What you might not know about cellulite
Cellulite, or orange peel skin, is one of the most frequently used words among women. Currently, up to 90% of women in developed societies suffer from it. But why does it occur, who does it affect, and can it be prevented or eliminated?
History
The first mentions are recorded in France around the 1920s. Rheumatic changes in the subcutaneous tissue were cited as the reason. The period of World War II interrupted interest in research into this issue for some time and experts began to focus on it again much later - in the 1970s and 1980s, when the cult of the body, a healthy lifestyle and the so-called fitness and wellness began to become fashionable. Cellulite became an excellent article not only for the cosmetics industry, and this interest continues to this day.
The problem of cellulite began to be addressed primarily in beauty salons, which was opposed by doctors who did not see this phenomenon as a cosmetic problem, but rather a health problem.
Cellulite mainly affects women. Only a very small percentage of men are affected. It does not only occur in obese people, but also in models and athletes. Lifestyle and hormonal fluctuations are often to blame. Therefore, it often appears during puberty, pregnancy or subsequent breastfeeding. Doctors usually indicate disorders of the lymphatic system as the cause.
In the early stages, cellulite can be reduced by changing your lifestyle (proper diet, sufficient exercise), or by special massages, special procedures (e.g. lymphatic drainage) or appropriate cosmetics. In more advanced stages, consultation with a specialist is necessary.
Cellulite is divided into 4 stages/degrees
Stage 1 affects almost every woman. The orange peel skin is only visible during a compression test. No treatment is required.
Stage 2 - slightly deformed skin, visible at first glance, first appears on the inner thighs. These irregularities appear when the muscle is tensed, sitting on a hard surface or in bright side light. It is precisely because of its visibility in bright light that this cellulite is recognized even in slim models on the catwalk. Because of this, this stage is often called the mannequin stage. Treatment is easy - usually all you need to do is adjust your diet and exercise regimen and use appropriate cosmetics.
Stage 3 - here the unevenness is already visible in any light, movement or state of rest. Here, complex treatment is required and it is not always possible to completely get rid of cellulite.
Stage 4 - here massive unevenness and skin damage are already visible. It often affects overweight patients. Its treatment requires cooperation with a lymphologist, an obesitologist and often a plastic surgeon.
Cellulite treatment
- should be comprehensive, long-term, and unfortunately lifelong in the maintenance phase. Of course, we must also take into account the normal aging of the skin, which, among other things, also weakens its elasticity. In more serious cases of cellulite, treatment should be supervised by a specialist.
In any case, it is important:
- Diet – for example, protein and plenty of fluids are also important
- Movement – which, among other things, contributes to normal lymph flow. Exercises recommended for lymphatic system disorders are also suitable.
- Activation of the lymphatic system (so-called lymphatic drainage)
- Pharmacotherapy – preparations for external and possibly internal use
Source: MUDr. René Vlasák, surgeon, lymphologist, member of the committee of the Czech Lymphological Society, founder of the Center for Preventive Medicine and the company Prevence 2000 sro
