R.J. Ignelzi, Contributor
DEATH AND taxes aren't the only certainties in life. Any woman who's caught a glimpse of her backside in a swimsuit knows there's always cellulite.
Those pesky pockets of puckered fat that glom on to 85 per cent of all female hips and thighs seem to defy exercise, diet and prayer. Even though doctors say cellulite is just normal skin and fat, a result of hormones, genetics and increasing age, that hasn't stopped cosmetic companies and medical technologists from coming up with dozens of cellulite "remedies."
"Do we have a treatment that will make cellulite go away and never come back? No," says Dr. Hugh Greenway, chairman of the dermatologic surgery division at Scripps Clinic in San Diego. "But there are some ... that, if you continue maintenance (treatments), may provide some continuing improvement for some people."
Orange peel skin may be aesthetically unappealing, but it isn't harmful or unhealthy. It's simply the fat that lies just under the skin, which puffs out from the web of collagen fibres that connect the skin to underlying tissue.
COLD-LASER MASSAGE
One of the newer cellulite busters is the Tri-Active laser, which combines three skin treatment methods in one unit. There's a suction-style massage to increase lymphatic drainage and filter fluid from cells, a low-energy laser to stimulate collagen production and tighten skin, and a cooling component to counter any burning sensation.
ENDERMOLOGIE
Designed in France more than 25 years ago to soften scar tissue and restore damaged muscle function to burn victims, the massage vacuum treatment is still being used by many San Diego dermatologists and plastic surgeons to treat cellulite.
Patients wear a special body stocking and lie prone while a technician massages cellulite areas with a hand-held device that draws up skin folds and kneads it to break up pockets of fat, stretch out the dimple-causing cords and increase circulation and lymphatic flow.
CREAMS AND GELS
If you prefer a low-tech approach to smoothing out your skin, consider the cellulite creams, gels and serums lining shelves at neighbourhood drugstores and chichi day spas. While some are nothing more than enhanced moisturisers, others add special botanical ingredients, enzymes and chemicals, which may be mildly effective in increasing circulation and improving the appearance of the skin.
MESOTHERAPY
One of the most controversial and risky cellulite therapies today isn't offered at your local day spa. And if any local doctors use mesotherapy, they don't advertise it. Strictly an "underground therapy," mesotherapy is the injection of drugs, vitamins and other substances into the layer of fat and connective tissue under the skin. Developed in France a half-century ago and used frequently in Europe and South America, a cocktail of medicines and vitamins (the ingredients can vary according to the practitioner and can include anything from vasodilators to caffeine) are injected into the cellulite areas. Theoretically, the injections break-up and metabolise the fat, letting it drain through the lymph system. However, animal studies indicate that it may cause serious side effects such as bleeding, infection and ulcers.
LIPOSUCTION/SURGERY
While liposuction can remodel your body's contours, it can't do much about skin texture. It targets deeper layers of fat and could cause scarring if used closer to the surface to treat cellulite. Many doctors agree that surgery isn't the best cellulite solution and usually reserve it for only the most severe cases.
DIET
While most doctors agree that losing some fat may help improve cellulite by shrinking fat cells, it won't completely eliminate the orange peel look.
"You can diet and lose 25 pounds and get rid of the fat in the fatty areas. But you won't get rid of the fat and skin that cause cellulite," Los Angeles dermatologist Dr. Howard Murad says.
As we age, our cells' membranes and blood vessels are damaged and weakened by pollution, stress and unhealthy foods. This breakdown causes water loss and poor circulation, which results in lumpy skin, Murad says. The only way to permanently repair damaged cells, he says, is to consume foods loaded with antioxidants, essential fatty acids and
anti-inflammatories.
EXERCISE
Building muscle and losing fat can affect your body shape but won't necessarily make orange peel thighs disappear.
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