Are women predestined to develop cellulite? The statistics seem to paint a fairly conclusive picture: Between 80% and 90% of post-pubescent females have some degree of cellulite, often on their thighs and buttocks. By comparison, less than 10% of men develop cellulite.
Still, many women are surprised to learn that cellulite doesn’t have to be inevitable. While you may not be able to stop its development, the right treatment approach can help you minimize its dimpled, conspicuous appearance and restore smooth, firm skin.
At Smooth Body Contours in Sandy Springs, Georgia, and Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, our skilled aesthetic medicine experts specialize in noninvasive cellulite treatment. Read on to find out why cellulite develops, and how manual cellulite reduction therapy can help you get rid of it safely, effectively, and without surgery.
Cellulite is normal subcutaneous (below-the-skin) body fat, apart from one key distinction: It pushes against connective tissues in a way that makes your skin appear puckered, dimpled, or lumpy.
Connective skin tissue and smooth muscle tissue are tightly tethered together with fibrous cords. As fat deposits accumulate between these two tissue layers, they tend to push outward against the connective tissue layer. This strain effectively tightens the fibrous cords attached to the underlying muscle tissue, causing them to pull the overlying connective tissue inward.
Simply put, as fat pushes against connective tissue and the muscle-connecting fibrous cords reflexively tighten, the resulting structural dynamic creates noticeable undulations across the surface of your skin. Its lumpy, puckered appearance — often likened to the texture of an orange peel or cottage cheese — is a purely cosmetic issue that doesn’t affect your health.
Whether it develops in late adolescence, early adulthood, middle age, or later, cellulite typically appears on the thighs, buttocks, and stomach. Some women get cellulite on their upper arms or breasts, as well.
Although researchers are still learning exactly why women are more vulnerable to developing cellulite, they have discovered a few key risk factors associated with its common formation in females:
Cellulite may also become more pronounced as your skin becomes naturally thinner with age.
Although maintaining a healthy body weight and taking good care of your skin can go a long way in minimizing the appearance of cellulite, lifestyle strategies aren’t always enough — cellulite also affects women who are lean and fit, and it doesn’t always respond to skin-firming lotions.
Luckily, there is a simple, centuries-old treatment solution that can help. It’s called manual cellulite reduction therapy, and we offer it right here at Smooth Body Contours.
Also known as wood therapy, this effective hands-on technique involves massaging your areas of cellulite with a variety of textured, grooved, or contoured wooden tools that look something like fancy rolling pins. This gentle massaging action helps to:
Most women see exceptional skin-smoothing results in just four 40-minute treatments, with each massage session spaced one or two weeks apart. Many women also opt to undergo noninvasive cellulite treatment annually — often in the lead-up to swimsuit season — to keep their skin looking smooth and dimple-free all year long.
And if your cellulite happens to appear over areas of persistent fat that you’d like to spot-reduce, we also offer nonsurgical fat reduction treatments to help you get rid of specific areas of stubborn fat and cellulite at the same time.
Noninvasive laser liposuction followed by lymphatic drainage massage is a great way to spot-reduce areas of unwanted fat and cellulite, because the laser energy tightens and smooths your skin as it targets unwanted fat cells. You can also get rid of cellulite through a treatment course of fat freezing or fat-dissolving injections followed by manual cellulite reduction therapy.
Ready to get rid of cellulite? We can help. Call or click online to schedule a visit at your nearest Smooth Body Contours office in Sandy Springs, Georgia, Orlando, Florida, or Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
