True or False: Decoding Cellulite

There are a number of misconceptions surrounding cellulite, such as what are the causes and what you can do to reduce its appearance. The one thing that is for certain is that cellulite is incredibly common, but to help you have a greater understanding about what you can do to effectively reduce its appearance we have separated the facts from fiction below.

Women will have more cellulite than men – TRUE

While cellulite can appear in both men and women, up to 90% of women will have cellulite, while only 10% of men will be affected. Cellulite is more common in females due the different distribution of fat, muscle and connective tissue in women’s bodies, particularly around the thighs, stomach, upper arm and rear areas. Cellulite occurs when fat deposits push through the connective tissue beneath the skin. In women’s bodies the connective tissue is vertically structured, meaning it is less containing and fat deposits tend to protrude and appear more prominent, whilst men have a more supportive connective tissue because of its criss-cross formation preventing fat deposits from being visible beneath the skin.

Only those who are overweight have cellulite – FALSE

Cellulite can appear on all body types – regardless of weight. It is a common myth that cellulite is simply excess fat, but in actuality it is not just the accumulation of fat but rather the structure and distribution of fat deposits beneath the skin. There are a number of factors that are beyond our control that impact cellulite, such as age, hormones and genetics. In particular, higher levels of estrogen in your body can impact the appearance of cellulite as fat cells respond differently to this hormone and is why cellulite can become more prominent after puberty.  Further to this, losing weight will not make cellulite disappear.

Cellulite becomes more prominent with age – TRUE

As the appearance of cellulite is dependent on factors such as hormones, ageing can also impact the appearance of cellulite on the body. As we age, it is common for hormone levels to become imbalanced, especially during menopause. This leads to a reduced production of collagen fibres and loosening of connective tissue that may increase the prominence of cellulite. Other factors such as reduced skin thickness, cumulative sun damage, skin laxity and increased storage of body fat will cause cellulite to be more apparent.

Cardio is the best activity for eliminating cellulite – FALSE

While intense cardio and cellulite targeting exercises are fiction, it is true that toning and engaging your muscles may help to reduce the dimpling effect. Building muscle in certain areas can somewhat reduce cellulite but as your body burns fat at the exact same rate all over your body, working out certain areas doesn’t target that area of fat or cellulite, but rather the muscle has become more toned.

Non-invasive procedures for cellulite can reduce their appearance – TRUE

Thanks to non-invasive procedures such as ZWave Pro and TempSure Envi, it is possible to treat the appearance of cellulite and significantly improve skin firmness, skin elasticity and boost collagen regeneration.

Our ZWave Pro cellulite treatment is FDA cleared and TGA listed and harness radial shockwave therapy. Radial shock waves are high-energy sound waves generated electromagnetically outside of the body that work to increase blood flow, boost cell rejuvenation and collagen production and strengthen the connective tissue to help you achieve the toned and smoothed physique you have always wanted.

Similarly, our TempSure Envi radiofrequency treatment can be used on the body to reduce the appearance of cellulite by increasing the density of the skin. Radiofrequency works to gently heat the skin, which stimulates and increases collagen production deep within the skin layers to create a plumping effect. As a result, connective tissue is more supportive and skin is thicker and more elastic.

For more information on how you can reduce the appearance of cellulite, contact us today and let us help you choose the most effective treatment for you.