" Cellulite is not a disease," emphasizes Bahram Shahidi, a specialist in plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery at the Montchoisi Clinic in Lausanne. "Superficial lypodystrophy" (from the Greek lypo, meaning fat, dys—disorder—and trophè—food), as doctors call it, changes the appearance of the skin, but it does not affect health and does not cause any physiological complications.
There are three types of cellulite: fatty cellulite; aqueous cellulite; fibrous cellulite.
Adipose cellulite, also known as "cellulite lipotrystrophy," is soft, painless cellulite. It appears when you pinch your skin. It appears on your stomach and hips. It is often caused by excess weight and a lack of exercise.
Watery cellulite (also known as "edematous cellulite" or "hydrolipodystrophy cellulite") is a form of cellulite accompanied by significant water retention. It is linked to circulatory problems that cause a feeling of heavy and swollen legs. It is aggravated by lack of exercise. It occurs on the inner arms, thighs, calves, and around the ankles.
Fibrous cellulite, also known as fibrolipodystrophy cellulite, is a hard, painful cellulite. It is long-standing and is often due to excess weight and lack of exercise. It is found on the thighs, buttocks, and knees.
How does cellulite form?
Cellulite is a complex of fat cells in the dermis, the middle layer of the skin. When the cells cluster together, they create irregularities that are visible on the skin's surface. It is most commonly found on the hips and thighs.
It's important to note that cellulite is a natural phenomenon and affects a large majority of women. This article aims to offer advice from a dermatology expert to help you understand this phenomenon and its mechanisms. At Alaena, we encourage women to take care of their bodies and their skin. Because the time we give ourselves profoundly helps us to look at ourselves with more love and kindness.
1 - Adopt a healthy diet
Our nutritionists advise you to change your diet. Certain nutrients like salt and caseins aggravate water retention. Limit industrially prepared meals, snacks, cold cuts, cheeses, smoked fish and meats, white bread or milk and its derivatives. Instead, opt for foods with vitamins E, C, K, P, flavonoids and proteins that help fight water retention. You should favor legumes, brown rice, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, lean meats, green tea, oilseeds… Indeed, citrus fruits are full of vitamin C, they therefore promote better circulation. White meat, also called lean meat, rich in protein, helps muscles develop. Green tea helps eliminate waste and toxins. It limits the absorption and fixation of lipids and fights water retention.
2 - Do regular physical activity
Sport is one of the best allies to fight cellulite. Sports activity is essential, you must use your muscles to improve the appearance of your skin. Circuit training, Running, brisk walking, swimming, aqua biking, and cycling are the sports to favor. Circuit training combines cardio and muscle strengthening. It has the advantage of gaining muscle tone in a minimum of time. Running and brisk walking in the forest, by the sea, or indoors are the ultimate endurance activities with multiple benefits. Swimming is the most complete sport for losing weight and staying in shape. Aquabiking is perfect for getting shapely, more toned, and firmer legs. Cycling has the advantage of being practiced outdoors and indoors with the elliptical trainer; it allows you to work all the muscles of the lower body.
3 - Massage
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The mechanical action of the massage allows for a visible result. |
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The invigorating massage oil provides muscle recovery and drainage to reactivate circulation. Thanks to its fluid texture, it spreads easily.
In addition to offering anti-inflammatory properties , our massage oil nourishes and soothes the skin. Thanks in particular to hemp oil, a local vegetable oil from the Southwest known for its nutritional benefits. It is rich in nutrients, unsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and 6) and vitamin E, which make it an ally for our skin.
To go further
Today, there are many anti-cellulite devices available, but they're difficult to acquire due to their price. Beauty salons offer services to quickly get rid of cellulite using LPG. However, you can use devices at home to make your massage easier. There are "traditional" massagers using the palpate-roll technique. And more recently, suction cups have made a comeback. Suction cups help fight fibrous, fatty, or infiltrated cellulite and reduce orange peel skin on the thighs, legs, calves, arms, and stomach.