Cellulite: Then And Now

Cellulite Is Nothing New

Cellulite is nothing new; it’s been around for many, many years and in fact if you look at paintings by old masters such as Rubens then you will see the evidence! Many of his paintings depict women in various states of undress and some of them have pretty bad cases of the lumpy bumpy condition we call cellulite. Skinnier women can also get cellulite 

The difference between the women in Rubens’ paintings and the women who suffer from cellulite today is that it’s no longer seen as proof of being rich and attractively well fed as it was in Rubens’ day but rather something to be hidden away and to be ousted!

 

Research Began In The 60s

The medical research we see today into cellulite only began in earnest during the 1960s when women’s fashion became much more revealing and women wanted to know why they had this “orange peel” effect on their midsections…cellulite is most apparent on thighs, hips and stomachs as well as the buttocks though it can sometimes be seen on upper arms and calves.

 

As researchers began to delve into the mystery that is cellulite they discovered that it is caused by fat cells “pushing” outward and that it is women who suffer from the condition almost exclusively.

Men just do not seem to be susceptible to it unless they have a hormone problem. In order to understand how the fat cells pushing outward causes this effect, envision a box containing neat rows of apples and covered over with Clingfilm.

All of the apples are uniform in size and shape until outside influences cause some of them to swell and to change shape; these irregular apples will push against the neat sheet of Clingfilm causing it to develop ripples and to become bumpy and uneven in texture.

Research also pointed out that obesity does not always mean that cellulite must follow just as being slim is not an instant get-out-clause for it. The thinnest women can in fact suffer from cellulite quite badly. So if cellulite is not caused by overeating or by eating an unhealthy diet then what is it caused by?

Oestrogen and Cellulite

Recent research by Peter Pugliese and GE Pierard has revealed that cellulite is caused by the relationship between fat, skin and oestrogen. The research points out the fact that cellulite does not begin to take hold of females until after puberty when oestrogen first makes an appearance in the system; the more oestrogen in a woman’s body then the higher her chances of suffering from cellulite.

Natural Ways To Beat Cellulite

However this is not the only cause; further research points to proof that toxins and a sluggish metabolism are also affecting women’s appearance; drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding high fat and sugar foods as well as caffeine and processed foods could all have a beneficial effect on the appearance of cellulite.

As research continues, doubtless we will discover more helpful advice and tactics to aid us in combating cellulite. It is certainly an uncomfortable condition and one which is responsible for many women feeling self conscious and unhappy about their appearance.