Fat is a big deal. In terms of health, fat issues like obesity and being overweight pose serious health consequences, ranging from increased risk of premature death, to serious chronic conditions that reduce the overall quality of life. Another uglier side of fat, while not life threatening, is certainly a source of dissatisfaction for many spa and medispa clients and patients – the lumpy, bumpy condition known as cellulite.

By Chow Ee-Tan

Fat & Cellulite

The battle against body fat and cellulite is an age-old topic that does not go away. So what are the differences between body fat and cellulite? Body fat is found on the muscle and bones and is stored as energy that should be used throughout the day. When the fat is not used, it accumulates which results in weight gain. Cellulite on the other hand, is found just underneath the surface of the skin above muscle and body fat. It is fat that is produced by skin cells, not fat that is stored up from the consumption of food. Cellulite will not be used for energy.

Understanding Body Fat

Body fat can be divided into two categories: essential fat and storage fat. As its name implies, essential fat is necessary for normal, healthy functioning and is stored in small amounts in your bone marrow, organs, central nervous system and muscles. While men’s essential fat is approximately 3 percent of body weight, women have about 12 percent of essential fat. Meanwhile, storage fat is the fat you accumulate beneath your skin, in certain specific areas inside your body, and in your muscles. It also includes the deep fat that protects your internal organs from injury. Men and women have similar amounts of storage fat. However, most storage fat is considered to be `expendable’ and it is the fat you want to lose when you want to lose weight.

What is Cellulite?

Often described as an ‘orange peel,’ ‘mattress,’ or ‘dimples’ that appear mainly on the thighs and buttocks, cellulite is found in more than 90 per cent of women in the uppermost layer of subcutaneous fat (underneath the dermis) and has been described as “standing fat-cell chambers” separated by connective tissue. From these fat cell chambers, small projections of fat cells protrude into the dermis. This unevenness and irregularity of the subcutaneous fat gives skin the ‘orange peel’ effects.

Are Cellulites Here to Stay?

The bottom line is that cellulite forms in the superficial fat and this superficial layer is the last area to be affected by weight loss. This is why no matter how hard you exercise or diet you just can’t seem to get rid of cellulite. As a result weight management and cellulite treatment are completely two separate issues.

Here’s the consolation. Cellulite is treatable though may not be completely eliminated. The treatments can be classified into two areas – medical cellulite treatments, which must be performed by a qualified doctor, and spa cellulite treatments that can be administered by a health care professional.

Causes of Cellulite

Men and women organize their fat differently. In men, the connective tissue, which holds fat, runs parallel to the skin. This means their fat does not pull down but is smoothly organised under the skin. This is the reason why men don’t have cellulite. Women’s fat is organized connective tissue, which runs perpendicular to the skin. This results in fat pulling down the skin; leaving an uneven bumpy surface or what you see as cellulite.

The second major cause of cellulite is the wearing down of elasticity in the connective tissue that is made of collagen. As the skin’s elasticity wears down, it can no longer hold excess fat. The fat then bulges out and gives the appearance of dimpled skin. Since cellulite is largely due to a structural conformation below the skin, it can be found even in slim women although over-weight women will tend to have pronounced cellulite development.

Cellulite Myths

1. Cellulite occurs when you are overweight.
   You do not need to be overweight to have cellulite – as it is not a weight problem. It is actually a combined dilemma of increased adipocyte cells, waste accumulation and inadequate circulation. If you are overweight, the cellulite will be more visible; but even when you have a very slim body, you may still have cellulite.
   
   
2. There is no cure for cellulite.
   “Despite the nay-saying of plastic surgeons, dermatologists and other self-professed experts who state, “Just live with it,” “Nothing can be done,” and (worst of all) “it’s in your mind,” there is a cure for cellulite and the associated dimples!” says Lionel Bissoon, who pioneered the use of Mesotherapy in the States to combat cellulite.
   
   
3. Cellulite happens only after 40.
   While cellulite may be more apparent in older people because the skin thins out as we age, it can occur at any age.
   
   
4. Cellulite simply emerges on the thighs and buttocks.
   Although cellulite is often widespread in these areas, it can also appear on the upper arms, stomach, and the back of the neck.
   
   
5. Exercise eliminates cellulite.
   According to Lionel Bisson, this is absolutely untrue. “Cellulite consists of little pockets of herniated fat. When you exercise, it is tough to localize the exercise so that it burns off only the fat pockets contained in the affected areas. Building smooth muscle beneath the skin can help smooth out the surface,” he says.
   
   
6. Drinking soda causes cellulite.
   This myth sprouted from the idea that a key component in soda pop, which is sodium, can make the fat cells in your body bloat. The truth is, this beverage has absolutely nothing to do with cellulite, unless you are talking about the things that can make you fat and overweight.