Most Effective Ways To Lose Cellulite

Cellulite is dimpled-looking skin that commonly appears on the areas of the buttocks, thighs and hips, according to the Mayo Clinic. Cellulite doesn't indicate any serious medical problems, but you may feel self-conscious about baring your skin in public if your skin appears lumpy. Creams and other treatments promise to help you lose cellulite, but most aren't effective, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, if you want to ditch the cellulite, some options may offer a subtle improvement.

Weight Loss

The most beneficial way to treat cellulite is to eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise, according to the Mayo Clinic. Ditching unnecessary pounds and toning your legs, thighs and gluteal muscles may diminish the appearance of dimples. However, losing weight and strengthening your muscles won't completely get rid of cellulite.

Laser Treatments

One of the most promising medical treatments of cellulite may be laser therapy, according to the Mayo Clinic. One laser procedure that may help uses red and infrared light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, which send out wavelengths that may shrink fat tissue, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. This procedure is coupled with suctions and massaging rollers that are thought to soften fibrous bands that pull the skin back to cause cellulite.

Radiofrequency Treatments

Radiofrequency treatments may also help reduce the appearance of cellulite, according to the Mayo Clinic. In a study published in a December, 2006 issue of the "Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology," 12 subjects with cellulite were treated with a combination of bipolar radiofrequency, infrared heat and a suctioning device. Authors of the study found that a series of eight to nine treatments ultimately helped smooth out cellulite in study participants.

Shock Wave Treatments

Shock waves enter the atmosphere with "bang" sounds as a result of events such as lightning strikes. Shock waves, which generally begin with one large pulse and are followed by small waves, have been used to milder degrees to treat health problems such as kidney stones, according to a review by Len Kravitz, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of New Mexico. Shock wave therapy was used to successfully diminish the appearance of cellulite in 21 female participants in a December, 2007 study published in "Clinical Interventions in Aging." The study authors believe that the therapy works by "remodeling" collagen proteins in the skin.

Massage

Vigorous massage may help improve blood flow, remove metabolic byproducts called toxins and help get rid of excess fluid in areas of the skin that are prone to cellulite, according to the Mayo Clinic. A treatment called lipomassage, or Endermologie, involves the use of a hand-held machine that kneads affected areas of skin between rollers. This treatment may offer a slight, but temporary improvement in the appearance of your skin.