Cellulite
Dr Trisha Macnair
Around 80 per cent of western women believe they have cellulite - the lumpy, bumpy texture usually found around the thighs, bottoms and knees. But does cellulite actually exist? And even if it does, is it something we ought to stop fighting and accept?
Causes
Cellulite is a permanent change in the fat that is stored under your skin. We all have some body fat - even skinny models - so we’re all susceptible to cellulite as we get older. You can sometimes spot it on women who otherwise appear very youthful or slim.
In cellulite, the thin layer of tissue between the fat cells (often just a few cells thick) becomes more fibrous - like a scar. The fibrous areas start to pull together around the fat, causing the tiny dimples and irregularities typical of cellulite.
Hormonal factors
The formation of cellulite is closely linked to the effects of hormones in the body, especially the female sex hormones. When levels of hormones change dramatically - such as at puberty and during pregnancy - something causes cellulite to be laid down. Many women find the condition gets much worse after having children; yet another rarely mentioned burden of pregnancy!
Treatment
Nothing as simple or as superficial as a cream could possibly break down the process of fibrosis or reverse it. No herbal lotion or strange unguent can remedy the problem.
Massage is supposed to break down the fibrous bands, but there’s little hard evidence to support this. If massage were to work, it would have to be extremely firm to have any effect.
Some new devices are trying to take the idea of massage one step further, for example by using a combination of lasers and massage to try to break down the cellulite. One device, which uses a combination of radio frequency energy and infrared light to heat up and release the fat (which is simultaneously smoothed over with a suction roller) has been given approval by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in the US.
But approval by the FDA (which reviews all new medical treatments) is limited, only covering a temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite, not cure or permanent removal of the problem. The effects have only been shown in a small number of patients (leading some critics to question just how valid the statistics are) and the treatment is very expensive (amounting to hundreds of pounds) for a result that lasts just a few months.
The only treatment that might have a permanent effect is liposuction
The only treatment that might have a permanent effect is liposuction, which is a dramatic step to take. This works by sucking out the fat cells - removing the problem tissue altogether. Once gone, these cells aren’t replaced, so the area should remain smooth, although your body may then have to store any added fat in other fat pockets, such as on your shoulders, which can end up distorting the shape of your body.
I appreciate there are many thousands of women in the UK who are very happy with their cellulite treatment and believe it works. All I can say is, such treatments aren’t likely to cause you much harm, but don’t forget it’s a lucrative business and there are many people with ulterior motives for convincing you that they work.