Skin Care Myth Demystified: "You can easily get rid of cellulite"

On Oct 24, 2013

Cellulite Couch
Cellulite in Couch Form! 
Source: Flickr: barnism

Is it true that you can use creams and massaging devices to permanently say goodbye to cellulite?

The answer to this is: not quite!

First off, let's review what cellulite is. Cellulite is that oh-so visually unpleasant dimpling in the areas of your body that have extra fat (your buttocks, the back of your thighs, or your belly). Fat is stored in fat cells calls adipocytes.  Your fat is held down to your body by connective tissue.  It is these strands of connective tissue that form bands around the fat cells that cause the dimpling and nodularity that is called cellulite.  

Currently, there are no permanent cellulite fixes. Some treatments such as creams that contain aminophyline help break down fat cells.  Other treatments such as massaging devices flatten the fat cells so that they don't appear so bulging. Nonetheless, both of these remedies do not offer long term solutions, and cellulite usually rears its ugly head again within a few months. Even surgery such as liposuction, which removes fat deposits underneath your skin, may leave your skin surface bumpy and fail to give you the youthful tight skin appearance many patients are seeking (of course this all depends on the quality of the doctor that you choose to do the operation).

There are some newer options to treat cellulite on the horizon. One such option is Cellulaze, a laser that targets the small connective tissue vertical bands that are responsible for the appearance of cellulite. The makers of Cellulaze claim that it has the ability to smooth out your skin and get rid of dimpling. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved Cellulaze for long-term cellulite treatment. As you can imagine, this new treatment is going to cost you many multiples of what a gym membership will, with costs ranging from $3000 to $8000 for the one session that you will need.

Find out another skin care myth that we debunk here: "Doing facial exercises can prevent wrinkles"


Reference:
Janet Carlson. Real Simple Magazine. "The truth behind skin-care myths" Oct 2013.
Cellulite

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