What do I have, cellulite or orange peel skin? Are they the same or not? There is a lot of information but also a lot of confusion! We asked the expert, Dr. Bleker, from the Swiss Laser Institute, a specialist in dermo-aesthetics and dermatology, to clarify the differences.
GLO: Dr. Bleker, we normally talk about cellulite and orange peel to refer to a very common aesthetic problem in women, but are they really the same?
Dr. Bleker: They are not exactly the same, but many times both appear at the same time, which generates confusion. We could say that cellulite is the internal problem, what happens under the skin, and the "orange peel" is the external aspect, what we see with our eyes.
Glo: Could you further explain then, what is cellulite?
Dr. Bleker: It is the infection and accumulation of subcutaneous adipose tissue in specific areas of the body, which causes the formation of toxins and fat nodules.
Glo: Can thin women, like models for example, also have cellulite?
Dr. Bleker: Cellulite is not directly related to excess weight, but many thin women also suffer from it. In these cases, it is no secret that a bad diet, little rest, no exercise, caffeine and tobacco are not good for the body. The main cause of cellulite in very thin women is simple: a poor diet of fatty foods mixed with long periods without eating and dehydration or lack of water intake. If extreme diets are made to be almost in the bones, as can happen to professional models, they lose muscle mass, leading to atrophy.
Glo: What are the principal causes of cellulite?
Dr. Blaker: The causes that produce cellulite are very diverse. 98-99% of women suffer from cellulite at some time of their lives.
Among the most common causes are:
- Hormonal causes (puberty, menopause, pregnancy...)
- Bad circulation
- Genetics
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Eating Habits
We could say that cellulite is the whole process that occurs under the skin.
Glo: What is orange peel skin?
Dr. Blaker: We call "Orange Skin" the quilted appearance that the skin presents to the naked eye. The skin is wrinkled, uneven, does not look smooth, and has unsightly dimpling.
Glo: When is orange peel skin created?
Dr. Blaker: Orange peel skin is created when:
- The fatty tissue presses on the skin until it protrudes in the form of small lumps.
- The connective tissue, becoming rigid, pulls the skin inward, forming a "dimple"
In most cases, it is one of the consequences of cellulite, although this is not always the case. Sometimes, it can happen that the skin looks wrinkled and dimpled but does not have cellulite. This case usually occurs in mature women, from 40-45 years old, and is due to the natural loss of collagen in the body.
As I said at the beginning, the main difference between them is that cellulite is all that complex process that occurs under the skin and orange peel is the aesthetic consequence, what is seen.
Glo: How can cellulite be treated?
Dr. Blaker: Cellulite is a complex process, and it is not easy to treat. First, it is important to have good life habits, we are certainly not going to tell anything new about this topic, because it is quite logical, but sometimes it is difficult to get down to it. My general recommendations are:
- Eat healthy foods (and avoid excess salt, sugar, alcoholic beverages, fizzy drinks, fried foods, sauces, pastries...)
- Try to move, just by walking 30 minutes a day at a brisk pace you will notice a big change or climb stairs instead of taking the elevator, try to move by bike or on foot... the ideal is that you combine it with some strength exercise, to have muscle mass
- Drink enough water, about 2l a day is usually recommended. You can help yourself with slimming, draining, fat-burning infusions...
If your case is that you have dimples and loss of firmness, and you have passed the 40 barrier, the objective of the treatment should be to RECOVER COLLAGEN to improve the firmness, elasticity and texture of the skin. Collagen is a protein that also helps us to recover muscle mass, and avoid the flaccid appearance of the tissue.
To do this, we can apply professional body radio-frequency treatments, and introduce the intake of hydrolyzed marine collagen supplements into our daily lives. Better if this collagen is reinforced with ingredients that help improve firmness, such as DMAE, although it is very exclusive and expensive. Firming body cosmetic treatments will also help.
If you have cellulite, the treatment must attack the causes that produce it:
- Drain excess toxins, improving the functioning of the lymphatic system.
- Improve micro-circulation
- Get rid of fat nodules
- reduce inflammation
- Recover the elasticity of the connective tissue
The ideal is to treat cellulite from a multi-disciplinary point of view, combining micro-nutrients with professional and domestic aesthetic treatments.
- For example, there are supplements that can help improve fat burning, drain toxins, improve micro-circulation, improve the elasticity of connective tissue... Their action is very effective, because they act from the inside, where cosmetics are normally less effective.
- Cosmetics can help improve "orange skin" but it is difficult for them to achieve effects on cellulite, on the problem that is under the skin at a very deep level. It is scientifically proven that they can improve their effectiveness by up to 50% if they are combined with a good anti-cellulite massage.
- To improve cellulite there are various professional treatments, such as shock waves, CO2, radiofrequency... to improve collagen. And others that try to break down the fat and drain it, such as manual massages, wood therapy, etc.
Glo: A clinical test was carried out in your clinic to verify if the Glo910 massage device was effective in treating cellulite. Can you summarize the conclusions reached?
Dr. Blaker: Since cellulite is a very complex problem, it is very important to be constant, so we must look for effective tools that we can use at home. For home treatment, the ideal would be to be able to give us a massage like the one a professional does, and what we were able to test is that this device manages to reproduce the effect of an anti-cellulite massage. The Glo910 anti-cellulite massager allows women to apply this effective treatment to themselves constantly, to obtain results. It can be combined very well with a professional treatment, it is even highly recommended after liposuction to drain and help the body to return to normal, and prevent the same problem from appearing again.
In the clinical tests that we carried out, there was a clear difference in the before and after after 4 weeks of use for 5 days a week, but not only on the outside, where perhaps the dry exfoliating treatment has more effect, if no, inside, as the amount of fat in the measured areas was reduced and the change in body shape was already visible to the naked eye, not just in the measurements.
