Between your skin and muscles is a fibrous netting of connective tissue that helps to support and shape your body. As you get older, this connective tissue can stiffen and become less elastic due to the reduced production of collagen.
When this happens, those points where the connective tissue has hardened will appear as dimples, indentations, or lumps under the skin. This is what we know as cellulite.
Cellulite is most commonly found on the thighs, hips, and buttocks, but it can also affect other areas of the body, such as the stomach, arms, and breasts. It primarily happens in women—and affects nearly all women at some point in their lives—but it can also occur in men.
How Can You Get Rid Of Cellulite?
Unfortunately, there is no sure-fire way to get rid of cellulite permanently, but it’s not a severe condition and is not associated with any health risks.
That being said, cellulite may reduce your self-confidence and body image, so if you’re looking for ways to reduce its appearance, a few options are available.
Cosmetic treatments involving soundwaves, lasers, or needles have been shown to break up the fibrous bands, loosen them up, and make the skin appear smoother. These come with some risks and often a high cost, so they might not be well suited for everyone.
Massages offer a less invasive option that can help temporarily improve the appearance of cellulite by improving blood circulation and bringing elasticity back into the fibrous bands.
It may also help to improve your diet to help you lose weight and reduce inflammation.
Collagen supplements may help rebuild the flexibility in the supportive network under your skin that has been weakened by age, thereby reducing the appearance of cellulite.
Will Exercise Reduce The Appearance Of Cellulite?
Maintaining a daily routine of physical activity is nearly always a great idea for boosting your help. But its effect on cellulite may be minimal.
One way it could help is by increasing your calorie expenditure, helping you burn fat while also building muscle. This can lead to a more toned appearance that may help to reduce the appearance of dimpling.
Another way exercise might help is by improving circulation and blood flow, which can help to recycle cell nutrients in your tissues and reduce inflammation that can make cellulite more visible.
Since cellulite is most common in the thigh areas, try exercises such as lunges and squats to target those muscles. If your cellulite appears elsewhere, find stretches and exercises that work those muscles too.
For even better results, include extra stretches and massaging into your routine before and after your workouts to help break up the fibrous bands and improve circulation even more.
But don’t expect this to be a perfect or permanent fix—you’re not going to get rid of cellulite through exercise alone completely. And that’s okay.
Cellulite is a natural and normal part of the human body, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. So focus on enjoying your workouts, having a healthy lifestyle, and being confident in your skin.
