The Battle of Cellulite



WARNING: This post is going to be long.



Hi Friends! Firstly, thanks to Inge' for being the first to ask questions :) I knew I could count on you!

We have all heard about it. Some are experiencing it. Probably some are trying all sorts of experiments to remove or improve it....

Cellulite.

The very word causes some to shun away in fear. Or shake their heads in disappointment.

Inge' asked a very good question: Can drinking more water get rid of cellulite, or it's just a myth?

To answer this question requires understanding more about cellulite first.

So what is it?

I'm not going to post any pictures here, in case I spoil your lunch or dinner. You can easily find pictures of cellulite from googling.

Occuring mostly in women, cellulite is something aesthetically unpleasant on the skin, normally found in the lower limbs, abdomen, and pelvic region. It's like having a lot of dimples on that part of your body. One dimple is nice, but imagine ten dimples on your left cheek, or twenty dimples on your right buttock.

From the medical point of view, it is something that is not life threatening. Nor is it contagious. In fact, most of the medical community doesn't view cellulite as a disorder. Instead, it is considered a normal condition of many women and some men.

But of course, it does not look good. Especially if you are wearing a bikini, or your birthday suit.

And strangely, it occurs mostly in women. Cases of cellulite in men are rare.

So what causes cellulite? From what I had researched, it appears that experts are still uncertain about this, as there appears to be multiple factors that could contribute to the formation of cellulite, and these multiple factors are poorly supported by clinical evidence. It may or may not include changes in metabolism and physiology such as gender specific dimorphic skin architecture, alteration of connective tissue structure, vascular changes and inflammatory processes. Other factors also associated with cellulite formation includes:

1. Lifestyle - If you are always under a lot of stress, you tend to have increased levels of catecholamines i.e. adrenaline and noradrenaline. These two hormones are known to contribute to the development of cellulite. Which brings us to the second factor...

2. Hormonal factors - Estrogen appears to be the dominant contributor, but then again, it is not well substantiated by studies. Other hormones include the catecholamines, insulin, prolactin and thyroid hormones.

3. Diet - It appears that taking certain foods or not consuming certain foods seems to have an effect on cellulite (something that might bring us to the answer of Inge's question).

4. Predisposing factors - Gender, race, biotype, a hormone receptor allele that determines the receptor number and sensitivity, distribution of subcutaneous fat, and predisposition to circulatory insufficiency have all been shown to contribute to cellulite.


So based on the above factors, there are 2 NATURAL ways to control or improve the situation, i.e. your lifestyle and what you eat. It may or may not work, but at least there are some evidence on the possibility of you controlling or improving it. There are other UNNATURAL (and expensive) ways to get rid of cellulite, which I will touch on later.

What can I say about stress? I know that for some of you, a stressful life or job is inevitable. But I somehow believe that this could be overcome. A breakthrough, a miracle... all these are possible. And a lot of times, the choice is in our hands. Sometimes, an extra bit of wisdom, and God's green light is all we need.

Now, let's talk about diet... aha! My forte. Believe it or not, this is the first time I had receive this question about nutrition in relation to cellulite. Maybe my female friends or colleagues are just too shy to ask me about it, lest that I go and gossip about it! Who would want word to spread around about so-and-so having cellulite problem? But rest assured that I had always treated all those who had consulted me with much discretion and privacy. What you share with me remains with me, unless, of course, I need to seek further help from someone more specialized in the problem, or a physician's opinion.

So let's get on with it.

Based on the studies I had examined, here's some myth busters:

I. Losing weight will get rid of cellulite.

VERDICT: Partly true.

While some of those who lost weight saw an improvement, others had their condition worsened. So this might or might not work for everyone.

Ref: Smalls et al (2006)


II. Drinking more water will get rid of cellulite.

VERDICT: Untrue

Dehydration is known to be one of the possible causes of cellulite formation. So keeping yourself hydrated will only prevent or minimize the risk of cellulite formation. Once you have cellulite, you can't get rid of it by drinking more water.

Ref: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (2008)


III. Thin people won't get cellulite... ever.

VERDICT: Untrue

Hahaha... so you thought you could get away with this? Think again. Even thin people can get cellulite, because we all have layers of fat just below the surface of the skin. Collagen fibers that connect fat to the skin may stretch, break down, or pull tight, allowing the fat cells to bulge out. This creates the rippled look of cellulite.

Ref: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (2008)


So what's the best way to "treat" or get rid of cellulite? I know the truth may sometimes hurt, but the truth is the truth, and it's better that you know it now than later. So here goes...

There are numerous therapies for the "treatment" of cellulite. However the empirical evidence for the efficacy of these strategies is limited. In an interview with the New York Times, Dr. Molly Wanner, an instructor in dermatology at Harvard Medical School and an author of a 2008 evidence-based review of existing treatments, asserted, “At this point, there is no outstanding treatment for cellulite.” Dr. Michael F. McGuire, a clinical associate professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, confirmed that “realistically there is no cure for cellulite.”

A great deal of money is spent by people who want to rid themselves of cellulite, but no amount of weight loss, exercise, massages, wraps, gels, creams, machines, supplements, or surgery has proven to effectively eliminate it once you have it. Liposuction, for instance, is not recommended for cellulite, and may even make it look worse. Dr. Jeffrey Dover, director of SkinCare Physicians, a dermatology practice in Chestnut Hill, Mass., says: "Some people have misrepresented the truth to suggest that there’s a lot you can do [to treat cellulite].”

A classic example would be the usage of an anti-cellulite gel & LED as per Sasaki et al (2007). Treatment for 3 months - 8 of 9 had improvement, 5 reverted to previous state 15 months after treatment.

Even the FDA is not doing a good job either. In 1998, the FDA approved a high-powered, handheld massage tool that consists of a treatment head and two motorized rollers with a suction device that compresses the affected tissue between the two rollers. The manufacturer is permitted to promote it for "temporarily improving the appearance of cellulite." The procedure, called Endermologie, usually takes 10 to 20 treatments to get the best results, and one or two maintenance treatments per month are required to maintain them. Without the maintenance, the benefits will soon be lost. The typical cost is $45 to $65 per session.

It is unfortunate that the FDA did not review this study by Collis et al (1999) - while it is true that it can only temporarily improve cellulite appearance (continued maintenance is needed), the study shows that not everyone responds to Endermologie. Only 10 of 35 Endermologie-treated legs had their cellulite appearance improved. That's less than 30% success rate of TEMPORARILY improving cellulite appearance. Even if you are one of the 30% successful users, you do the math on the maintenance part.

And I had browsed through many other studies on the "treatment" of cellulite using weight loss programs, exercise programs, massages, wraps, gels, creams, machines, supplements, or even surgery and came to the same conclusion... there are either no studies to prove the claim, or the studies showed that they don't work for everyone. Even if they did, they are costly, and long-term, continued application is required.

I know it's a bit sad to know this, but hey, why not ask God to remove it? Nothing is impossible for him who believes, and God is more willing to do anything for us, right?

I have GOOD NEWS to those who has YET to get cellulite! There are ways to prevent or reduce the risk of getting cellulite (again, not goofproof, but still, worth trying). Prevention is always better than cure, and for this case, there are hardly any effective "cure".

Ways to avoid cellulite include:

- Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fiber
- Staying hydrated with plenty of fluids
- Exercising regularly to keep muscles toned and bones strong
- Maintaining a healthy weight (no yo-yo dieting)
- Not smoking


Of course, the methods proposed above are nothing new. In fact, these are the same preventive measures to take to reduce the risk of getting heart diseases too, as per my previous posts on this.

I hope I answered your question, Inge' :)


And just a bit of humor (courtesy of Snopes.com) to round off this post... enjoy!

The Thighs of Texas Are Upon Us