Before jumping into any anti-cellulite treatment, the most important thing you need to do is to familiarize yourself with what cellulite actually is and how it exists in the first place. When the body reaches a certain level where a lot of fat is trapped in the body, the skin tends to dimple. The unsightly outcome is what we know as cellulite.

Cellulite actually builds up in the subcutaneous, or superficial layer of the skin. Fat cells may expand and stretch when there is a lot of water retention. When the skin is stretched enough, it will eventually lose its flexibility. This means some parts of the skin will be held down while others stick out in lumps. And we all already know what this means: cellulites! This probably birthed the new terms for cellulite, such as cottage cheese and orange peel.

Body Weight - Because cellulite has a lot to do with fat cells, it has been said that obesity or being overweight opens more doors to the development of cellulite. However, anyone can get cellulite simply because as humans, we all store fat. It is just all in the matter of how much fat is stored in the body. For instance, lesser men are troubled with cellulite simply because men are built differently and tend to store fat in smaller quantities compared to women. Cellulite has a number of causes, including hormonal change, lack of physical activity, insufficient water consumption and aging.

Diet And Exercise

How Diet Helps - A healthy diet is known to slow down the accumulation of cellulite. A tip is to drink lots of water, about 8 to 12 glasses a day. This will help you keep your body hydrated. Avoid processed foods, alcohol, smoking and over-medication. Minimizing salt consumption is also said to be helpful in the prevention of cellulite build-up, because salt itself triggers water retention. Fiber washes away toxins, giving you better skin condition. And of course, regular exercise will help you burn fat and therefore prevent cellulite.

Surgery

Surgery is an option to get rid of cellulite. However, there are some things you need to consider first. Liposuction is a popular method in getting rid of cellulite and excess fat in general. The downside of surgery is that it is expensive and still does not guarantee you successful results. In fact no type of plastic surgery to date is known to totally remove cellulite. A reduction is possible though (note the word "possible"). Surgery also poses some risk.

Supplements

Some supplements work. Supplements are known to have some influence in treating cellulite. However, it is often advised to take supplements alongside another anti-cellulite method for them to be effective. There are algae supplements you can take, as algae is known to help reduce cellulite. Be warned though that there could be some bodily reactions to the cleansing agents of certain supplements-this is all in the matter of how you can take side effects.

Massage

There are also those who believe that massages work. Massage has been used to encourage relaxation, free tension and improve circulation and lymphatic drainage. There are certain massage techniques that could specifically minimize lymphatic problems that eliminate the build-up of fluid. However this has shown to have an inconsiderable effect on cellulite. It is being theorized that the kneading of skin alongside lymphatic drainage may smoothen out soft tissues and get rid of extra fluid, thus resulting in the reduction in the appearance of cellulite.

Heat from Massage - Massaging in general has also been known to generate a bit of heat, which is known to dissolve or "melt" fat cells that cause cellulite. In the end though, massage only has a bit of influence in eliminating cellulite, and therefore should be used with other methods for more effectiveness.