If you have often found yourself staring at your cellulite for a while very Long overdue, let’s start by reassuring you that dimples on your butt – and indeed, on various parts of your body – are completely natural and normal.
Like, Really normal. Straight up, it’s estimated that about 90% of you with two pairs of X chromosomes experience lumps and bumps that look like orange peels. It’s not something to feel bad about or beat yourself up about, by any means.
However, if cellulite is playing with your confidence and you’d like to know how you can minimize its appearance (it’s impossible to get rid of, wholesale), then read on. WH asked the experts why cellulite tends to appear on your thighs and thighs, and what your options are when it comes to treatments and lifestyle changes.
Why do I have cellulite on my bum?
Well, the female body tends to store fat in this area, thanks to our good friend, the hormone estrogen – and skin problems occur when the fat pushes against the connective tissue beneath the skin, to create a wavy effect. Think of a balloon blowing up through a drawstring vest.
“Hormonal imbalances are considered a critical cause of cellulite. Such a hormone condition can occur naturally during pregnancy. menopause, as well as when taking hormonal contraceptives or during hormone replacement therapy (HRT),” says Dr Rekha Tailor, aesthetic physician at Health and Aesthetics. Age can also affect your hormones, she adds. “When estrogen starts to decline [as it does as you head towards the menopause] receptors in the blood vessels and thighs are lost, resulting in reduced circulation.’
“With decreased circulation, we see less oxygen and nutrition to that area, and with that, we see a decrease in collagen production. Fat cells also start to get bigger, which causes them to protrude through the collagen and become what we know as cellulite,” she adds.
“Cellulite usually affects the buttocks and thighs, but it can also appear on other areas of the body,” she says. Jodie Wood, skin clinic director at the cosmetic surgery centre, The Private Clinic.
“This is because blood flow and circulation are usually more restricted in these areas. We sit for the better part of the day – along with those areas where most women’s bodies store fat.”
So if you’ve tried eating all the cellulite-busting foods and attempted all the dimpling exercises, but you’re still wondering how to get rid of cellulite on your bum, we’ve got the details.
How do you get rid of cellulite on your bum?
Quick reality check: there is no magic bullet to eliminate dents. Trying to get rid of cellulite on your bum is setting yourself up for disappointment. But, here’s how to have a crack at reducing it.
Does walking help get rid of cellulite on your bum?
We will level with you. It is not a surefire way to get rid of cellulite. However, walking a lot can help reduce the appearance of cellulite. This is because cellulite occurs under the connective fibers of the skin, so walking helps to strengthen them.
Do squats get rid of cellulite on the bum?
Likewise, while exercise and movement can help with the appearance of cellulite on your bum, it’s not going to eliminate it completely.
How to Get Rid of Cellulite on Your Bum: 7 Lifestyle Modifications You Must Try
1. Have refined sugar in moderation
“A lot of sugary foods and drinks are something we want to stay clear of if you want to reduce cellulite,” says Wood.
You probably already know the link between sugar and cellulite: sugar is stored in fat cells, causing them to expand, which can increase the dimpled appearance of these areas.
Try snacking on skin-nourishing fruit – watermelon is a particularly great choice, as well research has suggested its high lycopene content may benefit our cardiovascular system.
2. Get moving
“Try to keep your circulation moving – although it may be difficult depending on your job, try not to sit all day,” advises Wood.
“Exercise is key – if you can exercise regularly, it will reduce the appearance of cellulite.”
3. Stay away from salt
Salty foods are known to cause fluid retention, which is linked to the appearance of cellulite. This refined sodium can dehydrate the skin enough to make areas of cellulite appear much more noticeable.
However, we’re not condemning all kinds of salt here – just the highly refined table variety. Himalayan salt and sea salt are rich in beneficial minerals, so upgrade this salt mill to see real results.
4. Stop neglecting that body brush
It’s one of those beauty tools that ends up gathering dust in the back of your bathroom cabinet, but could actually be a powerful ally in your quest to get rid of cellulite on your bum.
“We recommend using a body brush while showering or bathing, as this will stimulate blood flow and circulation,” says Wood.
These dense bristle brushes work by boosting circulation around areas of cellulite, helping the body flush out toxins that contribute to the formation of orange peel patches.
5. Do not smoke
“Smoking can increase cellulite, as smoking reduces blood flow and so this will weaken collagen formation. This can then increase the appearance of cellulite,” explains Wood.
6. Less stress
If you needed another reason to try these simple breathing exercises for stress, then this is it: among other things, the symptoms of stress can also contribute to the formation of cellulite.
How? High levels of stress trigger the production of the hormone cortisol, which can break down collagen within the body. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body and makes up our connective tissue, so when we lose it our skin can look thinner and less firm and those cellulite dimples can shine through.
7. Don’t work late at night
Sitting in the same position for extended periods of time can cause your circulation to become sluggish.
Cellulite forms in the areas of the body with the least blood flow, so it pays to watch the time you spend in this inbox and make sure to take a walk on your lunch break to get rid of cellulite on your bum. even if it’s only around the block.
You can even tone your abs while you’re at it.
How to get rid of cellulite on your butt at home?
There’s a product that’s gaining a cult following to help smooth skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite. N°1 Illume Glove has collected 2.9 million videos on TikTok and sales increased by 1057%.
So how does it work? Well, each glove is handcrafted using 100% intricately woven silk and designed to deeply exfoliate the skin, which helps to brighten dull dry skin, remove fake tan, prevent ingrown hairs and improve appearance of cellulite.
Silk gloves were traditionally used in the world-famous Turkish baths (Hamams), where revelers usually visited for a weekly body scrub and bath. After a steam bath and sauna, someone wearing a silk glove will scrub you down. Today the glove is still used in the remaining hammams in Istanbul, thanks to its gentle but thorough exfoliation.
What is the best treatment to get rid of cellulite on your butt?
One of the best ways to deal with cellulite is to choose a clinical treatment. Celebrity esthetician Sophie Shotter believes Venus Legacy is one of the best because it deploys multipolar radio frequency and pulsed electromagnetic fields.
The treatment works by using a device that safely heats the skin to shrink fat cells and increase collagen and elastin to tighten the skin. At the same time the pulsed suction pulls the skin upwards allowing the energy to penetrate deeper.
It hurts? Actually no, it’s super comfortable, almost like a mechanical massage, no interruptions. After the Venus Legacy treatment, Dr Shotter recommends a Body Balancer – a lymphatic drainage massage suit that gives you an intense mechanical massage, for another 30 minutes. Expect smooth skin after 10 sessions.
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