Cellulite....does anything work?

[wendihouse22]

I drink lots of water. Gym 3 or 4 times a weeks. Am 49 and going on hols in 6 weeks. Mostly sightseeing (Florence) but some beach (Venice). My thighs have cellulite +++

Any recommendations? Have read the Nivea one is good "Goodbye Cellulite". Can't afford to spend too much so, not interested in Dior/Clarins.

Thanks

[electra]

I don't think there are many women who don't have cellulite tbh. I'm a size 8 and I still have it on the backs of my legs. I have found that there are ways of improving it though - for me cutting out coffee, tea and alcohol seems to help and drinking lots of water instead. Massage also helps.

[katiewins22]

my friend in America uses Patches at night and swears by them. Last time I visited I noticed the diffference in her legs (she had also changed her diet).

I think they are called Biolite Cellulite Patches??

[mosschops30]

Creams are bollocks. Lots of water, body brushing, good diet works well

[TheProvincialLady]

Most people who are 49 have cellulite. I don't think you can do much more than you are already doing, ie go to the gym. Any body cream will improve the appearance of your skin but it is not going to cure cellulite, sorry. I am sure you already look good but if you are self conscious get a sarong or some other kind of cover up for your bottom half.

[otchayaniye]

Nothing 'works' as such, but good body lotions will improve the appearance of the skin (and will work for stretchmarks and dry patches and discolouration) and creams with caffeine can temporarily tighten the skin.

[wendihouse22]

Yes....maybe being too hard on myself. Some days I think....."you ARE 49" and some days I think "you're ONLY 49 and not 69"

Thanks for the quick response!

[nicole333]

For once I really cut out the processed crap in my diet. I was very surprised to see that I lost weight in all the areas that other so called weightloss regimes didn't seem to tackle.

My biggest surprise was I went from being heavy thighed (on a small frame) and cellulite ridden, to virtually zilch! Never have I found anything that rids you of all the toxins as I did when I left the carbs alone.

If it's cellulite alone you want to tackle, you could try eating just pure wholesome food and increasing your water intake, aswell as body brushing. I would concentrate on what you do with the inside of your body rather than what you put on the outside.

Good luck, enjoy your holiday

[smartyparts]

I am prone to cellulite on my bum.

Before holidays, I can get rid of it if I stop drinking coke and body brush every day.

I don't think the creams work so much as the act of massaging them in - so any cream would help imo.

[TattyDevine]

Cellulite is actually a fancy name for collections of fat that push against the connective tissue beneath a the skin, which causes the surface of the skin to dimple or pucker and look lumpy.

If there are any creams or salon treatments that appear to work, its because it plumps up the skin, making it temporarily thicker through hydration, thus reducing the appearance.

The less fat and the more lean tissue you have, the less cellulite you will have. I'm not talking about being a size 8 or a size 12 necessarily - but what percentage of your weight on the scales is attributed to muscle and what is down to fat.

Ever seen a bodybuilder with cellulite?

That's an extreme but the closer towards that lean but strong body you get the less cellulite you will have.

[pleasenap]

The wearingittoday blog (Red's style editor) - she was saying that she uses FatGirlSlim cream to make her legs look really smooth and non-cellulitey. I was tempted to buy some, its on special offer at the mo on either Debenhams or House of Fraser website for half price £14. But my head says....its just a cream, its not going to work sufficiently to make any difference (any more than drinking water or body brushing would - which i can't be bothered to do either - well...I do drink water!). But might be worth a try?

The wearingittoday lady is gorgeous though and looks very petite (which is obviously what makes me want to buy the cream!)

[TheProvincialLady]

Tatty I have seen anorexics with cellulite. Last year I was measureed as having a body fat percentage so low that I shouldn't have been menstruating (I was) but still had a few lumps.

[FaffTastic]

Have used the FatGirlSlim cream before and it didn't make the slightest bit of difference on me tbh. That's a v good discount on it at the moment though.

[TattyDevine]

Anorexics are a bad example ProvincialLady...they have such depleted levels of lean mass that their ratios of lean to fat are no better really. I'd be very surprised if they kept their fat percentage but gained lean healthy pass if the appearance of their skin didn't improve.

I'm not saying its a guarantee but as a general rule, if you take a woman with 53kg lean mass, has 13kg of body fat and a fat percentage of 19.7%, she will look better naked than a woman who weighs just 55kg and just 11kg fat yet only 44kg of lean mass, but the same body fat percentage. Its a smoother, more robust base for the fat to lay on which can make a huge difference.

[TheProvincialLady]

Fair point

[topsi]

Diet and exercise. Other than that bodybrushing. A treatment called 'Endermology' is FDA approved for the treatment of cullulite and does work when used in conjuction with the usuall diet and exercise.
You could also try 'Lipocontour' big pants which can help.
I would save your money on the creams they won't work!

[TattyDevine]

What does body brushing do, from a scientific/body point of view then? Does it loosen up or limber up the connective tissue? Does it thicken/plump the skin?

Whilst good circulation might be a factor, I just don't buy the "toxin" thing which is often used when trying to flog supplements/creams and treatments. Is there any actual evidence that "toxins" cause cellulite, and what exactly are these toxins, and why do they live in our legs and arses and not get filtered through our livers like all the other toxins?

[CybilsLiberty]

No sugar

No bread

Creams dont work

[topsi]

Think a problem can be poor circulation in the fat. Fat doesn't have a good blood supply and I think fluid builds up there. Body brushing would increase circulation and help 'push' fluids back into the circulation in a similar way to lymphatic drainage.
The same could be said for the big pants that compress the area pushing fluid out and giving micro massage to smooth the skin and improve circulation.
The endermology compresses the tissues again pushing out fluids and stretching the connective tissue that pulls the fat down ito the lumps, also increasing circulation.
I wish I had the will power to cut out sugar and carbs. Is it difficult to do, I would love to try it!

[TheFarSide]

My cellulite improved when I gave up the car and started walking everywhere.

[TattyDevine]

Okay so "walking everywhere" "No sugar No bread"
Both examples of either increasing energy output or decreasing energy imput - both likely to decrease fat percentage and one certainly likely to increase lean mass (within limits it its "just" walking)

Fair dues, can make sense of that.

"I wish I had the will power to cut out sugar and carbs. Is it difficult to do, I would love to try it"

I have no problem with that - its the bloody booze I have trouble staying away from!

[PedigreeChump]

What is bodybrushing and where would I get such a brush?

[topsi]

U can get them from Boots

[luckychick]

Have you tried Eximia? you can resolve your cellulite problems for good... Apart from that a low carb diet makes a difference too and cutting sugar (also cutting artificial sweeteners) can help...

[kittydinner]

Hi! It was cellulite that made me turn to the primal lifestyle, learn more here: www.marksdailyapple.com/welcome-to-marks-daily-apple/#axzz1jBKLCrlW
for me, removing sugars and processed starches from my diet and following the advice to move often and do strengthening / conditioning exercises was the key. Reducing overall body fat and eating plenty of proteins and natural, healthy saturated fats will help rebuild those sagging cells causing your cellulite.
I also eat loadsa coconut oil to help my metabolism and if I consume dairy it is raw, unpasteurised milk from my local farm or unpasteurised cheese such as camembert or gruyere. That's quite contraversial though, just offering it up in case it suits you. Certainly not right for everybody.
I dry brushed for years and all that gave me was broken capillaries / thread veins. Now living primally I feel pretty good and have 70% less cellulite. Rebound exercises like skipping seem to really help too. Creams just plump up the skin surface making it seem smoother and less lumpy looking. The Nivea concentrated serum is alright for what it is, but mostly I use Palmers cocoa butter all over.

[TubbyDuffs]

Good God Farside that's a bit drastic!