Cellulite - Misery or Myth?

If you are female and under the age of 18 you can skip this article since it probably doesn’t apply to you. Otherwise, it is quite likely you are among the 80% of women around the world who suffers from this terrible affliction and you might want to read on.

Dimply, puckered skin on the thighs, hips and buttocks is commonly known as cellulite and is an unsightly curse that affects the majority of women yet is still not understood by medical science. Why some people who are not overweight get it, what causes it, and how you get rid of it, is still a hotly debated subject.

Not all medical practitioners even acknowledge that cellulite exists, arguing it is just fat and you should just lose some weight. Beauticians explain that it is caused by female hormones, fluid retention and poor circulation, and recommend seaweed or clay body wraps, electrical massage, body brushing and of course, loosing weight.

Complementary therapists generally believe that it is caused by the body’s inability to efficiently eliminate toxins, and they recommend treatments such as mineral therapy, herbal supplements, manual lymphatic drainage and aromatherapy massage. Oh, and loosing weight.

Mixed message

There seems to be no simple answer as to what causes cellulite because several factors come into play, and some influences are easier to identify than others. Fast food, chocolate, nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, toxin build-up and a lack of exercise have all been accused of being the cause of cellulite. The latest scientific argument declares that it can be none of the above or men would suffer from this curse too. Hmmm, good point.

Poor diet and a lack of exercise will obviously contribute towards developing this feminine curse, so clearly how physically active you are and what you eat are important factors. But even Olympian women athletes get it too, so surely it can’t just be down to a matter of exercise and diet either. So what else does that leave as the real cause of cellulite?

Its in the genes

The latest opinion from researchers is that it is mainly down to gender and genetics. Women have weaker collagen (which is a connective tissue) than men, and when fat is stored into millions of tiny pockets which are surrounded by collagen it can buckle under the weight, allowing the fat cells to pucker.

Genetically, women have a different shape to men and store fat mainly around their bottom and thighs in order to support a pregnancy. When they gain weight, the number of fat cells remains the same but the amount of fat in each cell continues to increase. Inevitably, at some stage the weak collagen begins to pucker and buckle which explains why the more overweight you are, the worse your cellulite becomes.

Other influences

Not everyone believes this neat little explanation and many think that there are still other causative factors including hormones (oestrogen and folliculine), poor circulation, fluid retention, heredity and of course eventually, the ageing process. As we age, we experience a loss of thickness and tone of the connective tissue (collagen) within the dermis and the superficial fat layer. This produces a more pronounced visual appearance of puckered, flabby cellulite.

Cellulite typically develops during periods of hormonal change such as puberty, pre-menstrual, early months of taking birth control pills, pregnancy and menopause - so hormonal factors certainly appear to be a suspect in this criminal investigation. Since hormones regulate and control changes in blood flow, lymphatic drainage, fat and connective tissue it seems they must contribute to cellulite in a way that we have yet to fully understand.

Aroma-therapeutic help

Aromatherapy really helps with the greatest affliction to hit womankind because massage increases circulation and helps with the elimination of toxins by unblocking lymphatic congestion, and when done correctly massage helps break up the fatty deposits too. Cellulite always looks much worse if you are suffering from fluid retention, and massage activates the lymphatic flow and lymph nodes which help to expel toxins out of the body. Certain essential oils can facilitate this action, and there are several effective ones to choose from.

When treating cellulite clients in my clinic I usually include juniper berry in the blend due to its powerful diuretic action, patchouli and a citrus oil such as lemon, bitter orange or grapefruit because they are effective lymphatic system stimulants that create a powerful synergy together. For the best results, always include these oils in your blend if you possibly can.

Since many experts feel that hormonal imbalances are responsible for causing cellulite, geranium oil can also be beneficial in your blend since it has a balancing effect on hormones.  Other useful essential oils that you can use in your anti-cellulite treatment plan include; carrot seed, cypress, ginger, lime, rosemary and thyme white. For a full list, see the sidebar below.

When making your blend for a massage oil, lotion or cream, add no more than 5 drops in total of your individual or blended essential oils to every 10mls of your chosen carrier. Massage the blend well in, and whilst laying down with your legs raised,  roll folds of flesh between your thumb and fingers to break up the fatty deposits. Start above the knees and work upwards towards the groin, and then repeat on the back of your thighs. If you want to beat the dreaded dimples you should plan to have at least one treatment session every day.

Water works

Poor circulation is cited time and again as a causative factor, so one of the easiest ways to stimulate the circulatory system is to take a nice relaxing, aromatherapy bath using essential oils to increase the circulation, detoxify the body, balance the hormones and act as a diuretic. And what could be easier and more pleasant!

Run your bath before adding any essential oils, and if you have some Bath Dispersant you should pour it into the bath before adding your essential oils. If you do not have any type of dispersant or bath base, add your essential oils after running the water and be sure to agitate the water to ensure the oils are dispersed sufficiently.

Circulatory boost

For a great cellulite-busting blend for the bath, use 2 drops of Juniper Berry, 1 drop of Sweet Fennel, 1 drop of Cypress and 1 drop of Grapefruit. Once absorbed into your bloodstream, these essential oils will really get to work boosting your circulatory system and stimulating the lymph flow. Remember that the elimination of toxins is absolutely vital in the treatment of cellulite, so drink plenty of water to help with this process.

Don’t forget though; no matter what regime you choose you will still need to look at your diet and exercise more if you really want to beat this lumpy, bumpy problem. And you can’t expect a miracle cure if you only start treatments a month before your holiday either!

So the sooner you start, the sooner you can expect to see the results you truly desire.

Copyright © Quinessence Aromatherapy Ltd 2008

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