How to eliminate cellulite
A healthy lifestyle and a little bit of care

By Brad Callen

What is Cellulite?

I am sure all of you know what cellulite looks like, but how many of you know what it actually is and how it’s formed? Cellulite is typically located on the hips, thighs, and buttocks; however, it can also be located on the back of arms, below the armpit, and even on the chest. You may have heard the saying, “Those dimples are darling!” but if you’re one of the estimated 90 percent of women with cellulite they’re a source of irritation and embarrassment.   (Related:  Buttock augmentation)

Did you know the phrase “cellulite” isn’t even a medical term? It was coined in European spas and brought to America in the early 1970s, when New York salon owner Nicole Ronsard published “Cellulite: Those Lumps, Bumps, and Bulges You Couldn’t Lose Before.”  Cellulite is known in the medical community as localized lipodystrophy - meaning misshapen fat in one or several specific areas of the body.  According to most doctors cellulite is just plain fat.   (Related:  Reduce cellulite by losing weight)

How Do You Get Cellulite?

The way it all works is your skin (dermis) sends down anchoring fibers to the muscle. Between the skin and the muscle is a space filled with fat cells. When the fat cells start pushing against the skin between these fibers, it creates a lump appearance.  It’s sort of like pushing fat through cheesecloth – where the skin isn’t being tethered down, the fat forms a dome and where the skin is tethered down, there’s a pitting effect.