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What Is Cellulite?

Cellulite is the dimpled skin that commonly occurs near your thighs. It is formed when there is a deposition of fat under your skin. This fatty tissue pushes against the connective tissue of your skin, giving it a dimpled appearance.

Cellulite is commonly known as cottage-cheese skin, orange-peel skin, and hail damage. Studies show that it is a problem present in 80-90% of post-puberty women (1). It is not as commonly observed in men, owing to the varying distribution of muscles and fat in their bodies.

Cellulite usually occurs on your thighs and buttocks, but it can be seen in other areas as well.

What Causes Cellulite On The Thighs?

The thigh area naturally contains more fatty tissue, allowing cellulite to develop more easily. Other factors that cause cellulite in this region (or any region) include:

• Age of the person
• Estrogen levels in your body
• A family history of cellulite
• Weight gain
• Collagen loss
• Thinning of the epidermis

We will now look at the home remedies that may help reduce your body cellulite.

How To Get Rid Of Cellulite

1. Massage

Massages help relax both the body and mind. Massaging the areas in your body with cellulite can cause significant smoothing of the skin (2). It may also cause a reduction in cellulite as it facilitates lymphatic drainage.

The type of massage cream used to massage the problem areas makes the process more effective. It is important to repeat this procedure several times to help firm up the skin and reduce cellulite.

2. Bioactive Collagen Peptides

Bioactive collagen peptides are dietary supplements. These supplements, when taken with your food, have shown to help reduce cellulite.

Some studies show that the collagen peptide supplements may have a stimulatory effect on dermal cellular metabolism. This means that it can reduce the amount of cellulite and restore the dermal structure of your skin (3). However, more research is required to establish that bioactive collagen peptides can reduce cellulite.

Caution: Take dietary supplements only when prescribed by your doctor.

3. Self-Tanners

The appearance of cellulite can be significantly reduced by the use of self-tanners. These are cost-effective and are known to make cellulite less visible (especially in darker skin tones) (4).

To obtain the best results, first, use an exfoliant on the problem areas. Then, apply the self-tanning product.

4. Ground Coffee

Coffee contains caffeine. Studies show that caffeine has a stimulating effect on lipolysis, thereby possibly helping reduce cellulite (5).

You Will Need

• 2-3 tablespoons of coffee grounds
• Carrier oil

What You Have To Do

1. Mix the coffee grounds with the carrier oil.
2. Apply this paste to the problem areas of your skin. Massage in a circular motion.
3. Wash off with warm water after 10 minutes.

How Often You Should Do This

You can repeat this process at least 3 times a week.

5. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a rich source of bioactive compounds that can treat skin problems. Aloe vera extracts can help in collagen synthesis (6). This helps in tightening the skin and may reduce cellulite.

You Will Need

2-3 tablespoons of aloe vera gel

What You Have To Do

1. Take some aloe vera gel and gently massage it over the problem area.
2. Massage in circular motions (this also facilitates better absorption).

How Often You Should Do This

You can repeat this process at least 3 times a week.

6. Grapefruit Oil

Grapefruit oil is known to have bioactive compounds that can inhibit adipogenesis (7). This means that you can use this oil on areas with cellulite and may see a decrease in the excess fat in these regions.

You Will Need

• 2-3 drops of grapefruit oil
• 1-2 drops of carrier oil

What You Have To Do

1. Dab 2-3 drops of grapefruit oil mixed with a carrier oil on a cotton ball.
2. Gently massage this over the problem areas.
3. Leave it on for about an hour and wash off.

How Often Should You Do This

Repeat 3-4 times a week.

7. Rosemary Oil

Rosemary oil contains carnosol and carnosic acid (8). These compounds show an inhibitory effect towards adipogenesis, hence reducing cellulite.

You Will Need

• 2-3 drops of rosemary oil
• 1-2 drops of carrier oil

What You Have To Do

1. Mix two to three drops of rosemary oil with one to two drops of carrier oil.
2. Dab a few drops of the mixture on a cotton ball.
3. Gently massage this over the problem areas.
4. Leave it on for about an hour and wash off.

How Often Should You Do This

Repeat 3-4 times a week.

8. Green Tea

Green tea contains catechins. These compounds show a decrease in fat content in the body and also boost metabolism levels (9). This, in turn, may help reduce cellulite in your body (10).

You Will Need

Green tea bag

What You Have To Do

1. Steep a tea bag in a cup of boiling water.
2. Consume the tea while it is warm.

How Often Should You Do This

You can consume at least 2 cups of green tea a day.

9. Cinnamon

Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde and a host of other polyphenols (11). These compounds exhibit an inhibitory effect towards lipogenesis and help lower weight, thereby possibly reducing cellulite.

You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder
• 2-3 tablespoons of honey
• I liter of boiled water

What You Have To Do

1. Add a tablespoon of cinnamon powder to the boiled water.
2. Keep it aside for 30 minutes.
3. Add the honey and mix well.
4. Consume the mixture while it is warm.

How Often Should You Do This

You should consume at least 2 cups of this decoction in a day.

10. Turmeric

Turmeric is a rich source of a bioactive compound called curcumin. Curcumin helps in reducing the fat content in your body, thus decreasing the appearance of cellulite (12).

You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon of honey

What You Have To Do

1. Mix the two ingredients well to get a thick paste.
2. Ingest this paste at least twice a day.

How Often Should You Do This

You should consume this paste twice a day for a few weeks.

This was a list of the home remedies that may help reduce cellulite. In addition to these, you also can consider certain treatment options.

Treatment Options

You can choose from several medical options to reduce cellulite. These are:

• Acoustic Wave Therapy

This is a treatment option that involves a few sessions of using sound waves to get rid of cellulite.

• Laser Treatment

This treatment involves the use of a laser to break up the excess fat tissues, thereby reducing cellulite.

• Subcision

This is an invasive treatment that requires the doctor to insert a needle into your skin to break up the connective tissue that causes cellulite.

• Precise Tissue Release

This is a vacuum-assisted procedure that involves cutting the connective bands using a series of small blades. This procedure may last for over a year.

Here are a few exercises that can help reduce cellulite.

Exercises To Get Rid Of Cellulite

• Squats

Start this exercise by standing straight with your feet slightly apart. Keeping the rest of your body relaxed, raise your arms in front of you. Now, squat (your posture should resemble a half-sitting pose). Hold this pose for 2 minutes. You can do 10 reps to begin with, and slowly increase to 2-3 sets of 10 reps each.

• Jumping Squats

This is a variation of the previous exercise. Assume the starting position for a squat. Keep your hands to the sides, and jump and land in the squat position. Hold this pose for 30 seconds. You can do 10 reps initially and then slowly increase it by doing 2 sets of 10 reps each.

For more exercises to reduce cellulite, you can go through this article.

We hope this article has given you a comprehensive insight into what you can do to get rid of cellulite. Hope these remedies will give you the best results and make you look slim and toned