Cellulite comes from a variety of different sources- it could be the donuts you’re addicted to, your dad’s mom, stress, pregnancy, or a variety of other wild factors that are basically impossible to predict and decipher. UGH. So what to do? Well, we headed straight to some top NYC docs for the skinny on the lumpy fat plaguing so many thighs.
Here’s what we learned:
- Cellulite mainly affects women because of the fat is stored below the skin. Women store fat in vertical chambers that create a bumpy, lumpy look under the skin, while men are blessed with smooth, horizontal chambers.
- As we age, our skin thins and cellulite grows more visible.
- Age makes cellulite worse because the way we store, process and eliminate fluids and becomes less efficient. That means more build-up in the areas we least want it.
So what works? How can we get rid of the cottage cheesy hell that ruins all our bikini dreams? In the short term, caffeine creams may work. They’ll provide a few hours of results (and the level of effectiveness with caffeine will vary person to person). Caffeine creams can be found over the counter at almost any drugstore or Sephora, and are the cheapest, easiest way to get your hands on some immediate relief. The only issue is that the results are short-lived, tedious, and somewhat messy.
If you’ve got a bigger budget, a little more time, and the willingness to be adventuresome in the world of beauty: you might want to try Lipomassage, also known as Endermologie. Dr. Mauro C. Romita of Ajune Spa in New York City explained the technique, “lipomassage combats fatty deposits by using a combination of rolling and suction with a generally painless machine.”
I had a chance to give the machine a whirl for a minute or two just to judge if it really was painless or not- and it definitely wasn’t. Before each session begins, you’re instructed to put on a plain full length leotard (provided by the spa). Then, an expert technician flips her magical fat-busting switch and begins massaging problematic areas like thighs, butt, stomach, and arms with the device. The sensation is like a shiatsu massage that somehow made a blissful baby with a vacuum cleaner. Suck, suck, rub, suck, suck, rub. Wait? Nevermind.
After several treatments, patients notice real results.
If you’re willing to spend $135 for this treatment every 2-3 weeks, you’ll notice long lasting results… but it’ll be a hefty investment. If you’re younger and your cellulite issue is less severe, you might be able to get away with less frequent treatments. A healthy diet, exercise, and stress-management, however, will always be the best ways to control all the things we hate- even butt lumps.
Disclosure: All products were provided for review. No monetary compensation was received for this review. All opinions belong to the author.
