It's not easy to get rid of cellulite for good. It's usually a chronic problem, with several recurrences, and requires maintenance care. But there are strategies that can help improve the appearance of the skin and reverse the problem.
With a similar appearance to an orange peel, cellulite mainly affects women and is mainly found on the hips, buttocks and thighs, but can also appear on the abdomen and arms. Its appearance can be due to different causes: structural, circulatory, hormonal and/or inflammatory. Although the amount of fat mass is directly related to its development, it is not necessary to be overweight for it to appear.
Getting rid of cellulite may not be a simple task, but Dermatology has been developing solutions to help improve the appearance of orange peel skin. With the help of a dermatologist and a weight management physiologist, Prevenir magazine presents you with some strategies you can adopt on a daily basis to prevent cellulite from appearing or, if you already have it, to reduce its appearance.
Anti-cellulite lifestyle
For Teresa Branco, weight management physiologist and director of TO BE. Clínica by Teresa Branco, to get rid of cellulite it's important to maintain a healthy diet, low in sugars and processed fats, and rich in vegetables, protein and omega-3s.
It is not necessary to be overweight for cellulite to appear
Teresa Branco highlights some of the habits that she considers essential in her diet to prevent cellulite from appearing or to get rid of it:
- Meals every three hours, where breakfast plays a very important role, as it will condition the entire diet for the rest of the day;
- Avoid very sugary foods, which promote a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, as well as processed and salty foods, which contribute to water retention;
- Stay well hydrated throughout the day;
- Avoid soft drinks and other carbonated beverages, which directly contribute to the development of cellulite.
Effective training to get rid of cellulite
As far as exercise is concerned, Teresa Branco is keen to stress that "exercising twice a week is not enough". Ideally, physical activity should be daily, but if that's not possible, the expert advises setting aside at least 45 minutes every other day.
According to the expert, aerobic exercises, such as intense walking, running, swimming, cycling andhigh-intensity interval training, better known as HIIT(High Intensity Interval Training), are the most effective when the goal is to get rid of cellulite. "Localized exercises with a load, which promote increased blood circulation in the areas most affected by cellulite, should be added to your training plan if you want faster and more effective results," recommends Teresa Branco, in an interview with Revista Prevenir.
The intensity of the physical effort also plays an important role. "Exercise should be of a high level of intensity, so that there is a caloric expenditure capable of increasing blood circulation in the most affected areas," he says.
Get rid of cellulite in the office
Dermatology has developed different techniques that can help improve the appearance of orange peel skin. The results are usually visible after 3 months. After that, regular maintenance will be necessary, as David Serra, a dermatologist at Idealmed - Coimbra Hospital Unit, explains: "The aim of the treatment is to improve the body's appearance. Unfortunately, cellulite is usually a chronic problem that requires maintenance.
"To get rid of cellulite, exercise must be at a high level of intensity, so that there is a calorie expenditure capable of increasing blood circulation in the most affected areas"
Recurrences are frequent, mainly due to genetic factors, but also due to the persistence of lifestyles conducive to its development." That's why it's so difficult to fight cellulite.
Among the existing treatments to get rid of cellulite, the dermatologist mentions some that, when combined with a healthy diet and exercise, help to reduce the appearance of cellulite:
- Endermologie
This is the technique most commonly used in the clinic to combat cellulite. It stimulates lymphatic drainage and the remodeling of adipose tissue through the massage and suction technique produced by a specific device. - Radiofrequency
Helps restore firmness, smoothes the skin and induces the remodeling of adipose tissue. - Mesotherapy
It consists of the administration of various products through injections, with the aim of reducing the accumulation of fat and edema, stimulating the dermis and improving local metabolism. - Laser
For the most complex cases, lasers allow very targeted treatment. They can be used in a very non-invasive way, through small holes that allow a fiber optic cable to enter, which conducts the laser energy to the target fibroadipose tissue.
