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Cellulite is the lumpy substance resembling cottage cheese that is
commonly found on the thighs, stomach, and butt. Cellulite is actually
a fancy name for collections of fat that push against the connective
tissue beneath a person's skin, which causes the surface of the skin to
dimple or pucker and look lumpy.
You can check to see if you have cellulite by pinching the skin
around your upper thigh. If it looks a bit lumpy, you probably have it.
And if you do have cellulite, you're definitely not alone: Most girls
and women — and some men — have cellulite.
Several factors influence whether a person has cellulite and how much they have. Your genes,
your gender, the amount of fat on your body, your age, and the
thickness of your skin are all associated with the amount of cellulite
you have or how visible it is.
Whatever the cause of cellulite, it's important to know that there
aren't any miracle products, treatments, or medicines that can make it
go away. For example, some fancy salon treatments that promise to get
rid of cellulite simply cause your skin to puff up through deep
massaging, temporarily reducing the appearance of cellulite.
Treatments like liposuction (surgery to remove fat) and mesotherapy
(injection into cellulite) are either expensive but great. Many doctors even warn that liposuction is
not an effective treatment for cellulite because liposuction is
designed to remove deep fat instead of cellulite, which is close to the
skin.
If you have cellulite, chances are you won't like it. It's important
to remember, though, that almost everyone wishes that something about
their body was a bit different. This is particularly true for teens
whose bodies are going through all sorts of changes caused by puberty.
If you decide that you want to try to reduce the amount of cellulite
you have, the best thing to do is to decrease excess body fat. If you
think — and your doctor agrees — that you are overweight, eat fewer
calories and exercise more. Experts agree that an exercise routine that
combines aerobic exercise with strength training
is the best weapon against cellulite. In the meantime, if you want to
conceal your cellulite, try using a self-tanning product. Cellulite
tends to be a little bit less noticeable on darker skin.
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