Myths About Cellulite

Edemato-fibrosclerotic panniculopathy, orange peel, dimples, call it what you want, what we normally know as cellulite is a problem that affects more women (and some men) than you think.

But despite its plethora of names, the general public is not as knowledgeable on the subject as you might think. In fact, there are more myths circulating on the Internet than there are truths.

And if you really want to get rid of cellulite, these false myths may be clouding your judgment about what causes it and what really helps to get rid of it. In this post we are going to show you some of these myths so that you can eliminate it in the best way.

Only older people have cellulite

Nothing of that. Cellulite can develop from adolescence , in fact, the orientation of the fibrous bands can be seen in the uterus in women. However, it is true that older people notice it more, because the skin becomes saggy as we age, and when the skin falls off, it makes cellulite more noticeable. This is what happens to your skin as you age.

The coffee scrub is useful for cellulite

In each article on “how to get rid of cellulite” the trick of exfoliating with ground coffee beans is mentioned, which can help you get rid of cellulite thanks to caffeine . But does it really work?

The answer is simple: No. The caffeine in coffee beans is strongly bound within the fibers of the beans, and is only released into espresso at high temperature (90ºC) and high pressure (9000 millibars).

So the caffeine doesn’t travel of its own accord through the fibers of the ground grains to the surface of the skin , just because you rub it against the skin (and we don’t even get into the troublesome skin absorption of caffeine).

Then, all the properties that caffeine can provide to improve cellulite would be nullified in this exfoliation. You could only benefit from the elimination of dead cells that exfoliation favors in general.

Do yourself a favor and throw away those coffee beans, or better yet, make yourself a coffee out of them.

Caffeine causes cellulite

Caffeine is a very poorly understood substance in this condition. On the one hand it is claimed that it helps to treat cellulite if applied as an exfoliation on the skin, but it is also claimed that it can cause cellulite if it is drunk. They were?

Well, the truth is that caffeine has a triple anti-cellulite action when applied directly to adipose tissue (for example, as an active ingredient in a good anti-cellulite cream): it is lipolytic, anti-fibrotic and improves circulation, that is , it acts on three aspects of cellulite at once.

And it has a minimal action when consumed in moderation (up to 4 cups of coffee a day, that is, 400 mg / day). The only problem with caffeine occurs with abuse: drinking 10 cups of coffee a day (there are people who do) will likely crash your metabolism, ultimately affecting cellulite. Very indirect effect, but possible.

The same is true of water. Although one to four liters of water a day is very beneficial for the body, if you drink 10 liters you will die. However, nowhere is it mentioned or claimed that water is lethal. Very unfair to caffeine.

In summary, a normal consumption of 1 to 4 cups of caffeinated beverages a day is fine. Caffeine does not usually cause cellulite and actually helps reduce it as an active ingredient in anti-cellulite creams.

Cellulite is just fat

This is a very old myth, and at the same time very widespread, to think that cellulite is simply an accumulation of fat cells. Nothing is further from reality. Fat (adipose tissue) is something that all human beings have under the skin , and it does not appear superficially. Children also have fat deposits and do not have the orange peel of cellulite.

And if it were just fat, lean, well-exercised women who have a very low percentage of body fat would not have cellulite, which is not the case.

In cellulite fat intervenes, we are not going to lie, but it is another type of fat: the one that is inside the skin itself . That is why it manifests itself with bumps that are fully visible.

Liposuction completely removes cellulite

Another myth that arises from the fallacy that “cellulite is just fat” is that liposuction can eliminate cellulite. This couldn’t be more false. The medical procedure reduces subcutaneous fat , which as we have explained in the previous myth, is not the same as that of cellulite .

Cellulite is part of the skin itself, and no liposuction can get rid of it, because it would have to remove the skin itself.

In fact, by emptying the volume previously occupied by fat under the skin, liposuction always makes the skin appear looser and accentuates cellulite. Liposuction does not improve or worsen cellulite itself, but it does make it look worse .

Men do not have cellulite

Anyone, regardless of their gender, can develop cellulite if they meet the following three conditions: have a significant amount of estrogen in their body, eat more calories than are expended, and lead a sedentary life.

Estrogen stimulates the proliferation of adipocytes (fat cells) in the areas most sensitive to the hormone (buttocks and thighs), in both men and women.

Excess calories (derived from hydrogenated fats, saturated fats, sugar, alcohol, and high-glycemic starches) fill these cells with fat.

While a sedentary lifestyle makes things worse, by promoting sagging, and weakening blood and lymphatic vessels, which in turn leads to fluid retention and subsequent inflammation. Fluid retention, excess superficial fat, inflammation and laxity of the skin are the main characteristics of cellulite.

Men typically have low levels of estrogen, so if they overeat and / or lead a sedentary lifestyle, they generally only get fat and develop sagging skin.

However, some men have high estrogen levels, so if they overeat and don’t move enough, they will develop cellulite. Men with high levels of estrogen are generally older or overweight or obese, as it is the fat cells that produce the estrogen necessary for the development of cellulite.

Fat cells are not inactive fat stores, they secrete several hormones, one of which is estrogen. The more fat cells a man’s (or a woman’s) body has, the more estrogen those fat cells produce.

The solution to the problem of excess estrogen remains the same for both men and women: eat healthy, unprocessed foods, and get plenty of exercise . And for women, in addition, stop the contraceptive pill.

To eliminate cellulite you only need diet and exercise

You’ve heard and read it many times: Cellulite treatments don’t work, cellulite creams aren’t absorbed, and all that is needed to reduce cellulite is diet and exercise. However, this is not true.

A healthy diet and regular exercise are prerequisites for cellulite prevention, (limited) cellulite reduction and essential if you want to get the maximum results from any cellulite cream or treatment.

But diet and exercise alone are not enough to significantly reduce cellulite. This is because diet and exercise cannot target a specific area of ​​the body, hence the need for treatments and creams.

Now, it is true that most cellulite creams and treatments do not “work” simply because they are too light and too dilute, respectively.

However, strong treatments, such as radio frequency, and quality cellulite creams that contain high concentrations of multiple anti-cellulite actives, such as caffeine, forskolin, centellaasia, curcumin, aescin and more …) produce great results Always in combination with a healthy diet and exercise, of course.

Compression stockings for cellulite work

Compression garments help blood and lymph flow from the feet, calves, thighs, and hips to the heart. For this reason, they help prevent fluid retention , one of the signs of cellulite.

However, all compression garments isolate fibroblasts (collagen and elastin producing cells) from the effects of mechanical stimulation and therefore have a negative effect on skin firmness. Sagging skin is a major aspect of cellulite and therefore compression stockings can lead to looser skin if worn regularly.

Also, all compression garments inhibit arterial flow. This is because arterial blood travels in the opposite direction of vein blood and lymph, and also against the pressure gradient of compression garments.

Therefore, although compression stockings aid in lymphatic / venous flow, they also maintain reduced arterial flow, resulting in poor tissue nutrition. For all these reasons, the continuous use of compression socks, pantyhose and stockings is not recommended.

So if your cellulite is characterized by heavy fluid retention rather than sagging skin, then these garments may be helpful for a while. But if you have sagging skin, wearing compression stockings is not recommended, as they worsen the sagging of the skin.