Our bodies change throughout our lives. Skin becomes thinner, stretch marks appear, and our thighs dimple. Our bodies change with every decade, and so does our skin. These changes are perfectly natural and are nothing to be ashamed of. 

 

photo from unsplash.com

The American Society for Dermatological Surgery (ASDS) says, "It's estimated that over 85% of women over the age of 21 are afflicted with cellulite." And that means having cellulite or stretch-marks is perfectly normal.

 

Is Cellulite Preventable?

But we all know it's common to have cellulite, but can anything be done about it? Well according to the ASDS, you can't prevent it. Predisposing factors like heredity, age, gender, and increased age and fatty tissue can all lead to cellulite. And they seem pretty certain that if you're destined to have it, it will happen. To quote the ASDS, "These predisposing factors are not possible to change and so there is no prevention of the formation of cellulite."

 

So, if you can't prevent cellulite, are there any treatments? The answer is kind of. It's important to remember that cellulite affects anyone, at any size. Healthline.com reports that if you do want to lose a little weight it could help reduce the appearance of your cellulite. Along with drinking water, which is just about the best advice for taking care of your skin, anyways. 

 

Non-Invasive Treatments 

The ASDS lists several short-term options that could be used to reduce the appearance of cellulite, but they'll have to be performed regularly. There's no permanent solution as of now. They recommend treatment devices that perform 1 of these 3 functions:

 

"Massage and/or vacuum suction - to improve lymphatic drainage and stretch the skin tissue. Radio frequency energy – to increase collagen tissue, thicken and tighten the skin, and decrease fatty tissue. Laser energy – to improve blood flow, increase collagen tissue, thicken and tighten the skin, and decrease fatty tissue."

 

But it's important to remember these non-invasive treatments will only reduce the appearance of cellulite for a couple of months. 

 

Unsplash.com

At-Home Care

Giving yourself a massage is a promising treatment that is fairly manageable to work into your schedule. So, if you want to give your skin a 'hand', pick-up some moisturizing cream. Create a self-care routine that fits nicely within your weekly schedule. Make sure you are regularly and consistently giving yourself a nice rub-down and you might just help reduce the appearance of your cellulite.

 

But beware, says healthline.com, don't apply any massage creams, sans the massage, and expect it to go away. The actual massage process is what helps promote lymphatic drainage and thus reduces the appearance of stubborn cellulite. 

 

Love the Skin You're In

Whatever you do or don't do about your cellulite, remember that loving yourself is the best thing you can do for your total health.