Cellulite describes the uneven appearance of the skin on the thighs and buttocks. Some refer to it as dimpled skin while others go so far as to compare it to the surface of an orange peel. It affects more women than men. While cellulite is related to fat, a woman doesn’t have to be overweight to have cellulite.
Cellulite isn’t just fat. And according to medical research, it’s not a buildup of toxins in your skin, either. Instead, it’s the result of a combination of the structures of skin, subcutaneous fat, connective tissue and muscle.
Imagine several layers of tissue. At the base we have a layer of muscle. At the top we have the layer of skin. In between we have a layer of subcutaneous fat. Connective tissue anchors the skin to muscles. The structure of this connective tissue is different for women and men.
The persistent nature of cellulite hasn’t stopped people from claiming that they have a cure for the condition. Whether their claims are based on actual belief or unscrupulous motives, the fact remains that there’s still no easy way to cure cellulite. But that doesn’t mean you can’t reduce its appearance temporarily.
One treatment that could potentially make a cellulite problem worse is liposuction. That’s because the fat provides some of the structure needed for smooth skin. Plus, if the connective tissue has lost its elasticity, removing fat may simply change bulges into dimples.