Winning the war against cellulite

Dimples are nice to look at. But if they occur on the back of the hips, thighs and buttocks, they can lower your confidence and affect your social life. These misplaced dimples are called cellulite, a type of fat that often occurs in women.

"Cellulite looks like dimpled or bumpy skin. It's sometimes described as skin with a cottage cheese or orange-peel texture. Cellulite ranges in severity. Mild cases can only be seen when the skin is pinched - the dimpling appears in the pinched skin. More severe cases make the skin appear rumpled and bumpy with areas of peaks and valleys. Cellulite is most common around the thighs and buttocks, but it can be found on the breasts, lower abdomen and upper arms as well," according to the MayoClinic.com.

Nine out of 10 women have cellulite and the condition can begin as early as 14 years old. The risk of getting cellulite increases with age and a sedentary lifestyle. Other contributing factors are childbirth, the use of birth control pills, smoking, poor eating habits, dehydration, and a traumatic injury. Because their fat cells are located deep within the skin, men rarely get cellulite.

"Some men do get cellulite, and industry data show that at least 6,000 American males sought treatment for it last year. Recent research suggests that cellulitic males may have lower levels of the hormone androgen. Still, far fewer males get the dimples. One reason: Male connective tissue lies in a firmer crisscross pattern than the female connective-tissue matrix," said the people at iVillage.com.

Although cellulite can't be treated or prevented, regular exercise and a healthy diet can make it less noticeable. Unless you're dehydrated, drinking lots of water won't help. In fact, overhydration can increase the appearance of cellulite! Many popular advertised cellulite "treatments" don't work either. While most can hurt your wallet, others have the potential to seriously affect your health.

Vigorous massage using hand-held devices or machines may slightly improve the appearance of the skin but its effects are temporary. They appear to redistribute fat rather than eliminate the problem. Creams that contain vitamins, minerals, and herbal extracts may cause allergic reactions in some people. Liposuction – the technique of vacuuming fat from under the skin – is also a big waste of money. It can make your cellulite worse.

"In fact, liposuction may worsen the appearance of the skin by sucking out the cushion of fat that resides just under the skin. The result is additional dimpling of the skin," said medicinenet.com.

"I would recommend liposuction for contour improvements in patients with stubborn fat deposits, but I would never recommend liposuction to anyone as a primary cellulite treatment," added Dr. David Rosenstein, a plastic surgeon at Boynton Beach, Florida.

For stubborn cases, use Celrase to reduce unsightly cellulite and restore your skin's natural smoothness. Applied once or twice daily, Celrase's easy-to-use formula will tone problem areas and remove those irritating "dimples" so you can parade in your shorts and bathing suit again. Check out http://www.celrase.com for details.

Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premier online news magazine http://www.thearticleinsiders.com.