Cellulite can be a common cause for insecurity in (mostly) women of all ages. It’s a perfectly natural, harmless skin condition that allows for small fat deposits to show up on the surface of the skin. There’s nothing wrong with it, but plenty of women still wonder how to remove cellulite for the sake of aesthetic comfort.
Some look to fad diets or retinol creams, while others consider booking anti-cellulite massage treatment.
How can you remove cellulite using massage therapy?
Cellulite isn’t a specific type of fat or any sort of toxin in the body. It’s just subcutaneous fat that pushes through connective tissue to sit on top of muscle. The strands of connective tissue pull the skin down, while fat pushes up, making the skin dimple. So how do you reduce the appearance of cellulite with something as simple as a massage?
Well, it’s worth noting that massage will not actually destroy fat cells, but, when used in conjunction with a broader self-care routine for your body it can help to make your skin look as good as possible. It’s generally completed with a combination of deep kneading, rolling and deep pressure strokes in a rhythmic pattern. These massages are often targeted at common problem areas for cellulite, such as the hips, thighs and buttocks.
- Lymphatic drainage forces excess fluid out of interstitial spaces between cells, helping to reduce localised swelling quickly and effectively. It makes the surface of the skin look smoother and tighter fast, but only temporarily.
- Stretching the fibrous bands of collagen septae that pull the skin down can reduce the appearance of cellulite. This is generally achieved over stretches of consistent treatment.
- Massage increases localised circulation, with the pressure bringing blood rushing to the area. This little micro-inflammation plumps up the tissue of the skin, temporarily masking the fat dimples or folds.
Again, massage alone is not a permanent, complete solution for eliminating cellulite, but rather a supportive, aesthetic treatment that helps people to look their best temporarily and alongside further body composition changes. It will help you to alter your body’s fluid dynamics and plump the skin, but it will not destroy fat cells.
Alternative & additional techniques for reducing cellulite
If you really want to conquer your cellulite, you need to take a more comprehensive approach to your physical composition. Genetics and hormones play a huge part in governing your cellulite levels, so changes to muscle tone, skin thickness and fat volume will make the biggest differences.
Heavy resistance training
Heavy resistance training is essential for building muscle. Creating this underlying muscle builds a smoother, more solid layer to push against the fat, helping to flatten out the skin’s dimpled appearance.
Retinol & caffeine treatment
There are topical methods people can use to strengthen their skin, making it thicker and tighter, which makes the fat less visible.
- Caffeine creams are useful for reducing the appearance of cellulite, tightening blood vessels and encouraging the breakdown of local fat via lipolysis.
- Retinol creams can help to stimulate collagen production for around 6-12 months. Thicker, more elastic skin is much better at containing the fat layer without dimpling.
These two ingredients are common in cellulite topical creams for good reason, so make sure to check for them on labels.
How do I remove cellulite for good?
If you’re eager to eliminate cellulite forever, a combination of massage, topical treatments and consistent physical self-care is essential. There are also procedures and in-clinic treatments that you can opt for, but the best approaches are going to be those that generally make you more comfortable in your own skin.
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