The Centre, P.C. - Plastic Surgery Blog

Cellulite. Almost no other word can inspire so much fear in a woman's heart with the approach of sundress and swimsuit season as this three-syllable monster. And not just women--although men are less commonly worried about their own cellulite, they tremble at the thought of how many times they will have to assuage the body concerns of wives and girlfriends by bearing false witness about the presence of cellulite.

But fear no more. If you learn more about cellulite, you can reduce its appearance and treat it effectively to keep your skin smooth and firm.

Like many bodily phenomena, nobody knows exactly what causes cellulite. The mechanism is related to the function of fat cells and connective tissue. When fat deposits expand, it is not due to more fat cells, but, rather, to the expansion of individual fat cells. As these cells expand, they cannot always reposition themselves to remain smooth, especially in women who have less flexible connective tissue in fat deposits (important for retaining contour in breasts as well as thighs and buttocks). This can be worsened if a woman has poor vascular function, which can cause some fat cells to grow more than others, accentuating the uneven texture of the thighs and buttocks.

Not all women are equally predisposed toward cellulite. Hormone levels play an important role in mediating the appearance of cellulite. Hormonal imbalances can contribute to cellulite appearance.

Women can worsen genetic predisposition to cellulite by leading a sedentary lifestyle and eating a diet filled with fats that can contribute to the growth of fat cells and chemical impurities that become deposited in the fat and can diminish individual cells' ability to receive and process nutrients and export metabolic products. Smoking and stress can also worsen cellulite. Finally, tight fashions that reduce blood flow to the affected areas can make cellulite worse.

There are a number of treatments that can reduce the appearance of cellulite. For women who have the body contours they desire and only wish to eliminate cellulite, Endermologie is a great treatment. With intermittent massage sessions, you can reduce the appearance of cellulite and prevent its reoccurrence by fostering good circulatory health in the affected areas. For women with additional fat deposits that they hope to remove with the cellulite, SmartLipo may be a better option. By removing surplus fat and encouraging the contraction of skin around fat deposits, SmartLipo can reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Although some doctors propose mesotherapy (such as Lipodissolve) for the treatment of cellulite, we discourage patients from seeking this treatment route that is not clinically proven and may be dangerous.

If you would like to learn more about preventing and reducing the appearance of cellulite, schedule a cellulite eradication consultation at The Centre, P.C. today.