Cellulite

Cellulite is a normal physiological state that presents in an estimated 85-98% of post-pubescent women of all races, shapes and sizes, and of varying ages, but less than 10% of men have cellulite.

So, what is cellulite?

Cellulite is the name for collections of fat that push against the connective tissue beneath your skin. It makes the surface of the skin look lumpy and puckered, or appear dimpled, and is colloquially referred to as Cottage cheese, orange peel or hail damaged skin. It is the result of fat and structural changes happening beneath your skin.

Genetics, sex, age, the amount of fat on your body and your skin’s thickness determine how much cellulite you have and how visible it is. As you age, your skin loses elasticity and can make your cellulite appear more evident. Gaining weight can also make the appearance of cellulite more prominent, although very lean people also have cellulite.

What does cellulite look like?

Cellulite looks like lumpy or dimpling skin. It may be visible at all times or only when you pinch your skin. Cellulite affects your stomach, thighs and butt. Women have bands of connective tissue that are arranged like columns which appear to hold up the 'roof' of the skin. They stem from deep within your fascia, to the dermis.

Fascia comes from a Latin term meaning "band" and refers to a band or sheet of connective tissue, mostly collagen, beneath the skin that attaches, stabilises and separates muscles and other internal organs. These tight bands segregate your fat into fixed channels, so you can imagine that if your fat cellsenlarge, a projection occurs, up and through those channels, giving that puckered, bumpy appearance.

If you imagine pressing a tennis racket over a squishy foam ball: The foam would protrude through the strings, producing a dimpled/lumpy effect. This is like your fat cells squishing through the structural proteins (scaffolding) of your skin

Cellulite has four grades:

Grade 0: There isn’t any cellulite on your body.

Grade 1: Your skin is smooth when you stand up, but mild dimpling appears when you sit down.

Grade 2: Your skin has moderate dimples when you stand up or when you sit down.

Grade 3: Your skin has severe dimples when you stand up or sit down. Your skin also features deep peaks and valleys (raised and depressed areas).

What causes cellulite?

Cellulite forms when these fibrous bands connecting your skin to the underlying muscle tighten irregularly. This tightening pulls down on your skin, and the normal layer of fat beneath the skin pushes upward. The result is a puckering appearance to the skin.

It’s not really known why cellulite is more common in women than men. One theory involves the bands connecting the layers of your skin and deep muscle layers. In men, the fibres that make up the connective bands crisscross together. In women, these fibres run the same direction and are an equal distance apart (parallel). Parallel bands may show puckering more readily than crisscross bands.

Another theory is that higher amounts of the hormone estrogen may cause cellulite. Cellulite often develops when women produce more estrogen, usually during adolescence or pregnancy.

Another reason women get cellulite has to do with specific receptors. When stimulated, “A receptors””will cause fat cells to produce fat, when “B receptors”are stimulated, they break down fat. In women, for every one B receptor in the thigh, there are nine Areceptors.

Estrogen also makes fat whereas testosterone breaks down fat. So a women's body is basically—and I hate to say it—genetically designed to be a place for cellulite to develop. Men have one layer of fat throughout their entire body and a one-to-one A- and B-receptor ratio.

What makes cellulite look worse?

Free radical damage. Oxidative stress, which occurs in the body when exposed to UV, refined foods, household toxins, pollution, smoking, alcohol consumption, and stress.

Poor circulation/blood flow and impaired lymphatic flow. This reduces oxygenation, increases stagnant fluid in our skin and leads to an accumulation of toxins in our fat cells.

Excess Estrogen. Puberty, pregnancy, peri and menopause, but also poor hormone clearance via the liver and bowels. High levels of estrogen or an imbalance of estrogen and other hormones may increase the size of fat cells

Age. As women age, blood supply to tissues is decreased, which reduces the amount of collagen and elastin in the skin, that weakens the scaffolding of the skin and increases the cottage cheese appearance.

Directly addressing the causative and exacerbating factors is the best way to truly change the appearance of cellulite. We recommend you consult with your Qualified Juvenate Regenerative Skin Therapist, who can assist in the following ways

Introducing Resculpt homecare and treatments

Juvenate’s cosmedical-grade body treatment, ReSculpt, visibly brings life back into your skin. The synergy of our unique actives cleverly combine to tighten skin, reduce cellulite and re-shape body contours. Lavishly textured this intense moisturiser replenishes the skin, giving elasticity and vitality back to dry & crepey skins while addressing the structure of skin and the health of the adipocyte (fat cell).  Applying luxurious crème, ReSculpt, twice a day delivers visible and lasting results. It is jam packed with award winning, innovative ingredients, coupled with effective delivery systems that really deliver on promises to, as the name suggests – ReSculpt your body.

In ReSculpt, you will find three very unique and synergistically combined ingredients:

1. Marine ingredient fondly nicknamed a “secret personal trainer”. It improves body tone and redefines the silhouette by reducing abdomen and thigh contours, reduces arm sagginess, and helps decrease body weight. Studies show it mimics the effect of endurance training with great results that can be further increased when combined with physical activity.
2. Revolutionary form of red algae having won an innovation prize, stimulates your cell’s mitochondria (energy producers) and optimises lipolysis (fat burning) Stimulates the synthesis of structural collagen and decreases cellulite grade.
3. Cultured extract high in leontopodic acid which provides antioxidant benefit for skin and reducing oxidative stress. Research has shown this compound strengthens the skin’s barrier and helps reduce signs of sensitivity. In doing so, it helps skin’s surface become more resistant to environmental aggressors, including some types of airborne pollutants.

Your Juvenate Regenerative Skin Therapist can further enhance the activity and results of Resculpt with Treatment options, ranging from massage assisted, lymph drainage and sculpting through to more intense machinery driven treatments.

See the changes when you apply ReSculpt twice daily

Top tips for application:

An added benefit of consulting with a Juvenate Skin Regenerative therapist for a ReSculpt program is that they can also guide you in a holistic way that will ensure best and longest lasting results

Your therapist may also talk to you about:

Cardiovascular exercise. To increase blood flow, support capillary health and stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, creating a healthier skin.ReSculpt helps increase the effect of exercise

Weight-bearing, resistance exercise. Muscular atrophy leads to the deeper layer of muscle becoming weak and undefined - it separates from the skin, making fat deposits significantly more visible. ReSculpt assists with Type 1 muscle fibre synthesis and increases the strength and structure of deeper layers of skin

Drinking adequate water and consuming essential fatty acids. This keeps cells hydrated and supports detoxification through the lymph and kidneys.

Tips to minimise free-radical damage and reduce inflammation. Consume antioxidants in your diet to combat this and support the antioxidant effect of ReSculpt. Eat unrefined, seasonal foods

Strengthen your blood vessels & Support lymphatic flow. Think movement, Dry body brushing daily. Lymphatic massage. Body Gua Sha, LED

Mindfulness/ Destress/ Lifestyle. Make applying ReSculpt part of your selfcare ritual.