How to Contour Cellulite

Women are more prone to cellulite than men due to genetic differences in weight distribution.

Most women have some degree of cellulite -- dimpled skin that appears mostly on thighs, hips and buttocks -- and some men do, too. The result of uneven fatty tissue pushing against the skin, even the most slender of people are not immune. While cellulite is not harmful, some sufferers find it unsightly. Claims made by the manufacturers of topical products that promise to banish cellulite are not supported by independent scientific evidence. However, you can improve the appearance of cellulite, if only temporarily, with the right lifestyle changes and treatments.

Instructions

1. Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fiber to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and to improve skin tone and texture.

2. Exercise regularly to strengthen the muscles in cellulite-prone areas such as legs, thighs, buttocks and abdomen. Replacing fat with muscle tone can help reduce the appearance of dimpled skin.

3. Apply a topical formulation of 0.3 percent retinol twice daily. This may improve the appearance of cellulite after six months, according to the Mayo Clinic.

4. Try laser or radiofrequency therapy. Systems that combine radiofrequency, intense infrared light, and mechanical tissue massage and suction, improve the appearance of cellulite, according to a 2008 report published in the Journal of Cosmetic Laser Therapy. Multiple treatments followed by maintenance treatments may be needed.

5. Endermologie treatment (sometimes referred to as Lipomassage) uses a hand-held machine to knead dimpled skin between rollers, disrupting and dispersing the fatty tissue underneath. This method is mildly effective at reducing cellulite, according to a 2009 report published in the International Journal of Dermatology. Multiple sessions are needed and results are typically short-lived.

6. Laser- or ultrasound-assisted liposuction is a newer, non-invasive method of liposuction that heats and destroys fat cells, resulting in body circumference and cellulite reduction. VelaShape is currently the only such non-surgical device approved by the Food and Drug Administration for body contouring and temporary cellulite reduction.

Tips & Warnings

• Liposuction

References

• Mayo Clinic: Cellulite
• MedLinePlus: Cellulite
• American Academy of Dermatology: Below-the-Belt Dermatological Conditions
• "Journal of Cosmetic Laser Therapy"; Effects of Cellulite Treatment with RF, IR light, Mechanical Massage and Suction; C. Romero, et al.; December 2008
• "International Journal of Dermatology"; Treatment of Cellulite with LPG Endermologie; A.T. Güleç; March 2009
• FDA: August 2007 510(k) Clearances