QUESTION: I am basically a thin person, but have cellulite on my hips and thighs.
Is there anything special I can do to get rid of this? Can you explain what cellulite is?
ANSWER: Cellulite is really no different from regular fat.
It is a word used to describe the bumpy orange peel appearance of fat that most frequently appears on women, on their hips, thighs and buttocks.
Researchers have compared fat biopsies taken from people with cellulite deposit areas with fat taken from people free of cellulite.
They found that the fat is essentially the same.
The ripple-like appearance is thought to be the result of the connective tissue that envelops each fat cell and separates the cells into compartments.
These cells bulge as more fat is stored in them due to weight gain. Although some men are afflicted with cellulite, more women develop the problem because their outer layer of skin is thinner and female areas of fat are larger and more rounded. If you are thin, but have patches of cellulite in the common areas, then it will be tough if not almost impossible to get rid of it.
Unfortunately, fat does not always accumulate evenly over the entire body, but in areas of high concentrations in some anatomical areas.
There is no such thing as spot reduction, and I advise you against believing any advertisements that promise such results.
In reality, exercise along with a low calorie diet will help take fat off from all areas of your body, and may be of some help.
Exercising the areas where you have cellulite will tone the underlying muscles, but it won't necessarily remove fat from that area of the body.
The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician.
Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.
