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Cellulite is one of those things that you either embrace or you hate. Either way, you probably don’t attempt to understand what it actually is and how it works. What is it? How do you get rid of it? Is it bad for you? Paul Jarrod Frank, a dermatologist, answered all these questions for Redbook magazine. Here are what we thought were the most important answers.
- Isn’t cellulite just excess fat? No, absolutely not. No matter how thin you are, your muscle and skin are separated by a layer of fat. Your cellulite is that fat, affected by age, weight change, or stress. That’s what causes the dimpling, not just having it.
- Can you still have cellulite if you’re thin? Yes, definitely. As mentioned before, cellulite is caused by lots of factors: aging, sun damage, and weight fluctuation among them. But there’s no weight limit to cellulite.
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- If I lose weight, will my cellulite go away? No, not necessarily. Strength training the areas that do have cellulite (such as squats for your thighs) help tone up your problem areas, but losing fat won’t always get rid of it. Cellulite is about damaged fat tissue, not about the fat itself.
- Do any remedies really work? Sure, some can help! Getting a 30-60 minute deep tissue massage can break up tissue that makes your skin pucker. Doing this every few weeks can keep that puckering away. If you can’t afford a masseuse, a rolling pin or foam roller will do just fine. Stay away from creams, since most causes of cellulite are below the skin level.
- Is there any way to prevent cellulite from happening? Yes! Maintaining a healthy weight, eating right, and exercising. Surprise!
