Natural Ways To Treat Cellulite

Dimpled fat deposits on your hips, buttocks or thighs, commonly known as cellulite, can damage your self-confidence. This problem is more prevalent in women, since men have thicker skin--making fatty deposits less obvious. Surgical solutions, such as liposuction, don't always cure cellulite and can sometimes make it worse. Before you go under the knife, consider natural alternatives to help you improve the appearance of your cellulite.

Get More Vitamin C

In his book, The Cellulite Solution: A Doctor's Program for Losing Lumps, Bumps, Dimples and Stretch Marks, Howard Murad, M.D., recommends incorporating additional vitamin C into your diet to combat unsightly fat deposits. Vitamin C helps prevent your skin from breaking down collagen. This strengthens your skin's surface and gives it a firmer appearance. Foods high in vitamin C include oranges, grapefruit, leafy green vegetables and strawberries.

Wear Different Undergarments

According to Lionel Bissoon, M.D., an osteopathic physician in New York City, tightly fitting underwear can restrict your circulation in your thighs and abdominal area--facilitating the formation of unsightly cellulite. Dr. Bissoon recommends wearing undergarments that fit more loosely or donning a thong.

For women, going without pantyhose also can help treat cellulite. Although support pantyhose may give you a slimmer appearance, they impede your lymphatic system's ability to property drain body fluids--forcing that fluid back into the body and contributing to cellulite.

Exercise

Cellulite consists of fat cells attached to the body's connective tissue. Although cellulite plagues both overweight and slender individuals, losing weight shrinks fat cells and can help reduce the appearance of unsightly cellulite. In addition to weight loss, exercise has an added benefit in the fight against cellulite--it may help reduce estrogen levels.

According to Dayle Haddon of the CBS Early Show, estrogen contributes to the fat cells' ability to stick together, and one hour of exercise each day may help reduce estrogen levels. This, in turn, can help eliminate cellulite.

Drink Water

Water hydrates your skin, keeping it supple and healthy. Proper hydration helps thicken your skin and fill in the dimples left from cellulite. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that dehydration, however, can cause or even worsen the condition. It is imperative that you turn to water to quench your thirst rather than caffeine-laden beverages, as caffeine can further dehydrate your skin.

Stop Smoking

Smoking introduces toxins into your body that damage your skin. This leaves your skin thinner and exacerbates the appearance of cellulite. Quitting smoking is crucial in the fight against cellulite because it prevents the thinning of your skin that makes cellulite so noticeable.