Cellulite

Cellulite is one of the greatest enemies a woman can have. Almost every woman has it and not even models and athletes are spared. It appears earlier than ever and oftentimes we see it with children aged 12. The causes are genetics, lifestyle, nutrition and not enough activity. Contraception additionally creates cellulite and worsens the condition. Cellulite is more than just an aesthetic issue it is a chronic degenerative inflammatory condition whereby disorders of metabolism, circulation, lymphatic drainage occur followed by connective tissue damages. This is a condition that worsens with time, it expands and cannot disappear on its own. The longer and more expressed the condition is, the greater degenerative-inflammatory changes are and more time is needed to remove the changes that occurred.

A combination of more factors is responsible for the development of cellulite: estrogen, genetics, insufficient water intake, wrong type of nutrition, insufficient activity and lifestyle. Corpulence is not necessarily connected to cellulite, but people with weight problems have a greater chance to have it. Lifestyle, water intake, nutrition and physical activity have a preventive role and help with initial stages of this condition. When dealing with developed cellulite only treatments can help, and are followed by preventive measures.    
In later stages of cellulite it is painful to the touch and it is necessary to treat it. There is no single best cellulite treatment but a winning combination of treatments depending on the type and cellulite location because one treatment cannot affect all cellulite causes. Today we can finally say that thanks to newest technologies we can beat cellulite and it doesn't have to be a nightmare. Cellulite cannot be completely removed because of the built of fat tissue nor is it necessary to do so because childbirth would thus be impossible. It can be removed almost completely, while maintenance treatments should be done on a yearly basis because it has a tendency to return.

Why does cellulite appear?

The structure of fat tissue in women is responsible for the development of cellulite and women have 30% more fat tissue then men. In areas which are typical for cellulite there is a special type of a fat cell, which has a role to accumulate fat and cannot be affected with a diet or physical activity. These clusters of fat represent a reserve of energy so that a woman could carry a pregnancy to term. The connective tissue is weaker in women then in men and they have a 20 to 30% less of it. Fat cells penetrate the connective tissue which in women spans vertically in the skin direction so the growth of fat cells is possible only in the direction towards the skin surface which creates the orange peel skin look. It is discovered that in women with cellulite the connective tissue which supports the fat cells is not as developed as in women who do not suffer from this condition. In men the connective tissue supports the fat cells in a direction parallel with the skin and their growth does not reach skin surface. The main reason why men do not have cellulite is the protective role of the male hormone testosterone. Cellulite develops only in castrated men. Estrogen, a female hormone, is responsible for the enhanced accumulation of fat tissue in areas typical for cellulite and water accumulation. The role of estrogen is to weaken the connective tissue so that the uterus, in case of pregnancy, would stretch and so that breasts grow bigger in purpose of breastfeeding. Estrogen enhances the activity of enzymes that destroy the connective tissue and therefor enables the growth of the uterus and breasts. Unfortunately this also causes stretch marks and veins and capillaries in legs. We can say that cellulite and stretch marks are the price of childbirth.
Enhanced intake of estrogen through contraception or food is an important cause for early and frequent cellulite development. Today's lifestyle with insufficient physical activity, wrong type of diet, enhanced sugar intake additionally induces cellulite development. Bad circulation and lymphatic drainage decrease the oxygen and nutrients supply while harmful substances pile up. All is followed by an inflammation and a metabolism disorder which induces degenerative changes along with connective tissue damages. Food rich in sugar provokes a sudden jump of insulin which induces the development of fat tissue. When sugar links with protein the role of protein weakens and an inflammation occurs which causes pain to the touch in later stages of cellulite. Women do not take enough protein but as a source of energy use food rich in sugar. Digestion disorders caused by diets, irregular bowel movements, hunger and intake of food which the organism doesn't tolerate additionally provoke the creation of fat tissue. Irregular bowel movements additionally deteriorate the digestive system and a regulation of bowel movements is needed (this is done with food rich in fiber). Bad digestion is, in accordance with newest research, linked to cellulite.  The reason is an enhanced permeability of bowels which causes the bacteria and toxins to penetrate the organism. Lately in areas typical for cellulite bacteria typical for bowels have been found. Insufficient activity and sitting weaken the circulation and lymphatic drainage. Low water intake benefits the accumulation of harmful substances in the organism, slows down the metabolism and decreases the  consumption of fat as a source of energy. Elastic stockings, tight clothes weaken the circulation and lymphatic drainage and additionally worsen the condition. Smoking decreases the oxygen supply and thus slows down the circulation and metabolism. Genetics is an important factor but is not crucial because with a lifestyle change we can decrease or even cancel its effect.