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Does This Cellulite-Busting Machine Really Work?

FitSugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:00:58 -0700

It's estimated that 80 to 85 percent of women are blessed with cellulite, including many of you FitSugar readers. That puckery skin on our legs, booty, belly, and arms is the reason many of us exercise and diet.

Unfortunately, lunges and healthy living don't always get rid of it, and for those who are really self-conscious, there's a new treatment known as SmoothShapes. Used by dermatologists, this device claims to smooth out lumpy skin and have "lasting cellulite reduction results." Is that a vague way of saying "forever"? The device has even been approved by the FDA "for the temporary reduction of the appearance of cellulite." Learn more from a CBS News video on how it works when you read more.

I find it interesting that the doc is so hard to pin down on a price. I also like how he likens the procedure to dental cleaning, meaning you need sessions every six months. What do you think of SmoothShapes? Would you be interested in trying it out?

Do You Have Cellulite?

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:00:18 -0700

It's estimated that 80 percent of the female population has cellulite. While it's hard to embrace our dimply thighs, celeb trainer Jillian Michaels and starlet Kim Kardashian have both publicly admitted to having cellulite. During bikini season it's difficult to hide from the fact that most of us have some, but that also means it's not something we necessarily need to hide. Tell me . . .

5 Things: Cellulite

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 05:50:48 -0700

Celeb trainer Jillian Michaels is no stranger to cellulite. And neither is starlet Kim Kardashian. In fact it is estimated that between 80 to 95 percent of women have cellulite somewhere on their body. If you have been worrying about of bit of dimpling on your backside, fear not, because you are not alone. Here are five things I think you should know about cellulite.

From a purely medical standpoint cellulite doesn't exist; it is nothing more than fat. The word cellulite is French and was first used in medical literature around 150 years ago.
Cellulite is more prominent in women than in men due to the structural differences of stored fat between the sexes. The connective tissues that create these storage units in men works on diagonals, where as we lucky ladies store our fat in a large vertical honeycomb like structure. This structural form enhances the appearance of the dimples.
Here's the bad news – there is no way to get rid of cellulite. None of those creams, lotions or rubs will get rid of the dimples caused by cellulite. Topical creams cannot penetrate the three layers of skin to eliminate the fat.

Learn what you can do about cellulite.

A Bit About the "Science" of Cellulite

BellaSugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 09:02:20 -0700

Scientific American is reporting on "the science of beauty" this week. Yay! First up: A Q&A about cellulite that makes me want to tear my hair out. Boo. There's a reason we don't cover cellulite creams here, and that's because cellulite is not a big deal. I have a problem with pathologizing a "condition" that most women have; better to accept it than waste time, money, and energy worrying about your thighs. To see why this piece has me so worked up, read more.

This brings us to the interview with Lionel Bissoon, a doctor who specializes in treating cellulite. While it's interesting to understand how cellulite develops, and while Bissoon makes good points about how people need more physical activity and more organic foods, there's something infuriating about hearing a man talk about what a so-called problem cellulite is. For instance, check out how he looks at picture books from the middle of the 20th century: "When you find these pictures, women had perfect legs," he says. "And back in the '40s and '50s they didn't have the computer programs to retouch those photos." Putting aside the idea of "perfect legs," it's not as though retouching was invented with Photoshop; any ridges and bumps were erased by hand. Also, Bissoon would like us all to start wearing thongs because bikini briefs are too constrictive. (Funny, that's the same line I used to get from my freshman-year boyfriend.)

Here's the thing: cellulite is not a health problem, and if it's a "problem" at all, it's a cosmetic one that you can't solve. So while it's always wise to eat well and exercise, there's no point in obsessing over a totally normal part of your body. Especially not when the person calling it a problem is a man whose income relies on women perpetually disliking their thighs.

Photo by Berbercarpet

Reader Review of the Day: Nivea Good-Bye Cellulite Gel

BellaSugar — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:00:26 -0700

What's your take on the bevy of anticellulite creams available? I contend that none of them work, but recently Jessanne reviewed Nivea Good-Bye Cellulite Gel ($10). Did she love it or hate it? Read below to find out.

After a couple of months of use, I saw zero improvement in the skin texture around my buttocks and thighs. A couple of years ago I used Dove cellulite lotion and saw much better results. This Nivea brand has a funny smell and did not seem to moisturize my skin. Sorry, Nivea.

Would you like a chance to be featured on this daily post? Simply go to our Product Reviews website and submit your opinion. Right now, by writing just three reviews per week, you could be entered in our contest to win a $500 gift certificate from Benefit Cosmetics. The more beauty opinions you write, the more entries you'll receive. So, fill us in!

Reality Check: Kelly Clarkson Says All Celebs Have Cellulite

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:00:00 -0800

Many women look up to female celebrities and are inspired to look as flawless and gorgeous as they do, but in a People magazine article, Kelly Clarkson reminds us that "No girl is perfect." The seasoned 26-year-old told a group of 20 preteens at a Dove-sponsored self-esteem workshop, "Just to let you know everyone in the magazines is Photoshopped! Beyoncé is one of the most beautiful girls in the world but she gets Photoshopped too. We're all human!" She also told the girls that "They Photoshopped the crap out of me!" on the cover of her sexy All I Ever Wanted album.

I give Kelly two thumbs up for her honesty. I guess she's trying to prevent other girls from feeling bad about themselves like she did when she was criticized for being "thick."

To find out how she deals with the negative comments, read more.

When it comes to criticism about her body image, Kelly says, "I'd be a liar if I said I was always fine with it. But I'm wise enough by now to know that you're never going to please everyone so you may as well stop trying." She protects her spirit by not reading celebrity magazines. She says, "It's just healthier to get away from that kind of thinking." Magazines will point out a celeb's flabby butt, as if it's a big surprise and a huge no-no, but Kelly says, "Of course celebrities have cellulite! We're not fem-bots!'"

Kelly has seen the effects of body image scrutiny on friends who are also in the public eye, and it breaks them. She doesn't want to see so much pressure put on anyone to look a certain way. It's great to see that Kelly is normal and not obsessed with shrinking her body down. She's a positive role model for any woman to look up to.

Source

Reality Check: Jennifer Aniston's Expensive Anti-cellulite Treatment

FitSugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Along with the fountain of youth, I'm sure many of us are looking for a way to erase cellulite from our bodies. Realistically speaking though, since 95 percent of women have cellulite, most of us have come to terms with those little dimples on our backsides since creams and lotions don't really work.

There are many expensive anti-cellulite treatments at spas though. According to Us Weekly, Jennifer Aniston recently headed to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Spa for a 110-minute lymphatic-draining massage and algae wrap. She paid $290 for this treatment that the spa says is designed to reduce "the dimpled, uneven appearance of cellulite." To find out if it works read more.

I wish I could break the bad news to you gently, but there's no sensitive way to tell you. Cellulite, which is just another word for fat, cannot be eliminated with expensive massages or body wraps. You can however reduce the appearance of that indented skin by decreasing your overall amount of body fat. You do this with old-fashioned cardio that burns calories and strength training to tone your muscles. You'll have to learn to love squats, lunges, and any other exercises that target your booty and thighs, where cellulite tends to show up. I guess this makes me feel better because there's no way I'd drop almost $300 for a special spa treatment.

Source

What's Your Take on Cellulite Creams?

BellaSugar — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 06:00:24 -0700

Almost every woman has cellulite, and since there's no way to eliminate it, I'm accepting my jiggle for what it is. But considering the wide variety of anticellulite products out there, someone's buying them.

I tried out Bliss's FatGirlSlim, with dismal results, but a friend of mine swears by a Borba firming cream. Do you use any of these firming/slimming products successfully, or are you skeptical?

Source

5 Things About Cellulite

FitSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:30:00 -0700

I have received a few panicked e-mails recently about cellulite. Since this dimply stuff is rather ubiquitous I thought I should answer the many questions about cellulite in one big post.

From a purely medical standpoint cellulite doesn't exist; it is nothing more than fat. The word cellulite is French and was first used in medical literature around 150 years ago.
Cellulite is more prominent in women than in men due to the structural differences of stored fat between the sexes. The connective tissues that create these storage units in men works on diagonals, where as we lucky ladies store our fat in a large vertical honeycomb like structure. This structural form enhances the appearance of the dimples.
Here's the bad news – there is no way to get rid of cellulite. None of those creams, lotions or rubs will get rid of the dimples caused by cellulite. Topical creams cannot penetrate the three layers of skin to eliminate the fat.

To see what you can do about cellulite read more.

According to the fitness experts at the American Council of Exercise, you can reduce the appearance of cellulite. You need to decrease overall body fat by doing cardio along with two to three strength training sessions a week. Can you say lunges and squats? Those are the exercises that bad a** trainer Jillian Michaels recommends for reducing the appearance of cellulite.
The majority of women have cellulite. I have read that 80 percent of women have cellulite. I have even seen figures as high as 95 percent of women have cellulite. So if you have cellulite, just knowing that you are not alone will hopefully make you feel better.

Source

Jillian Michaels Tells It Like It Is: Cellulite

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:45:00 -0800

Cellulite is one of those hateful subjects that women just love to talk about. Why? Because almost every woman has those little pockets of fat somewhere on her body. Super bad a** trainer Jillian Michaels believes 95 percent of all women have the stuff. Although you cannot get rid of cellulite, you can get off your back side and do something about the state of your backside.

Here are Jillian's simple recommendations for dealing with cellulite.

You can reduce the appearance of cellulite by losing weight and building up the muscles underneath your fat tissue.
Good exercises for building muscle in your back side are squats and lunges.

Could this advice be coming from someone who has cellulite, too? To find out, just read more.

Jillian told iVillage:

Ninety-five percent of women suffer from cellulite, including me. Honestly, at some point we have to embrace our imperfections. They make us human. Who wants perfect? Perfect is boring!

Have you accepted your cellulite? Tell me all about it in the comments section below.

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