If you are a woman, you know what cellulite is. It can appear anywhere on our body, but is even more common on the legs and butt.
The occurrence of cellulite is more common in women than in men due to physiological and hormonal factors. According to the Brazilian Society of Dermatology, eight out of ten women have some degree of cellulite.
Cellulite is a change caused by the accumulation of fat, water and toxins in cells, making them full and hardened. This is what causes the appearance of holes in the skin.
Cellulite Classifications
Cellulite can be classified according to its evolution and appearance.
As for its evolution, it is classified in degrees:
Read also: Stretch Marks: Methods to Treat and Prevent the Problem
- Grade I: not visible and not palpable. Only initial histopathological changes.
- Grade II: not visible and palpable by digital clamping, where the appearance of orange peel skin is observed. Pale, cold skin with diminished elasticity.
- Grade III: visible and palpable.
- Grade IV: larger, visible, more palpable nodules, attached to deep and very painful planes.
It can also be classified as to skin consistency:
Causes
According to doctor Marcos Vieira, cellulite is an improper term described by a French doctor in 1920 and still used today. ? It is a skin condition that although it has the suffix? Ite? In the end, which means inflammation, it is a noninflammatory pathology that involves the circulatory system, compromising the adipose tissue and the dermis, causing changes in the texture and appearance of the skin of the region involved, giving it the famous orange peel appearance. The name used in medicine is Edematofibrosclerotic Paniculopathy (PEFE).
There are several causes for cellulite. Being overweight can be a determining factor in the development of cellulite, but thin women can have it too. This is because there may be an imbalance between the amount of fat and muscle mass.
Among the main causes of cellulite are:
- Genetic factors
- Obesity
- Circulatory Disorders
- Hormonal factors: is related to estrogen, which acts in all stages of cellulite formation.
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Pregnancy
- Intestinal Dysfunctions
- Diet: Excess sugar, salt and alcohol
- Smoking
- Medicines: birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, corticosteroids and beta-blockers
Risk factors
Some factors may be determining for the appearance of cellulite. This means that if you can avoid or soften them, the chances of appearing or worsening cellulite are less.
Read also: Abdominal Fat: What Causes It And How To Eliminate It
The factors that influence the appearance and development of cellulite, according to Vieira, are:
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Contraceptives or hormones
- Smoking
- Tight clothing that compromises circulation
Symptoms
Normally, cellulite has no symptoms other than the visible appearance on the skin. The cellulite skin looks like orange peel with dimples. In more advanced degrees, the skin looks bumpy, with peaks and valleys.
"The symptoms, at first, are related to those of poor circulation, noticing some fluid retention and the evolution can form painful nodules," says Vieira.
Treatment
Vieira points out that there are several therapeutic options to treat cellulite, from oral medication to massages and lymphatic drainage, as well as the application of drugs in place, carboxitherapy, collagen biostimulators to improve the appearance of the skin, laser, among others. "But the important thing is to be examined to know the best treatment for each case," he suggests.
Get to know some treatments:
- Lymphatic drainage: Indicated for initial cases, it is a massage that stimulates the elimination of fluids and toxins from the body.
- Modeling Massage: It acts on the lymphatic system and on the plaques of fat. Its effects are enhanced when combined with laser, ultrasound or cryolipolysis.
- Anti-Cellulite Cream: can improve microcirculation and stimulate collagen production.
- Endermology: A device that promotes lymphatic drainage is used. Indicated in moderate to severe cases.
- Radio frequency: very effective, the device uses high frequency electromagnetic radiation that causes water molecules to agitate and increase the temperature, restructuring the tissue.
- Mesotherapy: It is the use of a cocktail of drugs to reduce local fat, indicated by a dermatologist.
- Laser Surgery: Two incisions are made in the place where cannulas are inserted with the optical fiber of the device. Then the laser is applied, destroying the localized fat.
- Carboxitherapy: It consists of injecting carbon dioxide, improving circulation and oxygenating the tissues.
- Ultrasound: lipolytic aesthetic ultrasound modifies intercellular bonds and increases cell membrane permeability.
- Cryolipolysis: The device is placed on the surface of the skin, freezing the ruptured fat cells.
- Lipocavitation: The ultrasonic energy emitted by the ultrasound generates bubbles within the fat cells that agitate and rupture.
Living with cellulite
Even if you do one or several treatments to combat cellulite, are healthy lifestyle habits the best way to live with it? and help fight it.
"A balanced diet associated with physical activity and wearing elastic stockings, if standing for many hours, can prevent the onset," says Vieira.
Eat well. A healthy and balanced diet low in salt and fat is critical. Avoid fried, canned and processed foods in general. Whenever possible, eat fresh foods such as meat, fruits, vegetables and legumes.
Drink water. Water helps to eliminate toxins, which are responsible for cellulite formation. Two liters a day is recommended.
Move yourself! Physical exercise eliminates fat and activates circulation and is excellent for overall health. Also, avoid sitting or standing for a long time and go hiking whenever possible.
Use Coffee Grounds to Reduce Cellulite (April 2024)
- Prevention and Treatment
- 1,230
