Cellulite: symptoms, causes, treatment, etc. & bull; hello healthy

Definition

What is cellulite?

Cellulite is a skin condition that becomes bumpy and uneven. This condition usually attacks the parts of the skin that have excess fat deposits such as the thighs, hips, buttocks, and stomach.

Cellulite is often confused with stretch marks. Though the two are very different. Stretch marks are a condition characterized by the appearance of reddish white lines, wrinkles, or lines, which differ from the color of the skin.

Although not dangerous, cellulite can make a person feel insecure. Especially when using shorts which usually expose cellulite on the thighs.

How common is cellulite?

This condition can occur in both men and women. But usually it is more common in women. This is due to differences in the distribution of fat, muscle and connective tissue.

Reporting from research published in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, about 80 - 90 percent of women have experienced this condition in their lifetime.

Signs and symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of cellulite?

Cellulite is usually characterized by a dimpled or bumpy appearance of the skin. Sometimes, this condition is often thought to resemble cottage cheese or the texture of an orange peel.

These indentations sometimes tend to be small and spread widely. However, there are also larger indentations and are usually found on the buttocks or back of the thigh.

Sometimes cellulite can only be seen if you pinch the skin in areas with large deposits of fat. However, cellulite is also often easily seen without the need to pinch it if it is severe.

This condition usually appears most frequently and is seen around the thighs, buttocks, and hips. However, this skin appearance can also be found on the breasts, lower abdomen, and upper arms.

According to the severity, cellulite is divided into three classifications.

• Class 1, the skin looks smooth when lying down and standing and is only visible when the skin area is pinched only.
• Grade 2, the skin is smooth when lying down but some curves and waves often appear when standing.
• Grade 3, indentations and waves in the skin appear when standing and lying down.

Some of the other symptoms or signs may not be listed above. If you feel anxious about these symptoms, consult a doctor immediately.

When to go to the doctor

Cellulite is not a serious skin condition. Therefore, special care is not required. In fact, many doctors consider that this condition is a normal thing and should not be worried about.

However, if you feel insecure about this one condition, visit a dermatologist or plastic surgeon. Ask if there is a treatment that can help smooth the skin and disguise cellulite that is suitable for you.

Causes and risk factors

What causes cellulite?

Under the outer layer of the skin, there are piles of fat cells. In women, there are also small bands of connective tissue that are arranged vertically between the fat cells. This connective tissue connects the top layer of skin to deeper tissues in the body.

As a result, the connective tissue bands create a kind of space in which normal sized fat cells have a lot of free space to occupy. However, when fat cells enlarge and accumulate, this space becomes denser and begins to swell.

When excess fat cells build up, these piles are gradually pushed onto the skin. Meanwhile, the connective tissue bands are still pulling the skin down, that is, into the deeper tissue.

This in turn makes the skin appear bumpy and uneven. This combination then forms what is called cellulite.

What are the factors that increase the risk of developing this condition?

Cellulite does not only occur due to fat accumulation alone. There are various factors that can increase the risk of its appearance, namely:

• gender, women are more susceptible to it than men, because the fat in the female body is more divided in the thighs, waist and buttocks area.
• aging, because the skin gets thinner and loses its elasticity,
• weight gain, obese people tend to be more prone to this skin problem,
• genetic, people with a family history who have this condition are more susceptible to it than those who do not,
• hormonal changes, changes in estrogen, insulin, noradrenaline, thyroid, and prolactin can trigger cellulite, as well
• less active, people who are less active are more prone to this skin problem.

Not having one of these risk factors does not mean you are completely free from the risk of cellulite. Consult a doctor if there are other things you want to ask about the appearance of cellulite.

Diagnosis and treatment

How to diagnose this condition?

Cellulite is a condition that is easily diagnosed just by looking at the condition.

Therefore, doctors can usually determine this condition just by looking at its appearance. There is no specific test to diagnose this skin problem.

What are the treatment options for cellulite?

There are many treatment options for dealing with cellulite. However, there is no one specific treatment that is completely effective and can get rid of it. Here are various treatments that can temporarily hide cellulite.

Acoustic wave therapy

Reporting from the American Academy of Dermatology, there are several studies that show that this therapy can reduce the appearance of cellulite. It takes more than one treatment to help disguise cellulite through this therapy.

Cellulaze laser

Laser is one of the treatments that can help reduce the appearance of cellulite on the skin. One of the invasive laser treatments that has been shown to be effective in disguising this skin problem is cellulaze.

This procedure is performed by inserting a small laser fiber under the skin. The doctor will inject a numbing solution into the area before inserting the laser into it.

The laser will then shoot heat in three directions. The energy from the laser will break down the connective tissue bands under the skin that cause cellulite.

Not only that, lasers also help to thicken your skin. The reason is, thin skin often triggers cellulite to appear more easily. By thickening the skin, the appearance of cellulite can be reduced.

The treatment results can last up to a year or even longer. However, this one skin problem can still reappear at a later date.

Laser and radio frequency systems

Laser therapy and radio frequency systems, including medical therapies that promise to treat this one skin problem. This system combines tissue massage, radio frequency technology, and infrared light.

In addition, other systems offer a combination of tissue massage with diode laser energy. Others use radio frequency at a deep and shallow level simultaneously to treat bumpy skin.

Treatment results usually last up to about six months.

Subcision

Subcision or what is known as Cellfina is a medical procedure that involves inserting a needle under the skin. The goal is to break down the connective tissue bands under the skin that cause this skin display disorder.

First the doctor will mark the area that has the problem. The next step, the doctor will inject a numbing solution into the area and insert a small knife to cut the connective tissue that holds the fat.

Cellfina has been shown to reduce irritating skin indentations. This procedure can give fairly long-lasting results, which is about 2 years or more.

Vacuum-assisted precise tissue release

This one treatment procedure helps break down the connective tissue bands that are causing this skin problem.

During the procedure, the doctor will use a device containing a small knife to cut the ribbon. After the tape is cut, the tissue will move upward to fill in and remove the bumpy, uneven skin.

Research shows this treatment is one that is quite effective in reducing the appearance of cellulite.

Another small study showed that many patients received this treatment with lasting results for about three years.

Carboxytherapy

This medical procedure uses carbon dioxide gas to be put under the skin. The goal is to disguise the bumpy skin.

The side effect of this treatment is the appearance of pain and bruising during and after treatment.

Home remedies

What home remedies can I do to treat cellulite?

Apart from going through medical procedures, there are various lifestyle changes and home remedies that can help treat this condition. Here are some steps you can try.

Lose weight

Being overweight can make the bumpy skin more noticeable. Therefore, from now on you can start a weight loss program for smoother skin appearance.

Exercise regularly

Muscles can make skin look smoother and firmer. Therefore, you can outsmart the appearance of uneven skin with regular exercise to treat cellulite.

Exercise is not a way to get rid of cellulite. However, with strong muscles and tight skin the appearance of this skin problem will automatically be disguised.

You can choose a type of exercise that focuses on the areas affected by cellulite. For example, for cellulite on the thighs and buttocks, squats could be the right choice of exercise.

Repeat the movement 12-15 times at once for 2-3 times a week. In addition, increase the weight of the exercise every day to make the muscles stronger and tighter.

You can also combine exercises to help tone your muscles. Combining aerobic and strength training helps burn fat while building muscle and skin elasticity. Cycling, running, and swimming are aerobic exercise options that help burn fat.

Don't forget to also stretch before and after exercising to prevent muscle tension and tearing.

Also make sure to get enough fluids during exercise. This is because in some people this one skin problem can actually get worse after exercise due to dehydration.

Massage the skin

Massage not only relaxes the body and mind but can help disguise uneven skin surfaces. Massage reduces the appearance of these skin problems by improving lymphatic drainage.

This helps stretch the skin tissue which means it can reduce the appearance of bumpy skin. It takes consistent massage to make the skin look better.

Using creams and lotions

Overcoming cellulite with caffeine is not widely known. In fact, various cream products that contain caffeine can dehydrate cells which can make cellulite look flatter. To get maximum results, you need to apply it every day.

In addition, products containing 0.3% retinol can also have the same effect on the skin. Retinol helps to thicken or thicken the skin to reduce the irritating appearance of skin.

To see the results, you need to apply it for 6 months or more depending on the severity.

To avoid the risk of allergies or irritation, do a skin test first. Apply a small amount of cream or lotion to the inner arm. Then let stand for approximately 24 hours.

If there is no negative reaction such as rash or itching, you can apply it to the problem areas of the skin.