It’s been a rather bumpy relationship. We’ve had our ups and downs. But still, you’re always there and never just want to let go. No matter how hard I try I can’t escape you.
If only we were talking about messy hookups and rocky relationships. But no, we’re talking about cellulite. Compared to cellulite, romantic relationships are fairly simple. Yes, they make you cry until your tear ducts dry out, curse enough to shame a truck driver, and in the worst of times, gorge on an entire pint of Ben and Jerry’s Rocky Road. Ultimately you can leave a bad boyfriend behind, but you can’t leave yourself behind. Your dimpled backside is here to stay…or is it?
Cellulite afflicts over 90 percent of women: marathon runners, size-zero toothpicks and even celebrities begrudge the lumps and bumps. From a size 2 Kat: “I trained for the Boston Marathon last spring and was the lowest weight I’ve ever been and still had cellulite. I was running over 60 miles a week and it was still there!” to size 12 Kathryn at Simmons College, “Ahh, the fated cottage cheese legs.” Even Lo Bosworth, reality TV star of MTV’s The Hills, confesses: “I have cellulite – most women do. It’s more common than people think.”
What Gives?
Cellulite afflicts so many women, from collegiettes ™ to celebrities, because “it is not a fat problem, it’s a skin problem,” says Hollywood dermatologist Howard Murad, MD, author of The Cellulite Solution. “It has nothing to do with what you weigh, or how much weight you lose.” Our fat is organized into chambers that are separated by strands of connective tissue. When fat pushes through the bands, you get puckering and bulging. “Think of how a mattress looks – that’s cellulite,” says Heidi Waldorf, M.D., Director of Laser and Cosmetic Dermatology at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.
Who gets it?
Cellulite is far more common in gals than guys for a number of reasons. The connective tissue that makes up men’s skin is arranged in criss-cross bands that restrain fat more evenly than the vertical column tissue arrangement found in females. When there are too many fat cells or when the connective tissue is weakened and thinned, fat can push through the bands and create the orange-peel appearance of cellulite.
Thanks to estrogen, women also have more fat reserves and thinner connective tissue, both of which make us more predisposed to cellulite than are men. In other words, thanks to the winning combination of genetics and hormones, a svelte female can have cellulite and a sumo-sized male can have smooth and supple skin.
What to Do?
It’s a frustrating journey but getting rid of your cellulite is possible. Want to kiss that cellulite goodbye? Be sure to stay well hydrated (which, by the way, always makes you look better!), eat a variety of fruits and vegetables (Vitamin C is famous for repairing and rebuilding collagen while strengthening connective tissue), stay away from refined carbs and sugar (put that cookie down!), and exercise a lot (you’ll be burning fat and ultimately, reducing the appearance of your cellulite).
WTF?
For some of us, even for the most active, a sensible diet and healthy exercise routine may decrease the dimples, but not entirely eliminate them. There are lotions, creams and treatments that can stimulate cell circulation, melt fat, and move fluid and toxins out. “The key is to penetrate the skin’s surface and generate cell growth,” says Murad. From the most budget-friendly to those that break the bank, here are a selection of the options:
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1. Nivea Goodbye Cellulite; $12. This serum is packed with amino acids that penetrate the skin’s surface and repair the proteins that comprise the connective tissue to strengthen the bands and prevent fat from poking through and protruding. “It didn’t make my cellulite completely disappear, but it definitely reduced its appearance,” says Michaela, a freshman at Fischer College.
2. Avon Anew Clinical Professional Cellulite Treatment; $30. The gel has a firming polymer that when applied to the skin’s surface tightens the surrounding cells. As the cells tighten, the space between the connective tissue diminishes, preventing fat cells from bulging through as cellulite. “It didn’t only reduce cellulite—I swear that my butt checks actually shrank in size,” says Christina, a senior at Boston College.
3. Dior Svelte Reversal; $64. The active ingredients silicone and grape extract work together to fill your skin’s lumps and tighten the connective tissue. “I noticed a small difference and it smelled great,” says Jen, a senior at University of Massachusetts, Lowell.
4. Laser Treatments; $1500. The newest laser treatment, the Cellulaze procedure, is performed under a local anesthetic during which the physician inserts a narrow tube the size of the tip of a pen under the skin. Cynosure’s firing technology directs laser thermal energy to the treatment zones to diminish the lumpy pockets of fat, release the areas of skin depression, and increase the elasticity and thickness of the skin. Cynosure President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Davin says that this procedure requires just one treatment.
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5. Mesotherapy; $2000. Mesotherapy involves injecting a combination of drugs, vitamins and natural extracts into the mesoderm (the middle area of the skin), directly affecting the fat pockets. The formula reduces the fat in the cellulite, improves impaired circulation and breaks down damaged connective tissue. The fat is dissolved and flushed from the body through regular excretion processes such as sweat and urination.
Who Cares?
So, you’ve done it all. You ran an hour every day, lived on an entirely vegan diet, and hashed out three weeks of babysitting cash to buy the expensive skin products. But it’s still there. We’ve consulted some college guys to see what they think about the so-called cottage cheese:
“No big deal. It isn’t exactly eye-pleasing, but it also isn’t going to alter my feelings towards someone.” -Davey, Boston College
“Doesn’t every girl have it?” -Aaron, UMass Lowell
“If she’s naked, there’s no way I’m concerned about cellulite.” -Andrew, Williams College
Rest assured, guys don’t seem too bothered, at least not as bothered as we are. The best tip is to embrace your body, flaws and all. Beauty is in all the imperfections.
Sources
Howard Murad, MD, author of The Cellulite Solution
Heidi Waldorf, M.D., Director of Laser and Cosmetic Dermatology at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City
College men and women from across the country