Cellulite is a collection of subdermal fat stores that gives skin that signature ‘orange peel’ texture. Although it’s completely normal (even supermodels get it!) and is in no way harmful to your health, many women wish they didn’t have it. There are several ways you can reduce its appearance and not all of them are expensive surgical solutions. Here’s how to get rid of cellulite naturally.
SOME QUICK FACTS ABOUT CELLULITE
Before we begin, let’s dive in with some quick-fire facts about cellulite.
- Cellulite is under your skin. It’s pockets of fat that have squeezed themselves between bands of tissue (septae) which sit under your skin.
- Women are more likely to get cellulite. This is because septae in women are different to that in men. Men have sturdier bands of tissue that sit in a criss cross formation – which keeps fat in place more effectively. In contrast, women have vertically placed septae which is flimsier and allows fat to push through more easily.
- Size doesn’t matter. Although the more body fat you have, the more likely you are to get cellulite, it affects women of all sizes.
- Losing too much weight can make cellulite worse. This is because weight loss can make your skin saggy, which can make the cellulite appear much more pronounced.
- Cellulite tends to run in families. Genes can determine how you store fat and how likely it is to push through your septae.
- Hormones are thought to be involved. However, this hasn’t been proven.
Now that we’ve covered that, here are some natural ways to get rid of cellulite.
DRY BRUSHING
Dry brushing is considered by many to be one of the most effective natural remedy for cellulite and has been since the 1990s. It involves brushing your bare skin with a soft-bristled brush in order to give it a smoother, more radiant appearance.
How It Works
Dry brushing helps to exfoliate your skin. According to Dr Mona Gohara, member of the American Academy of Dermatology, exfoliation helps to remove dry, dead skin cells and makes it easier for your skin to rehydrate itself.
In addition, the motion of dry brushing helps to boost circulation and the lymphatic system to increase the flushing of waste products and toxins from the body. Poor circulation and lymph drainage can cause swelling of the skin which can aggravate cellulite and make it even harder to get rid of. It can also inhibit the healing of connective tissues and collagen that play vital roles in the appearance of skin. Dry brushing helps to combat that.
COFFEE SCRUB
Many women have reported success by mixing coffee grounds with warm water to create a scrub and using it on cellulite areas to reduce its appearance.
How It Works
The motion of massaging coffee scrub on your cellulite areas stimulates blood and lymphatic flow. This helps to send nutrients particularly to that area of the body and remove toxins at the same time. This aids cell renewal. In addition, the caffeine in the coffee can be absorbed by the skin and has a tightening effect – which helps to reduce cellulite.
JUNIPER AND ROSEMARY OIL MIX
Juniper and rosemary oil can help to moisturize and strengthen the skin. They can also have a positive effect on blood circulation which can reduce the appearance of cellulite.
How It Works
Applying a daily moisturizing mix of juniper and rosemary oil can help to detoxify, hydrate and strengthen the skin. The motions of rubbing the oil in will stimulate blood circulation and lymph drainage, which prevents the buildup of toxins in the body. The moisturizing nature of the oils promotes healthy skin and will naturally help to reduce the appearance of cellulite.
WEIGHT EXERCISES
While sudden weight loss can actually make cellulite appear more pronounced, weight-based, resistance exercises can help tone the body, increase muscle and make the skin appear smoother.
How It Works
Resistance exercises build muscle that act like fillers in your skin’s layers. If you lose weight and replace the spaces with muscle, your skin won’t be as lax and pull on your septae. This means it’s less likely for the fatty pockets (that cause cellulite) to push through.
CRYOTHERAPY
Cryotherapy is a form of cold therapy that involves briefly exposing the body (or localized areas of the body) to subzero temperatures. This can have a number of beneficial effects on the body.
How It Works
Cellulite is best treated using localized cryotherapy. By suddenly and briefly exposing certain parts of the body to subzero temperatures, you can activate a number of different reactions. Firstly, collagen production is stimulated, which helps to repair any broken connections found in the skin, strengthening the skin and helping to reduce the appearance of cellulite in the process.
Secondly, cryotherapy has been known to stimulate metabolism. When the body’s exposed to sudden cold conditions, it activates the fight or flight mode. This means the body gets itself ready for survival which results in a series of chain reactions – such as adrenaline rushes, boosted blood circulation and nutrients rushing around the body, ready to heal the body if it becomes injured.
In addition, the cold temperatures also trick the body into thinking it’s going to freeze. This means you start shivering and internal processes start speeding up to help raise core temperature. Metabolism increases and fat is burned more quickly as your body needs energy to help raise core temperature.
Because more fat deposits are burned, cellulite appears much less pronounced.
Although cellulite is completely normal and happens to women of all shapes and sizes, many people try to reduce its appearance as much as possible. Contrary to popular belief, not all of the remedies for cellulite are expensive or surgical. For instance, cryotherapy is known to help to significantly reduce the appearance of cellulite which contributes to its popularity.