How to Deminish the Look of Cellulite on Thighs

Start a diet, exercise and skin care routine to deminish the appearance of cellulite.

Cellulite affects 85 percent of women in areas of the body where increased weight gain weakens the skin, namely the thighs and hips. Cellulite happens when small pockets of fat protrude beneath the skin to create an unsightly cottage-cheese like appearance. Getting rid of cellulite completely takes time and expensive, and usually invasive, medical treatments. There are measures you can take to reduce the appearance of cellulite, though, typically, the effects are only temporary.

Things You'll Need

• Cellulite cream
• Exercise equipment
• Massage brush

Instructions

1. Apply cellulite creams that contain caffeine to the thigh area. Caffeine works like a diuretic to pull fluids from the spaces between cells and induce fat burning in the layer just under the skin. This causes the fat cells to temporarily shrink in size and gives the appearance of smooth, firm skin on the surface. Additionally, keeping the skin moist and supple increases its elasticity making it harder for cellulite to protrude through the skin's surface, says Dermatologist Linda K. Franks. While cellulite creams containing caffeine provide the quickest cellulite remedy, the results diminish over time, requiring continuous application.

2. Eat the right foods to diminish the appearance of cellulite. Cellulite is a mixture of bulging fat and toxins from eating foods high in fat and carbohydrates. A balanced diet low in sugars and trans fats but high in protein and complex carbohydrates, like whole grain and brown rice, can improve the look of cellulite affected areas.

3. Supplement your healthy diet with aerobic exercises for 30 or more minutes, three to five times per week to reduce the look of cellulite. Gaining weight over time causes the skin to become less elastic, making it easier for fat below the skin's surface to bulge through. Not only does exercise help burn fatty tissue all over the body, but a 2006 study printed in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science suggests weight loss causes fat to withdraw from the skin's surface, reducing the appearance of cellulite.

4. Participate in a resistance or strength training regimen two to three times a week for at least 30 minutes to build lean muscle tissue and reduce the appearance of cellulite. Muscles, like any other tissue, become flabby with prolonged periods of inactivity, which could contribute to the bumpy appearance on the skin's surface. Perform lower body workouts like squats, lunges and leg presses to tighten thigh muscles under fat deposits and reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Tips & Warnings

• You can further stimulate the thigh area with a massage brush as part of your skin care routine every other day.

• Results from some cellulite studies are derived from physical observation as opposed to scientific facts, which makes it difficult to contribute results solely to factors like diet and exercise, so pursue cellulite treatment methods with caution.

References

• Vanderbilt University: To Good To Be True-Can Caffeine Really Get Rid of Cellulite?
• University of California-Davis: Age-proof Your Body
• University of Alabama: Clean Eating & Exercise Plan
• Northwestern University: THE MAGIC OF BALANCE-The True Course to Getting Confident and Cut Up
• "International Journal of Cosmetic Science"; Cellulite and It's Treatment; A.V. Rawlings; February 2006.

Resources

• University of New Mexico: Cellulite: A Review of its Anatomy, Physiology and Treatment