What Causes Cellulite?

What causes cellulite? This is a question that women have been asking for years, and it has become increasingly important to the beauty industry. The truth is, there is no single answer. In fact, there is no definitive reason that cellulite forms on the body, and all we have are a series of theories about the cause. But these theories are well tested and studied, so let’s look at a few of them here:

• Diet

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to find out that cellulite has a nutritional source, as nearly everything in and on the body is very much affected by the food we eat. Because cellulite is more or less just deposits of fat that cause a dimpled or pockmarked look to the surface of the skin, it is obvious that your daily diet will have a major affect on how it is formed.

However, beyond the usual creation of fat, eating too much salt or too many “bad” carbs are believed to have a profound affect on cellulite formation. Why this might be is hard to say, but we can assume it has something to do with proper hydration, and the creation of too much unhealthy gluten in the system.

• Hormones

Nearly everything has been blamed on hormones, from mood to skin condition. While it will not always be the culprit – despite making a convincing, if mysterious, suspect – in the case of cellulite it seems to be a contributing factor.

There are several hormones that seem to be relevant to cellulite production, and just fat production alone. Estrogen is one of the most widely blamed, but tests have shown that it is rarely present in amounts greater than normal in the average body. More likely it is insulin or prolactin, both of which have been implicated in a number of health and beauty disasters. The thyroid my also be at fault.

• Lifestyle

Do you smoke? Drink every day? Stand at your job without moving very much? How often do you exercise? The way you live your life has a serious impact on the way your body develops and distributes fat. If you are living in an unhealthy way, you can assume that you will suffer many consequences, including cellulite.

• Clothes

You may love those spandex leggings, and they may be coming back into fashion, but they might be giving you more than a wardrobe malfunction. Tight clothing presses into the skin, and when worn too often will actually cause a lot of damage to the body. Cellulite seems to be one of the issues that creeps up, especially in the buttocks and upper thighs, probably due to lack of blood flow.

• Genes

Finally, we have the genetic factor, which is one of the leading causes of just about everything under the sun. Sometimes you can do everything right, and still the cellulite bug will bite you, quite literally, in the butt. Women are more likely to suffer from cellulite, especially if their mother or grandmother suffered from it. If you gain weight easily or have a slow metabolism, you are also at risk.

Cellulite is easy to prevent if you know how. But if you find yourself facing the Dimpled Demon you can always treat it with the right cellulite cream.