Home Tips for Cellulite

Cellulite is one of the more vexing cosmetic problems you can have, and one that's poorly understood. Infomercials and Internet sites tell you there's a way to get rid of cellulite at home using special creams, diets and herbal supplements. The truth about cellulite is that there's a cheaper way to manage that cottage cheese skin -- and you can do this yourself at home for no cost at all.

Cellulite Defined

Cellulite is another word for fat, says the American Council on Exercise, or ACE -- but it's fat that forms in a specific way. Both men and women have connective tissue that joins the skin to the muscles. However, the connective tissue in men has a smoother, horizontal pattern, while for women this tissue takes on a "honeycomb" appearance, says ACE. This traps fat and pushes it out in irregular bulges in the areas that matter a lot more once swimsuit season rolls around -- generally, your thighs and buttocks. This makes cellulite practically exclusive to women, although some men can get it, too. Your skin becomes thinner as you age, making cellulite even more pronounced. According to ACE, cellulite usually strikes people once they hit their 30s.

First Things First

Exercise is the most effective way to tackle the unsightly dimpling. Get some type of aerobic exercise every day and complement your home training program with strength-training sessions two or three time a week. ACE cites the success of an exercise program designed by Massachusetts fitness research director Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., that involves putting in 40 minutes of exercise, three days a week, split equally between aerobic activity such as walking or jogging and strength training. If you don't have access to a gym, using dumbbells and elastic bands for strength and resistance training at home does the trick nicely.

Weight Loss

Partial to no specific body type, cellulite can afflict both the slender and the pleasantly plump, but it's often more obvious if you carry around extra pounds. Simply achieving and maintaining your weight can go a long way to reducing the appearance of cellulite. Exercise plays an important role in weight loss, but so does what you eat. The National Institutes of Health, or NIH, cautions against "yo-yo" dieting; choose a healthy diet abundant in fruits and vegetables. Drink plenty of water. And mind your calorie intake, because calories ultimately matter if weight loss is your goal. According to MayoClinic.Com, 3,500 calories represents a pound of fat. To lose a pound a week, simply cut 500 calories from your diet every day.

A Cosmetic Fix?

Products that tout home treatment of cellulite aren't in short supply, from special creams that magically banish cottage cheese skin to rollers and other devices that smooth it away. But there's nothing that you can apply to the surface of your skin that penetrates the surface and burns away cellulite, says ACE. In March 2009, the Federal Trade Commission arrived at a $7.5 million settlement with a popular home shopping television network based on misleading claims made about an anti-cellulite skin cream that purportedly eliminated cellulite. If you want a cosmetic fix, Nemours Foundation suggests smoothing a sunless tanning lotion onto problem areas instead -- cellulite looks less noticeable on dark skin.

Other Information

The bad news is that if you have cellulite, it's there to stay. Nothing you can do -- not even losing weight -- will make it go away completely. Stay away from the quick fix that promises to melt cellulite away. Stick with the tried and true: Reduce fat and increase muscle tone through a healthy diet combined with an exercise program that incorporates both aerobic activity with strength training.