With the new year upon us, many of us are turning our attention towards the appearance of our bodies. Perhaps the indulgences of the holiday season have left you with a few extra pounds and yes, there is always that unattractive cellulite to worry about. It's a common misconception that cellulite is caused simply by overeating and poor diet choices. While those extra holiday treats may not have helped the situation, it's likely they did not create it either. Cellulite is blamed on a number of factors including gender, hormones, diet, lifestyle, physiology, and individual metabolism. Cellulite by itself is not typically a health concern as it can be found in average and underweight people as well as those who are over their ideal weight. The real concern with cellulite tends to be cosmetic as the dimpled and uneven appearance of the skin has a tendency to be downright ugly. There are plenty of products on the market such as cellulite cream, drugs, and supplements that claim to reduce cellulite and restore your smooth and youthful appearance. Do these cellulite creams and treatments really work? Up until recently, none of these products have ever been scientifically shown to yield any kind of significant results.

New technology has led to some amazing new treatments for cellulite that could finally give hope to those who are looking to do away with it for good. One breakthrough that has been grabbing headlines recently has been the use of stem cells to help the skin regenerate and renew itself. The most talked about treatment is a product called Leg Tone Serum produced by Adonia Organics that uses stable plant stem cells to stimulate circulation and help the body to release excess fat stores. This in turn leads to a reduction in the appearance of cellulite within a relatively short period of time. Fact or fiction? The company cites an independent study performed by AMA Laboratories (a reputable cosmetic testing facility) which demonstrated that the product was able to reduce the appearance of cellulite in test participants by as much as 70% over a six week period. That's pretty impressive! I wasn't the only one to take notice either, AOL recently published a story featuring this new cellulite cream in their well respected health and beauty section (Stylist). As these technologies continue to develop and become available to the general public, it is likely that we will see a whole new generation of cellulite cream products that actually work. While these products will never be a substitute for healthy diet and lifestyle choices, they are sure to give us hope that when used in combination with responsible decision making; those cellulite dimples don't have to be with us for the rest of our lives.