When you think of cellulite you mainly think of women. It is never far from conversation, and magazines are constantly bombarding us with articles on why cellulite is terrible. However, you never hear a man talking about cellulite, so does that mean that men do not suffer from it? Is it only a condition in women?
Men and Cellulite
Whilst it is more uncommon for men to get cellulite, it can and does happen. The main reason they do not get it as often, is because their skin is generally thicker than the skin of woman.
Women tend to get cellulite on their thighs, buttocks, breasts and abdomen, whilst men tend to get it on their neck and on their abdomens. Fat on men is stored further into the skin than a women and it is deposited in different places, and so that is another reason why they do not often get cellulite.
What Causes Cellulite?
Cellulite is mainly caused by the fat cells under the skin, changing shape. The tissue which is in the fat cells becomes fibrous and they pull together around the fat. The fat is then squeezed and it appears as dimples under the skin.
Some people mistakenly think that cellulite is down to a person being overweight; however you can get cellulite whether you are slim or overweight.
It is not really certain as to what causes cellulite to appear. It is thought that various factors include hormones, excess tobacco or alcohol, poor blood circulation and an excess of rich foods.
Hormones are mainly though to be the main cause as teenagers and pregnant women are more at risk of developing it. Unfortunately pregnant women often find that if they do have cellulite, it usually gets worse during their pregnancy.
Some doctors do not recognize cellulite as a medical problem and that has left speculation as to whether or not the condition actually exists, or if it is just something that has been created by the many magazines.
It is also thought that sometimes a traumatic injury can be the cause of cellulite as it can often affect the circulatory system.
What Can Help Cellulite?
There are numerous theories when it comes to fighting off cellulite and many people agree that exercise is not really the answer. This is because you can develop cellulite no matter what body shape you have, the main thing is to keep yourself as healthy as possible. That is all you can really do, so the following tips may help:
Drink Plenty of Water and cut Down on Caffeine
Water really helps to flush the body of toxins and it keeps the body hydrated. Caffeine on the other hand can contribute to the formation of cellulite as the toxins often get trapped in the fatty tissue.
Cut Out Smoking
Smoking tends to weaken the skin as the capillaries are constricted. It also manages to damage the connective tissue which causes the dimpling effect. So, not only is smoking bad for the lungs and arteries, it is also a contributor towards cellulite!
Stopping as Much Stress as Possible
Stress really can be bad for your health and when the body is stressed, it can block tissue within the body and prevent waste elimination and purification.
Overall it is simply best to try and live as healthy as possible. There are plenty of creams and lotions out there which claim to get rid of cellulite forever, but a lot of these are cons. It is always better to try and get rid of cellulite naturally, rather than using the many creams that are only designed to con you out of your money!
By: Louise Forrest