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Fighting Back Against Cellulite

Many people, especially women, find fault with their thighs: They're either too wide, too flabby or too narrow. These frustrated people spend countless hours and dollars trying to sculpt perfect thighs. As if this isn't enough of a challenge, Mother Nature created an evil little thing called cellulite.

The Curse of Cellulite
Present in 85 percent to 98 percent of post-pubescent females, cellulite is the term people use to describe subcutaneous fat deposits that create a dimpling of the skin. Most often found on the thighs, cellulite can appear on even the slimmest and trimmest of bodies.

Cellulite appears when the skin's subcutaneous fat layers protrude through the dermis, the skin's second layer, creating a dimpled appearance. Because men have thicker epidermis and dermis tissue layers in the thighs and buttocks, cellulite is rarely seen in them. Cellulite, however, occurs in both slim and heavy women, and it becomes more noticeable as women age. It is also hereditary. Despite some reports, cellulite is not a disease and is not caused by damaged blood cells.

Cellulite Treatments
There are different schools of thought on how best to treat cellulite. Some say weight loss will reduce cellulite; others say it won't. Topical creams and lotions, light therapy and massage are said to be helpful as well, but studies have not yielded consistent or reliable results. We offer these suggestions for reducing the appearance of cellulite:

• Do some form of exercise three to five times per week for twenty to sixty minutes. Be sure to choose exercises you enjoy.
  
  
• Eat a healthy diet low in calories and fat.
  

Cellulite-Busting Exercises
Here are some popular activities that may help you tone your thighs and treat cellulite:

• Aerobics: Try doing aerobic exercise videos at home, or, if you prefer to join a fitness class of like-minded exercisers, take an aerobic class. This type of exercise is excellent for maintaining cardiovascular health, and it can also slim and firm your thighs.
  
  
• Biking: Whether you prefer to pedal at home on a stationary bike or bike around the block, bicycling is a great way to burn the fat in your thighs. Try varying your speed and intensity to maximize your exercise.
  
  
• Resistance exercises: To reduce the appearance of cellulite and tone thighs, try squats and leg presses for the buttocks and thigh muscles, lunges for the thighs and buttocks, hip exercises for the inner and outer thighs, and leg curls for the back of the thighs.
  
  
• Skipping: This fun exercise is not just for kids. Try skipping three to four times a week for at least 10 minutes. Jumping rope is also a good exercise to burn body fat.
  
  
• Swimming: Swimming is a good overall exercise for the entire body. To specifically exercise thighs, swim on your back using only your legs.
  
  
• Walking: Walking is a good activity to help burn fat in the thighs. And most everyone can do it. For best results, walk at least four times a week. Vary your length of time and intensity periodically.
  

Creams And Lotions
One of the least expensive ways to treat cellulite is to apply creams and lotions that contain caffeine. While experts disagree on the effectiveness of these products, some believe that theses products work to stimulate the underlying cells and induce fat burning.

The Cellulite Diet
Some health experts claim that weight loss and exercise alone won't reduce the appearance of cellulite. They believe that proper nutrition, including vitamins and supplements (eggs, soy, cauliflower, peanut butter, raw nuts, certain oils and citrus fruits) provide the body with the ingredients necessary to firm the skin, reduce stretch marks and improve cellulite.

Other Treatments for Cellulite
Here are a few other treatments for cellulite. Each of these methods is more expensive than the cellulite treatment methods described above and each carries its own risks. Always discuss your treatment options with your doctor so you can make an informed decision about treating your cellulite:

• Light devices: Light devices approved by the Food and Drug Administration use a combination of suction and laser beams to treat cellulite. By increasing circulation, removing fluids and applying pressure on fat cells, these devices reduce the dimpling effect of cellulite.
  
  
• High-tech massage: High-tech massage is a deep, mechanical massage that stimulates blood flow and triggers a natural system for eliminating fat from cells.
  
  
• Mesotherapy: Mesotherapy, which has been around since the 1950s, is one of the most controversial methods for treating cellulite. In this treatment, doctors inject a medical "cocktail" in thirty- to sixty-minute sessions.