"Your body is not just a temple, it is a home in which you will live forever. Take care of it with love."
- Colin Wright
Recently, I was intrigued by the headline of an article for women, whose primary goal was to tell girls and women that they don't have to have complexes after looking at social networks and overly edited photos through various apps and filters. I was like, yes, I agree! However, I read on and stopped liking the article. Basically, in a nutshell, it carried the message "love yourself as you are natural, don't wear make-up, don't take care of yourself, don't use make-up, body cosmetics - it's just marketing, wear loose clothing, don't wear heels or dresses, etc..." I was shocked. What if heels are just a comfortable shoe for me? What if I feel like a fish in water in a dress and that's why I wear it 365 days a year? What if I want to take care of my body and that's why I use masks, creams, go for pedicures, manicures, beauty treatments and so on? What if I want to wear makeup because I feel naked without my blush? Am I a bad, artificial, or unattractive woman if I do everything I can not to use exaggerated filters, but to have my own, in the form of healthy skin and beautifully made-up eyelashes, even in real life?
I was even more struck by the comments below the article, where women wrote about how men like women and that's how we should be... Why should I, as a woman, want to please anyone other than myself in the first place?
When I approached women for a photo shoot for an anti-cellulite campaign, many told me that even if they wanted to, they couldn't because they were body positive. I was surprised because I am also body positive and I always thought that body positive means loving your body. Translated for me, it means that everything I love, from flowers to people, I take care of. The answer I got was that a woman has to love her cellulite too. Okay, I'm a woman too, I've loved everything from weird men, to unwearable fashion, to different genres of music, but cellulite, which at some point becomes a disease..., I guess I haven't gotten there yet.
Research shows that up to 85% of women over the age of 21 wear these dimples on their thighs. Men are not quite as affected by this statistic, despite the fact that, paradoxically, they have worse lifestyle outcomes. But let's skip the discussion about justice this time.
What is cellulite?
Neither doctors nor scientists can agree on whether it is a disease, a symptom or a syndrome. The aesthetic problem for women is appearance, and this is solved by cosmetics, but the reason is changes in the deeper part of the skin. The origin of cellulite must be sought in the subcutaneous tissue. It forms lobules of fat that are separated from each other. These lobules are supplied with both blood and lymphatic vessels. Impaired blood and lymph circulation contributes to orange skin. The latter is the result of excessive filling of fat cells with fat. This results in swelling, reduced oxygenation and permanent damage to the subcutaneous tissue. This manifests itself as bumpy skin in areas such as the buttocks, hips, thighs, abdomen, or arms. It is a myth that overweight or obesity is behind the appearance of cellulite. Even thin women have orange skin. In men, it can arise mainly in areas where the skin is exposed to long-term stress, but most men do not experience cellulite. This is related to the different structure of connective subcutaneous tissue and also to the unequal distribution of fat cells in the subcutaneous tissue. There are many factors in the development of cellulite, from hormones, to heredity, to clothing, to lack of exercise.
Risk factors involved in the development of cellulite
Hormones - estrogens promote fat storage and water retention, but also the use of hormonal preparations (e.g. HAK)
Heredity - influences the characteristics and quality of the skin, or predisposition to cellulite formation
Overweight - excess nutrient intake contributes to fat storage in the subcutaneous tissue,
fat is deposited unevenly
Eating habits - excessive intake of fats and sugars, in the form of white pastries and fatty foods, lack of vitamins and minerals, i.e. reduced intake of vegetables and fruits, is also a mistake, the biggest problem is that we are not aware of it, but it is really unhealthy for the body not to follow the drinking regime
Lack of exercise - contributes to fat storage, energy is underutilized, muscles are flabby, reduced blood and lymph circulation
Clothes - tight clothes and underwear impair lymph circulation, so it's a good idea not to wear them every day
Prolonged standing or sitting - again, neither is beneficial if it is prolonged, both of these activities impair blood circulation to the body
Varicose veins - they arise and also impair blood circulation, resulting in swelling of the lower limbs
Other factors - stress, smoking, alcohol, coffee, excess salt
Diagnostics
Cellulite is in some cases mild and not so visible. In other cases, it is noticeable from a distance. The so-called pinch test and the Nürnberger-Müller cellulite definition table are mainly used in the assessment of cellulite. This pinch test is performed on the front of the thigh.
NÜRNBERGER-MÜLLER TABLE OF CELLULITE DEFINITIONS
There is a cellulite scale - you can use the Nurnburger-Muller scale to determine the severity of your cellulite. Cellulite has the following stages/phases:
| 0 | no visible orange skin effect, even when the skin is pinched between the fingers |
| 1 | orange skin visible only when tested by pinching between the fingers |
| 2 | orange skin visible when standing and sitting, not visible when lying down (disappears) |
| 3 | orange skin is visible even when lying down, distinct bumps and depressions, the skin is cooler and paler |
| 4 | orange skin visible both standing and lying down, the skin is stiff, tight, sensitive and painful to the touch |
Height and weight data necessary for the determination of BMI are also added. In addition to height and weight, waist and hip width and their combined WHR index are also assessed. The index assesses the approximate distribution of fat relative to overweight and obesity. The circumference of the thighs and calves is also measured.
Can cellulite be treated?
The treatment of cellulitis depends mainly on the stage. In the case of the first stage, no treatment is required. The changes do not indicate pathological disruption of the subcutaneous tissue. A woman with the second degree of cellulite must change her lifestyle, her lifestyle and therefore mainly take regimen measures, and with any degree it is very important to drink! Getting enough exercise can also help. Exercise can be targeted to the affected areas to increase blood circulation and thus better blood and lymph drainage. Suitable are e.g. walking, dancing, swimming, cycling or rollerblading. Lifestyle modification also includes changing the diet. The diet should be balanced, rational. A rational diet includes vitamins and minerals, proteins, but also fats and sugars, but all in reasonable amounts.
Anti-cellulite products, do they help?
Alone without the support of the other components of treatment will not help. But various gels, creams or wraps can help soften orange skin. One rigorous study showed that a combination of caffeine and retinol works against cellulite. If the preparations contain these two substances, they should work. However, it should be borne in mind that cellulite will not disappear, it will only be alleviated.
Supportive treatments
This care includes exfoliation, but also massaging the skin with fine brushes. Manual or instrumented is suitable
lymphatic drainage
. The most effective and proven method is
LPG body endermologie
. It is a procedure approved by the Australian government agency TGA using the Cellu M6 Keymodule. It has also been approved by the United States Federal Food and Drug Administration /FDA/, which approves new drugs and treatments. LPG Systems was the first organization of its kind to receive this prestigious certification. The LPG Cellu M6 is also the first and only device in the world that is FDA certified for therapeutic treatments, so-called. lymphatic drainage. It is among the most effective treatments for cellulite. This method is intended for the treatment of pathological changes in connective tissue. It is the only technique that can release the fat stored under the top layer of the skin, which cannot be removed by exercise, diet or
liposuction
. We certainly can't forget to mention the full-body lymphatic massage, which is not only a good support in the treatment of cellulite removal, but also helps the body to get rid of swelling, strengthens immunity and helps to eliminate some health problems for which other forms of massage might not be suitable enough. It helps healing of post-operative wounds. As the circulation and movement of lymph is improved after manual lymphatic drainage, the body finds it easier to get rid of accumulated waste and toxins that may be the cause of other ailments. It relieves painful tension in the limbs. "At the FRAIS Health and Beauty Institute we combine health care with beauty care in line with the trends of anti-aging medicine, so our portfolio of services cannot miss treatments to support the treatment of cellulite such as lymphatic drainage, lymphatic massage, or the very popular LPG." says the clinic director MUDr. Vanda Przewlocka, Phd.
Medicines
Drugs acting on both blood vessels and lymphatic vessels are used. Subsequently, various nutritional supplements and supportive therapies also contribute to the treatment. For example, for external use, such as the aforementioned creams and gels, but also for internal use. Supplementation with vitamin C, E and B vitamins is advisable.
In conclusion
Whether you have cellulite or not, I see it as a problem of this day and age that everyone thinks their way of life is the right one. Every woman who becomes a mother thinks she has a manual on how to be an ideal parent. Vegans think the carnivores are evil and sick, carnivores think the same of vegans. And we could go on and on like this. But what is really right? Only what benefits and suits ourselves, but it doesn't have to be the rule for everyone. Extremes are harmful. How about we all get back to what is both beneficial and necessary for the world - taking care OF others not TO others.
And remember that whatever we love involves care and love. Therefore, love your body and take care of it with love.
Wishing you a beautiful day
Ivana Bartosova,
Marketing Manager of the FRAIS Health and Beauty Institute
PHOTO: Nicole Lieskovská
