Let’s start with this overriding fact: Cellulite is a true opportunist, striking people of all ages, sizes, and ethnic groups. This dimply, lumpy skin pays little heed to your circumstances, making it one of the more frustrating cosmetic issues to deal with.
To help you understand cellulite a little better, we’ve pulled together the following list of myths and facts about the condition, because here at McHugh Plastic Surgery, we believe that education is the first step in dealing with a problem. Our goal is to help our patients in The Woodlands, Texas, realize their best selves on the outside. Under Dr. Thomas McHugh’s guidance, we provide our clients with the most cutting-edge tools available to fight back against some fairly obstinate forces — like cellulite.
And one of the best ways to fight back is to know your enemy.
As it turns out, everything. Cellulite strikes 80-90% of women while only 10% of men develop it. And there are several reasons for this. To start, woman carry far more subcutaneous fat than men, especially around the cellulite-prone areas of the hips, thighs, and buttocks.
Second, women are governed by estrogen to a large degree, and this hormone controls your collagen production and circulation. As your collagen naturally wanes with time, your fat cells become larger and there’s less support in your tissue, allowing it to push through.
Lastly, the connective tissue in men and women are quite different. In men, the connective fibers form a criss-cross pattern while the same fibers in women tend to line up vertically, allowing more fat to push through.
Unfortunately, this is true. As we mentioned above, cellulite can strike women of all ages and sizes because the condition is linked to genetics as much as anything else. While cellulite isn’t a genetic factor in and of itself, your metabolism and distribution of fat are, which can contribute to cellulite. In other words, if the female members in your family have a long tradition of lumpy, bumpy skin, the odds aren’t in your favor.
This is a myth. Cellulite can be affected by carrying too much fat in your body, and any effort to reduce your fat is one that will help with cellulite. While diet and exercise can’t change the structures of your connective fibers, it can affect how much fat is available to push through to the surface.
Here’s an interesting fact: Your underwear may contribute to your cellulite. If you wear underwear that’s binding your legs, you’re affecting your circulation. When your tissue doesn’t have the oxygen and nutrients it needs, collagen production can slow down. So loosen up your undergarments to allow your blood to flow freely.
Thanks to evolving technologies, this statement is false. At our practice, we offer Cellulaze™, which is a minimally invasive technique in which we use laser energy to break the connective fibers that are pulling down on your tissue. At the same time, we’re encouraging a collagen response to help bring more elasticity and tone to the surface of your skin. So despite all the frustrating forces that are conspiring against you, we can bypass them all and tackle your cellulite head on.
If you’d like to regain smooth skin, give us a call to learn more about our cellulite treatments. Or you can use the online scheduling tool to set up an appointment.
