Cellulite, a word of French origin, is not medically considered a disease. It is a cosmetic defect that only causes the smooth appearance of the skin to change. This problem, which affects 90 percent of women, did not attract much attention by the scientific world and treatment methods accepted by everyone could not be formed.
Despite this, a large market was created by creating a space and more and more money was being spent. Well, can this aesthetic disorder in the appearance of orange peel, which is the fearful dream of women especially in summer, be kept under control? What are the trigger factors? Are there any treatment methods? What are the degrees of impact? Let's examine it together.
Trigger factors
Gender, race (more in white women), distribution of adipose tissue, diet (diet with high consumption of fat and carbohydrates), insufficient physical activity, genetic polymorphisms, smoking and alcohol consumption, hormonal disorders and pregnancy are the factors that cause cellulite.
More common in women
Cellulite is less common in men because it is in the subcutaneous adipose tissue; Fibrosis strips are located vertically in women and crosswise in men. In men's skin; Although the surface between the dermis and hypodermis is smooth, the interface has a wavy appearance due to the combination of fat cells in women's skin, becoming lumps and expanding towards the dermis. Accordingly, cellulite is often shaped as a gender-specific and hormonal condition.
How can it be controlled?
In the prevention of cellulite formation, it is primarily aimed to eliminate or reduce the triggering factors. In this respect, it is very important to control nutrition, plan physical activity, provide the body's water intake, control psychological factors such as stress and provide hydration of the skin.
Afterwards, topical applications of pharmacologically active chemicals and local applications of physical, mechanical and thermal methods should constitute treatment options in order to eliminate cellulite.
Many studies and researches have been carried out on the topical application of active ingredients of natural or synthetic origin, effective against cellulite, to the problem areas, and products have been developed. Among them; xanthine derivatives, retinoids, phytic acid and its salts, alpha hydroxy acids and plant extracts from verbena, green tea, lemon, kola nut, fennel, seaweed, wall ivy, barley, strawberry, soybean, sweet clover, Indian almond, Japanese milkweed, balloon flower, heather, hibiscus, rabbit's bud, horse chestnut, temple tree, cola plant, colloquium plant, wax palm, coffee, red grape, silver-leaved tree, sandalwood, beach glass, cocoa, turmeric, licorice root, chamomile, musk sage and seaweed.
Combined physical methods can also be used to increase their effectiveness. Physical, mechanical and thermal techniques include:
– Exercise
– Endormology (instrumental massage based on suction and rotation)
– Pressotherapy (lymphatic drainage)
– Ultrasonography (ultrasonic energy application)
– Bipolar and unipolar radiofrequency application
– Selective cryolysis (lipolysis with local ice shock)
– Phototherapy (infrared LED application)
– Mesotherapy (injection to dissolve fat tissue)
– Subcision (breakdown of septal structures by entering the fat tissue with a needle)
– Lipoplasty (fat removal)
– Laser-mediated lipoplasty (laser fat removal)
