More common in women than men, cellulite is a medical condition in which the skin of lower limbs, pelvic region, and abdomen becomes dimpled due to the entrapment of lumpy cottage cheese type fat in the body. Cellulite is known by many names, like orange peel syndrome, the mattress phenomenon, and the hail damage. Medically, it can be termed as adiposis edematosa, dermopanniculosis deformans, status protrusus cutis, and gynoid lipodystrophy.
The term ‘cellulite’ was first used is 1920s and was popularized by English magazines in 1960s. The problem of cellulite is most prominent among post-adolescent women with global figures reflecting that as high as 90% of these women are suffering from cellulite at some point in their life. However, most women tend to ignore the problem and blame it on obesity, and overweight body characteristics. But cellulite is also observed in normal-weighted women.
If men have cellulite, the affected areas are neck and abdomen, while women’s affected body parts are abdomen, thighs, buttocks, and breasts.
The easiest way to check if you have cellulite in the body is to pinch the skin around the upper thigh region. If it feels lumpy, you might have cellulite. The reasons for having cellulite are many. However, mostly, it’s in the genes. Other factors include gender, amount of overall body fat, age, and skin-thickness.
Cellulite is often confused with fat. The first obvious point of distinction is that everyone has body fat (only the quantity differ) but cellulite is not at all good for the body. The layer of fat beneath the skin insulates the vital body organs, muscles and nerves, while cellulite does not offer any such protection (it is lumpy).
No doubt, cellulite is an unwanted accumulation in the body; however, there is no miracle cure for this nagging problem. You need to have loads of patience in order to undertake effective anti cellulite treatment.
Causes of Cellulite?
Fat pockets that gather just below the skin’s surface are called cellulite. The skin may appear lumpy or dimpled as a result of this. The hips, thighs, and buttocks are the most often affected regions.
Cellulite is common in people who are born with a gender preference for women, but it is uncommon in people who are born with a gender preference for men. For some people, cellulite is an aesthetic or cosmetic problem, but it is not unhealthy. 1 However, a few studies suggest a probable link between having a lot of cellulite and an increased risk of developing several chronic conditions. 2
Whether an area is smooth or has the rippling appearance of cellulite depends on the structure of your overlaying skin and the underlying connective tissue. You still have choices for both preventing and treating it, though. Although cellulite cannot be completely avoided, it can be reduced.