How to Deal with Cellulite

Most people think dimples are cute and attractive on a face, but not on your butt. Cellulite is a term women hear a lot about mostly when we reach the forty year mark. Those lumpy, dimpled thighs and buttocks start becoming more and more noticeable.

It 's not fair that women have to endure menopause with the hot flashes, fatigue and insomnia. We now have to deal with the bumpy legs and backside that just won't disappear . We can exercise hours a day, use special creams, massages, hot bathes, diuretics, but still it clings.

I didn't know much about it when I was in the twenties. Having a very hectic job and attending evening classes helped me to stay thin so those darling dimples weren't a problem for me. Young women have other body issues to contend with such as breasts, hips or butt size and appearance.

Being young helps to keep your figure. We had the energy to jump rope, jog, bicycle ride, or go out dancing.

Cellulite is defined as the dimpling and that “cottage cheese” look of the skin usually seen on the thighs,and buttocks. It's especially noticeable when warmer weather arrives.

According to Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD and Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR of MedicineNet.com, having it is normal. “Heredity, skin thickness, gender, the amount and distribution of body fat, and age can all influence the extent to which cellulite is present or visible.”

The experts have developed a "Cellulite Diet" to help improve the appearance on your body.

The old adage, ”you are what you eat”, couldn't be truer when it comes to this problem, it seems. If you eat a high fat, sugar diet, then expect to have it show up on the legs, buttocks and abdomen.

The fast food habit may be cheap to eat but expensive to cure in the long run. You may have been able to eat those foods when you were in your twenties, but we all know that time catches up and you will pay for it later!

Foods to cut down on and eliminate if possible are, animal fat in hamburgers and cheaper cuts of red meat, most cheeses, processed lunch meats, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, sodas,candy, alcohol and all simple carbohydrates.

Brown rices, oats, and whole grain breads are better since they take longer to break down.

The best foods to eat to reduce cellulite are fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, apples,spinach, tomato,fennel,and carrots. Also add oily fishes, nuts and seeds to your regiment.

Of course water is essential to decrease food cravings and flush out the toxins.

The next time you think about eating some ice cream or candy, just look at your naked body in the mirror and remember that it will end up dimpling your thighs! Better still, take a photograph of your problem spots and keep it in your pocket and on the refrigerator.

I know I'm not alone when I say it feels abnormal and unattractive. With summer fast approaching,the thoughts of shopping for a swim suit and shrieking in terror while looking at yourself in the dressing room mirror is on most women's minds.

There are many products and techniques that I and thousands of women have tried over the years to no avail. The creams, massages, light or laser therapy, mesotherapy, special diets, exercise, wraps and drastic measures including liposuction.

The creams include chemicals that can irritate and burn the skin. It may look smoother for a few days but it doesn't last. They are generally $39.00 to $150.00

Massages are certainly beneficial and do ease tight muscles and break up lymph fluid . Some believe this fluid may be what is making your lags dimple.

I've tried this too and while it did feel good, those dimples were still there. According to Dr. Bisson of Mesotherpie & Estitik , “mesotherapy" is a medical specialty that involves injecting microscopic quantities of natural extracts, homeopathic agents, pharmaceuticals and vitamins into the skin. It can be used to eliminate bumpiness, promote weight loss, treat aging skin and redundant (sagging) skin, and rejuvenate the hands and neck.”

The wraps looked promising and was very popular a few years ago. They literally “wrap” your legs up in saran wrap material and herbal cream to shrink the skin and reduce swelling. Again this is very temporary and costly. A salon wrap could be as high as $150.00 There are at home kits now selling for $39.00

Laser therapy is the utilization of light wavelengths to create therapeutic effects which include reduced healing time, increased circulation and decreased edema and swelling.

The light therapy with the topical cream stimulates the production of collagen and breaks down the fat cells below the surface. Each treatment can run from $100.00 to $150.00 US dollars.

A new approach

I came across a British beauty expert Sarah Chapman's video which she describes a four step process that includes a dry skin brushing. This is so simple an idea, I wonder why no one had mentioned it until now.

The first step is to explain what it is and why we have it.

The second step is to drink up to 8 glasses of water a day to flush out your system.

The third step is a change in lifestyle. Cutting out coffee, alcohol, drinking water and doing more exercise.

The fourth step is the most important. You must dry brush your entire body from the feet up,towards your heart,to move the lymph fluids and toxins away. A natural bristle brush can be bought for under $20.00 and takes 15 minutes in the privacy of your home. This is the least expensive way to treat the problem and it seems to make sense.

So there you have it. Cellulite is not a disease, or imperfection; it's normal and everyone has some of it. There are lotions, creams, light therapy, brushing, exercise and diet modifications to try. One of these or a combination of these methods and products may reduce the appearance of bumpy thighs.

Your genetics plays a major role and so does your lifestyle. Sitting and eating sugars, carbohydrates and not exercising will definitely make a difference in your appearance. It's foolish to think it won't.

There's no sense beating yourself up over it and feeling badly about your body.

If your boyfriend or husband mocks you or is embarrassed by your dimples, just point and laugh at his beer belly!

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