, and that as a women's metabolism begins to slow down, the cellulite condition will become worse as well. Some people also think that cellulite is hereditary because it does not discriminate between fat or skinny people. Poor dietary habit can also contribute to what causes cellulite.

Treatments and preventive measures of cellulite

Even though there is no concrete answer about the causes of cellulite, there are successful treatment options available. One of the most common treatments available is anti cellulite cream, such as Revitol or Avotone. These creams are available at your local pharmacy or even online and they are as easy to use as other bottles of lotion sitting on your bathroom countertop.

It is much better if you prevent the cellulite from happening in the first place. You can start a preventive cellulite program by eating a healthy diet that is rich in fiber, such as lots of fruits and vegetables. You should always drink plenty of water to stay hydrated because dehydrated skin will increase your risk in developing cellulite. Regular exercise will help to tone your muscles and not allow the fat deposits to build up in the tissue.

You should avoid excessive weight fluctuation because all of the gaining and losing weight will cause the skin to stretch and break down, which in the end will allow the fat cells to form. And lastly, you should avoid smoking at all costs. This habit is the worst possible thing you can do for the health of your skin. Smoking will add harmful toxins to your body that contributes to the formation of cellulite and thus make it exceptionally hard to treat because you are constantly adding fuel to the fire.