Best Way to Treat Cellulite

It’s lumpy, bumpy and looks like orange peel. We all dread it, yet the majority of us suffer from this unsightly, hard-to-shift condition on our bottoms, thighs and upper arms. Caused by a combination of factors, such as bad diet, poor circulation, sluggish digestion, fluid retention, lack of exercise and the female hormone oestrogen, no matter how slim you are, you can still be a victim of cellulite. What causes the dimpling effect are fatty deposits protruding through weakened connective tissue, which manifest themselves as lumpy, raised areas. No single diet, treatment, exercise or anti-cellulite cream will combat cellulite alone, but if you eat healthily, exercise and persevere with massage and skin-brushing, you can certainly go some way to improve it.

Home treatments for cellulite

Massage - by boosting the circulation and encouraging drainage, massage can help to disperse fatty deposits.

Diet: eat a healthy, balanced, high-fibre, low-fat diet and drink plenty of water. Vitamin E and C supplements can help to get rid of cellulite. Cut down on tea, coffee and alcohol, and avoid sugary, salty, smoked and spicy foods.

Exercise: flexibility exercises, such as body-stretching or yoga, stretch the leg tissues and encourage fluid movement.

Water therapy: if you have a power-shower, bursts of cold water interspersed with warm directed on to the cellulite zone is another way of decongesting cellulite.  Skin-brushing your body daily will rev up your circulation and tone the skin, making it appear firmer. Anti-cellulite creams can help to strengthen the skin’s surface and make the flesh appear smoother, but they cannot banish cellulite. Some of the good ones include Dior’s Svelte Perfect, Lancaster’s Recontour Anti-cellulite Gel, Decleor’s Cellulium, Borghese’s Supple Body Contour (with a built-in massage applicator), Kanebo’s Cosmetic Body Sash and Serum For Thighs, or Tisserand’s Cellulite Gift Pack (which includes essential oils and a wooden massager). Electronic toners for home use, such as Philip’s Cellese, have the same effect as massage and are great for those who are too busy or just lazy.

Salon or surgical treatments for cellulite Salon treatments: detoxifying body wraps or treatments, such as lonithermie, fibreoptic light therapy, Endermologie or C.A.C.I., which use an electrical current or ultrasound, can improve cellulite. However, it often takes a course of ten sessions before you see any results.

Medical treatments: mesotherapy – injections of drugs to help drain away excess fluid – can reduce cellulite. Another method is cellulolipolysis, in which needles are attached to electrodes and inserted under the skin.

Surgical treatments: liposuction is a rather radical method of removing cellulite and not always successful.