Cellulite: New Look on the Old Problem

Cellulite is the most esthetic complaint for women. A common misconception about cellulite is that one must be overweight to develop those dreaded dimples. But, that is simply not the case. Anyone can get it, because everyone has subcutaneous fat—the type of fat that sits under the skin.

The lumpy appearance of the skin is caused by fat cells bulging upward; however, the primary reasons this problem occurs is because of a poorly functioning lymph drainage system, estrogen imbalance and weak connective tissues beneath the skin.

Recognizing this cause of cellulite as a medical condition can help us to understand our body functions and treat them properly eliminating the problem.

There are three major factors inducing cellulite formation:

Connective Tissue Abnormalities

Cellulite occurs when the waste removal process slows down and connective tissues become saturated with water and wastes. The area thickens, hardens and forms immovable pockets beneath the skin. The accumulation of toxic substances weakens the skin’s support structure; causing a loss of calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium.

Poor Circulation

Water, blood and lymphatic fluid constantly circulate through the cells, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the tissue and cleansing them from waste. When small blood vessels become fragile, they leak excess fluid that accumulates in the compartments between the fat chambers. This effect increases pressure within the tissues, resulting in poor lymphatic drainage. As excess fluid is retained in dermal tissues, fat globules cluster together and inhibit venous return. This vascular damage results in decreased collagen synthesis and an inability to repair tissue damage, which weakens the dermis. Increasing circulation may help by increasing lymph flow.

Poor Lymphatic Drainage

Cellulite is the accumulation of toxins and waste materials in the cells that the body is unable to eliminate. It occurs with lymph systems become sluggish and the dermis weakens. During a stage of hormonal imbalance estrogen increases the size of fat cells and produces water retention. Because the body does not naturally discharge toxins, they harden and store at the cellular level.

Treatment Strategies

In order to properly treat and prevent cellulite, we must improve circulatory and lymphatic systems and detoxify the body. This can be done with pressotherapy, an exclusive detoxifying treatment that helps to promote the body’s natural toxin clearing function through effective lymphatic drainage. Pressotherapy reduces water retention and helps the body remove toxins and waste products out of the peripheral tissues—including cellulite tissues—by boosting both blood circulation and lymphatic drainage. The body then naturally expels toxins, excess water and waste products. Pressotherapy also helps transport fat molecules from the cellulite tissues into the general circulation for oxidation in the muscles and other organs.

Exercise also stimulates the cleansing process, but we are talking about the internal body. If the body is toxic, one will always have cellulite. However, that’s not to say that exercise does not play an important role in the reduction and prevention of cellulite. In fact, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet loaded with fruits and vegetables, and reducing stress are all essential and work together with medical devices and supplementation to make those dreaded dimples disappear.

Anna Golub, owner of Renaissance Clinique in Providence, is an award-winning clinical esthetician, herbalist and nutritionist with more than 20 years of experience. As the formulator of VITANA, a natural skin care line, she takes a cutting-edge holistic approach to dramatic skin transformation and result-oriented anti-aging treatments. For more information, call (401) 521-0762 or visit HolisticSpa.us or Vitana.us.