What is cellulite and what can I do to treat it or more importantly prevent it from happening to me. This is a common question, and another regular query is, where it is most likely to appear on my body. Cellulite is major concern among both men (rare in men though) and women; however the good thing is, it is not a life threatening condition.

Cellulite is recognized by the lumpy, irregular fat deposits often found around the hips, buttocks and upper leg areas. It goes under another name 'orange peel skin' because of the dimpled appearance of the affected areas. It appears in 90% of post-adolescent women. This condition usually happens because a large number of women's fat cells are sited in pockets within the connective tissue of the skin. As time progresses, a buildup of fluids and fat, along with a reduction in blood supply, can cause the pockets to bulge and press against the connective tissues, creating the external 'orange peel' effect on the skin. Cellulite is type of taboo condition for women and, especially more so for those that love to wear shorts, short sleeved garments, mini dresses and bikinis.

Along with a well balanced diet and exercise, which can help in the early stages of cellulite formation, there are many different treatments that have been claimed to reduce the appearance of cellulite:
You must never use unfamiliar products to treat a skin disorder or any other without getting advice from your doctor first. If you treat a specific problem with the wrong medication, you can worsen the condition or seriously damage your health, even to a degree where it can result in death.

Many creams for treating cellulite contain ingredients that have been shown to stimulate metabolism of fat in scientific testing, but none have been proven to have a significant or long lasting effect in research on patients.

Body wrapping is another popular method used to help treat cellulite. The actual process involves covering particular parts of the body with linens permeated with a variety of substances such as herbal extracts, algae, seaweed, and mud. Although we associate the word herbal with healthy, you still have to be careful with herbal ingredients because of allergies etc. The skin is sensitive and no matter how healthy a product is, it does not mean it will agree with your skin type. Following on, the skin is brushed or massaged evenly with any one of these products and then covered in linens. The body shaping effect is the result of the combined action of sweat and compression, which leads to a reduction of body dimensions. This effect is mainly due to the loss of fluids and is only temporary. Although many treatments for cellulite are effective, what you need to remember is although these wraps are generally beneficial for relaxation, as well as softening the skin; however they do not reduce cellulite. Disheartening I know but the way it treats the skin as in softening is an extra bonus.

Massage increases circulation and lymphatic drainage, reduces muscular spasms and breaks down adhesions. Lymphatic drainage is a specific massage, which rids accumulated fluid but has little effect on cellulite. If this is the case then why opt for this type of treatment, people with cellulite ask. Well its benefit of helping with circulation and helping reduce muscle spasm is great regardless. The main problems with manual massage are the different techniques and levels of pressure used by therapists, which are almost impracticable to regulate.

It was back in the nineties when herbal preparations were introduced for treating cellulite. The recipe for cellulite pills included a mixture of herbal extracts as well as non-herbal substances. These products are not subject to medical review, and their ingredients and effects have not yet been scientifically proven. As stated earlier even though herbal not only sounds a healthy alternative to scientific medicines, you still have to be very cautious. Speak to the herbalist or to your doctor about treatments you would like to try to remove your cellulite.

Liposuction is the most regular performed aesthetic surgical procedure for fat removal and body contouring. Nevertheless as with any type of operation whether it is to treat cellulite or not entails risks. Think things through before opting for this type of treatment to cure your cellulite. This invasive technique involves the taking away fat from the reserve or deeper fat layers, but it is not typically performed in the subcutaneous fat layer (just below the surface of the skin) where cellulite originates. This is because side effects such as bleeding, swelling and scarring can be worse. If you are uncertain or unsure about the op and what it entails, ask your doctor to explain, and if you do not fully understand anything he or/ she says, then stop them and ask them what it was you didn’t understand.

So are there any safe alternatives? Once again a question difficult to answer is anything safe anymore, this is scary, but if we look for a cure, then there will be those risks that women and men are willing to take. As we speak there is no clinically proven treatment that permanently removes fat and reduces the appearance of cellulite. The safest bet is to try and live with it and accept that it is a natural happening of the body which is a very common condition.