Home Remedies to Reduce Cellulite

Cellulite is also known as adiposis edematosa. It is the protrusion of subcutaneous fat into the connective tissue which is manifested topically through dimpling of the skin. The disease is called cellulitis and commonly referred to as orange peel syndrome because of the appearance of the skin that exhibits a visible roughness like an orange peel. It is most noticeable near the pelvic region i.e. buttocks, lower limbs i.e. thighs and abdomen. Cellulite can occur both in men and women but unfortunately, women are more prone to this disease.

Cellulite can be caused due to several factors. It is not well understood but certain factors seem to have a correlation with its occurrence.

Hormonal factors play an important role in cellulite deposition. Estrogen, insulin, nor-adrenaline, thyroid hormones, and prolactin are part of the cellulite production process.

Genetics also has a relationship with cellulite formation. Certain genes predispose an individual to particular characteristics associated with cellulite. Genetic aspects such as sex, bio-type, slow metabolism, distribution of fat just underneath the skin, and circulatory insufficiency influence this manifestation.

People who eat too much of fat and base their diets mainly on carbohydrates and very little fiber are more prone to cellulite. Too much intake of salt also increase the risk.

Lifestyle factors are essential to consider for keeping this ugly fat deposition away. High stress living and smoking aggravates the risk of cellulitis. Other factors like lack of exercise or sitting and standing in one position for long periods contribute to this disease. Drinking less water is also a contributing factor towards orange peel syndrome.

Another reason which might seem irrelevant but may actually help in formation of cellulite is wearing under-wears with tight elastics around the buttocks; this restricts blood circulation thereby increasing the risk of fat deposition beneath the epidermal layer of skin.

There are many anti-cellulite treatments available in the market but they seem to hurt the pocket. There are several mechanical methods, as well, to treat cellulite. These include ultrasound, magnetic therapy, radio frequency therapy, electrical stimulation, etc. I do not have much idea about all these but I certainly have tried some cosmetic products that seem to work after regular application for a long period of time. But buying such products every time seemed really expensive to me so I worked out to find some home remedies.

Caffeine is said to enhance reduction of cellulite, that's why many anti-cellulite creams claim to contain caffeine in their ingredients. Although, I do not have much opinion about how it works but according to a study published in the "Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology" in March 2008, formulations made with caffeine, caffeine plus Sodium Benzoate (which is commonly added to skin creams for better absorption), and Siloxanetriol Alginate Caffeine (SAC), which is derived from organic silicon, were applied topically to female mice for 21 days. The results showed that the mice treated with caffeine had a 17 percent reduction in the diameter of fatty cells compared to the control group. Whereas sodium benzoate and caffeine mixture led to no significant changes. The SAC-containing formula promoted a 26 percent reduction in the number of fat cells in the mice's skin. All the results were in comparison to the control group of mice. If this holds true for humans, then caffeine-containing creams, free of sodium benzoate, may reduce the number or diameter of fatty skin cells, possibly reducing the appearance of cellulite.

On the other hand, this result can be used as an idea to formulate a home-made caffeine based remedy.

Coffee is an available ingredient at anyone's kitchen and coffee contains caffeine.

Ingredients Needed

Coffee - 3 tablespoons

Sugar - 2 tablespoons

Olive oil - as required to make the paste

Take a bowl and mix coffee and sugar in it. Now pour olive oil to make it into a paste. Coffee will act as the cellulite reducing agent while sugar will help as a scrub. Olive oil is naturally good for skin and it will hold the other two ingredients to form the paste.

Apply this mixture on the affected areas and scrub gently. Allow the mixture to stay for 15 minutes and rinse off with water. Apply this twice a week and you will notice a visible reduction in a few weeks time.

You can discard the sugar and use it as a cream or replace it with egg-white to make it a toning pack or create your own recipe by playing with the ingredients of your choice.

This is another recipe of an anti-cellulite idea with addition of a few more ingredients. The essential ingredient added in this formulation is grapefruit essential oil. This oil is believed to have detoxifying and fat-burning properties. It is said that it helps reducing cellulite by detoxifying the skin and increasing blood circulation.

Coffee - 3 tablespoons

Aloevera gel - 5 tablespoons

Grapefruit oil - 6-7 drops

How to Make It

Take coffee powder in a bowl, add grapefruit oil and aloevera gel. Mix well. Blend them into a mixture and use it as a massage cream on the affected areas. Keep it for 15-20 minutes after massage and rinse with water. Try this once a week and hopefully you will notice positive results.

You can also use a mixture of grapefruit oil and olive oil or coconut oil to massage the area regularly.

I hope these remedies will help you but it is always better to prevent the occurrence of cellulite than getting it and then striving to get rid of it. Although, it is not quite possible to prevent cellulite completely, still maintaining a healthy body weight and strengthening muscles through regular physical activity may help keeping it in control. Drinking lots of water is also essential to prevent any kind of illness and of course cellulite.