Is anything worse than cellulite?
Cellulite is one of the most frustrating aesthetic puzzles for women of all ages and sizes. Women in their 20s get cellulite ALL the timejust look at Lauren Conrad, Tara Reid, and Mischa Barton. All three are gorgeous and in unbelievable shape (or were, Tara Reids kind of gone downhill a bit lately), yet cellulite manages to plaster their backsides like stucco paint. What gives?
If you have cellulite youre actually in the VAST majorityover 80% of women over the age of 20 develop cellulite at some point in their lives (1). Although men can get cellulite, about 90-98% of cellulite cases occur in women. Sorry women, thats 100% courtesy of your genetics.
What is Cellulite?
Cellulite is the bumpy, dimpled, cottage cheese-y skin that shows up around the butt, abs, and thighs. Yum.
Cellulite results from enlarged packets of body fatdeposited deep underneath the skinthat push up against the underlying connective tissue. When the underlying fat cells balloon up it limits the space under the skin, which places a TON of upward pressure on the connective tissue.
That pressure forces the fat right up against the top layers of skin, pushes EVERYTHING upwards, and creates a visibly dimpled look on the surface. When multiple fat compartments expand, multiple hills pop up, and cellulite spreads across a wider surface area.
Imagine a room with an elastic, trampoline-like ceiling thats PACKED out with as many standard-sized balloons as possibletheyd all fit, albeit snugly within the walls of the room.
Now imagine that those same balloonsstill within the same roomall doubled in size. Youd have MASSIVE amounts of pressure pushing on all 4 walls due to the lack of space. Like the connective tissue between each compartment of fat cells, walls are sturdy and wont budge, which gives the balloons only one optionto push upwards into the elastic ceiling, stretching it out and creating a bumpy roof.
Thats cellulite, in practical terms.
- Cellulite Left, Smooth Skin Right
Why is Cellulite More Common in Women Than in Men?
When it comes to cellulite its all about the anatomy of the bodys largest organthe skin. There are three major reasons why women are MUCH more likely to develop cellulite than men:
1. Thicker Epidermis
Men have a much thicker epidermisthe very top layer of the skin (#1 in the picture). A thicker epidermis makes male skin MUCH more resilient to structural change and dimpling, which protects it from cellulite.
On the other side, women have a thinner epidermis, which exposes it to lumpiness and disfiguration.
Think of it as a suit of armor. Men have a strong, outer layer that prevents the fat from bulging through the surface. Women, well, dont.
2. Different Skin Structure
Male and female skin is fundamentally different. Female fat cells sit within large, side-by-side, separate compartments that form columns underneath the skins surface (# 4 on the right).
When female fat cellsfattenthe compartments overflow and have no choice but to expand vertically. At this point the fat pushes upwards, puts massive pressure on the skins surface, and eventually creates the bumps known as cellulite.
On the flip side, male skin follows a crisscrossed pattern. Male fat containers are smaller, and when they grow they tend to create one, big, solid blob of fat (if it even penetrates the thick epidermis). Although beer bellies are annoyingly common, especially in America, most guys wont have cellulite.
3. Underwear
Tight underwear constricts blood flow around the butt and thighs, which speeds up cellulite development. Seriouslystick to thongs, loose-fitting underwear, or even go commandoits healthy. Oh la la.
What Else Causes Cellulite and How Do I Get Rid of it?
Talk about a serious waste of moneythe market for cellulite-reduction devices is projected to hit $62 million by 2013 (2). Too bad none of them work.
Ive seen creams, massage therapy, liposuction, drugs, skin smoothing, and things as ridiculous as magnetic therapy and radio frequency therapy.
The reality is that theres no scientific evidence to prove that cellulite treatments actually work. Theyre marketing scamsstop wasting your money. Liposuction can actually make cellulite WORSE!
At the core, cellulite is one thingfat. If your body fat is low you probably wont have cellulite, or at the very least minor cellulite. The only sure ways to prevent cellulite are:
- Eat a healthy diet that maximizes protein and healthy fats, and limits sugar.
- Do cardio.
- Lift weightsmuscle tone hardens the skins appearance.
- Wear loose underwear, thongs, or go commando.
- Dont smokecellulite is more common in smokers.
- Be a man. Just kidding.
While I sincerely apologize that I dont have a miracle treatment for cellulite, knowing that one doesnt exist is a blessing in-and-of itself. And seriouslyis anything in the fitness world ever a quick fix? I sense a recurring theme of hard work and dedication.
The only true way to prevent cellulite is to lead an all-around healthy lifestyle. Its all under your controlgo bust your butt to make it happen.
Follow Lean It UP on Twitter for real-time fitness/nutrition tips, advice, info, and updates.
Sources
1. Cellulite 101: Questions, Causes, and Treatments
2. NY Times Treating Cellulite? Its Still There
Bryan DiSanto
He also contributes to Men's Health Magazine.
When hes not working on his (or somebody elses) abs, whipping up Eggocados, or running a Tough Mudder, hes probably off yelling at a Carolina Panthers game somewhere.
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