Beauty: Let’s talk cellulite

Published 9:00 am Friday, May 7, 2021

Summer is upon us and in our part of the world, that means the temperature is heating up. Skyrocketing temperatures lead to … shorts!

For some of us, wearing shorts is a no-brainer. For others, the mere thought makes us shudder. I would hazard to guess that the culprit 9 out of 10 times is cellulite. Cottage cheese thighs. Hail damage. Orange peel. Dents. Urban Dictionary even lists “boulder booty” as slang for cellulite! Whatever the moniker, the image is not pleasant.

Let’s take a look at what cellulite is, what causes it and what we can do about it.

Cellulite appears when bands of connective tissue, or septae, between your muscle and epidermis squeeze fat cells toward your skin (epidermis). Septae in women run vertically and more often cause the appearance of cellulite versus the criss-cross pattern of men’s septae.

Rest assured that cellulite is very common. According to Medical News Today between 80 and 90 percent of women will experience cellulite. Cellulite affects women of all shapes and sizes, too. Bruce Katz, director of the JUVA Skin & Laser Center in New York City told HuffPost last year that, “I have women who come in for cellulite treatments that run marathons, that have done all kinds of exercise and they’re as thin as a rail and they still have cellulite. With cellulite, it’s really a genetic thing.”

A report from the Mayo Clinic agrees with Katz’s assessment; cellulite tends to run in families. To add insult to injury, cellulite becomes more common as we age and skin loses elasticity. Hooray.

Sound hopeless? Here are a few tricks — in other words, non-surgical — to try to smooth that skin:

ALTERNATIVE METHODS

One non-invasive method used to treat cellulite is Endermologie, an FDA-approved handheld device that employs rollers to knead and massage the skin. The goal is to increase lymphatic flow, remove toxins and reduce excess fluid in cellulite-prone areas. Several medical spas and cosmetic surgeons in East Texas offer these treatments.

LIFESTYLE ADJUSTMENTS

I know, I know – cutting the queso and upping the exercise does not sound fun. And they are not a magical wand to eliminate cellulite — remember, even some marathon runners have it? That said, there are some lifestyle changes you can make that might help decrease the appearance of cellulite.

• Lose weight — Reducing fat can affect how it protrudes through those connective tissues between your skin and muscle

• Physical activity – Increasing muscle tone may improve the appearance of cellulite and definitely does help increase circulation and lymphatic drainage.

• Improved diet – Consuming less alcohol, caffeine and processed foods and steering clear of some mythical weight loss aids such as smoking, diet pills and laxatives combined with a whole foods based diet might help decrease the appearance of cellulite as well.

LOTIONS AND POTIONS

This is my favorite part! The good news is there are tons and tons of lotions and potions claiming to firm your skin, lift your booty and contour your body. So many products! So many price points! So many claims! Do any of them work?

Most expert opinions I researched said not so much, that at best, the lotions and potions temporarily improve the appearance of cellulite. They do not actually reduce cellulite, and to see any results at all you need to use the product consistently over an extended period of time.

On the other hand, there are some products out there that have some really great reviews from thousands of (verified!) buyers. Here are the four I tried — no before and after pics this time, though. I couldn’t bring myself to show my dimpled booty to the masses.

The key ingredients to look for are retinol, alpha hydroxy acid and caffeine. The former works best at a concentration of at least .03% retinol, according to The American Academy of Dermatology, though few products actually disclose the retinol level. Alpha hydroxy causes the skin surface to turn over more quickly and can increase the thickness of deeper layers of skin, which can improve the appearance of cellulite, according to WebMD. And finally, caffeine in topical form (not your morning cup of Joe) can help temporarily dehydrate fat cells and reduce their size.

First I tried Nivea Skin Firming Hydration Body Lotion (Walmart – $7.34). The packaging claims “Firmer Skin in a Little as 2 Weeks” and has earned thousands of glowing reviews from fans worldwide. The formulation boasts Q10 and shea butter, but sadly, no retinol or caffeine. I thought it absorbed quickly, smelled nice, but not overpowering and made my skin appear less crepe-y. Although I like it, I have not noticed a significant reduction in the appearance of my, ahem, dimples.

Next I tried Bliss Fabgirl Firm Body Firming & Contouring Cream (Ulta – $24). So Fabgirl Firm does contain caffeine; it claims the user will, “feel skin tighten as it begins to look instantly smoother and slimmer.” In addition, the packaging states that it, “works best in combination with healthy eating and exercise.” Hmm. That said, I do feel like it tingles a bit when applied, particularly when my skin is very dry, which is often. And a tingle means it’s doing SOMETHING, right?

My friend Valerie swears by Nu Skin ageLOC Dermatic Effects (nuskin.com – $53.99). Though retinol nor caffeine are listed as ingredients, Nu Skin claims to use “optical technology” to improve the appearance of skin. Valerie let me try her Nu Skin – it has a clean scent and absorbs very quickly, so it won’t stick to clothes. Valerie says she can see improvement in the tone of her thighs within a week of daily use.

Finally, I tried Frank Body Booty Drops (Ulta – $17.95) because who doesn’t want a firm booty?? Plus caffeine is listed as the primary key ingredient … and it’s “tested on babes, not bunnies!” Interestingly, it actually smells like coffee beans. You can apply the Booty Drops alone or mix a few drops into your regular moisturizer. No tingling from this product – I did apply directly to my skin sans moisturizer – and though a serum, it did not leave an oily residue. I do think it improved texture immediately, and many reviewers reported improvement in the appearance of stretch marks as well as cellulite.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The bottom line – pun intended — is that sometimes it is hard to escape our genetics, and cellulite might be one of those things in life that we can’t do a lot about. We can make a few lifestyle adjustments here and there — and slather some lotion on it — but in the end embrace the body you have!