The Truth about Cellulite

by Chloe Waring in Education

The Truth about Cellulite

The Truth about Cellulite

 

There are many myths around cellulite and why it happens and there is also a lot of shame and stigma around having cellulite, in this blog we are going to look more into why it happens and why there is nothing to be ashamed of.

Cellulite happens when small fat cells under the skin expand and push through the layers of connective tissue. The fibres connecting the muscle tissue to the skin don’t relax, therefore when the fat cells push up against the skin the muscle fibres pull it down creating an uneven surface on the skin. Osteopathic Physician Lionel Bissoon explains “Whenever oestrogen drops, receptors in blood vessels start to decrease, you lose receptors in blood vessels and thighs, so you have decreased circulation. With decreased circulation you get less oxygen and nutrition to that area, and with that we see a decrease in collagen production.”

90% of women have cellulite and 10% of men have it too – that is a lot of people with it in some form on their bodies. Oestrogen makes fat, whereas testosterone breaks down fat. Women also have larger fat cells and weaker connective tissue than men, this means that women are more genetically designed to hold onto fat and cellulite to develop. However, cellulite has nothing to do with body fat percentage. It’s commonly thought that cellulite only occurs amongst people who are unhealthy or overweight, this is not true at all and can and usually does occur in people of all ages and body types. Cellulite is related to the structure of fat rather than the amount of fat that someone has. It can however be caused by genetics, so if your parents or grandparents have cellulite, you probably will to.

There isn’t much we can do about cellulite, and that’s ok! Nearly all of us women have it in some form, it isn’t related to our health so having cellulite shouldn’t affect how you feel about your body! Being active and eating a healthy, balanced diet can reduce the appearance of cellulite but it won’t make it completely go away. Increasing collagen intake can also help to reduce the appearance of cellulite, as it’s a form of protein that keeps skim plump and wrinkle-free and it also reduces the size of fat lobules under the skin, meaning less pressure on the skin tissue. Collagen can be found in many foods such as vegetables, berries, and lean protein. Drinking more water can also help, dehydration can lead to the skin becoming thin and weak and showing cellulite more.

So a recap of the truth about cellulite, it has nothing to do with body fat but usually its to do with genetics and hormones, there are some things that can be done to help improve cellulite such as exercise and lots of collagen and water, and most of us women (and some men!) all have it and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.