Regular body: Why it is pointless to fight cellulite
Modern society faces many serious problems. like a struggle to increase life expectancy, establish a world democracy or colonize Titan. Surprisingly, this very society is still experiencing an irrational horror of dimples on the thighs. Cellulite is considered a disease, is perceived as deformity, is used as an insult, is a cause for concern and despondency of millions of women. It's time to understand the nature of this phenomenon and understand how another natural part of physiology has become a pretext for collective neurosis.
Who came up with cellulite
Young girls are afraid of him, women with shame remove pictures he has spoiled, and retouchers all over the world sit day and night in Photoshop, lining the bumpy skin on the hips of world-famous models. The Internet is full of advice, and the market is full of cellulite destruction services. There is an infinite amount of anti-cellulite remedies. Creams and serums, scrubs and wraps, brushes and massagers, herbs and algae, electrostimulation devices, injections and surgeries - all this exists only to help us cope with what is considered baseless as laziness, unhealthy and unattractiveness.
Surprisingly, cellulite as a global issue is not even fifty years old. Thanks to such painters as Rembrandt, Rubens and Courbet, the play of light on uneven female buttocks, hips and bellies adorn the best museums in the world. Hollywood divas also did not think that cellulite should be treated. Even advertising photos of legendary actresses Marilyn Monroe and Jane Mansfield or erotic model Betty Page did not occur to anyone to retouch.
In the 1920s, the French came up with a name for the appearance of female skin on the thighs, buttocks and shoulders - "orange peel". But even then no one said that irregularities on the female body are bad, that this is not the norm, but an unpleasant exception. However, half a century the idea of cellulite crossed the Atlantic: in 1973, the enterprising owner of the New York beauty salon Nicole Ronsar published the book "Cellulite: these lumps, bumps and bumps that you could not get rid of earlier." The work was immediately reviewed by Vogue magazine, acquired by two hundred thousand women, and then it was repeatedly republished as a bestseller.
The book stated that cellulite is the “wrong” fat, and a lumpy butt is a sign of impaired blood and lymph flow and the cause of the accumulation of toxic substances that the body cannot cope with. At that time, Ronsard had to work hard to find a model without cellulite for advertising the book: only the thirtieth girl who came to the casting did not have it. But in the end, the author hit the jackpot, starting to sell "anti-cellulite" cosmetic services: from ointments to massages. Sales of scourers from cacti, hard loofah, magic creams, and vitamin supplements immediately took off.
After some time, in order to reach an even larger circle of consumers, they invented four stages of cellulite development. The last one by description was similar to fibrosis, and the first one was called ingeniously - “hidden cellulite” - and seemed to hint that if you do not have cellulite, you still have to be afraid, because he just hides. To detect it, it is recommended to squeeze suspicious zones, find fat cells under the skin - and urgently run for procedures. In the following years, the cosmetic market took the idea of cellulite into circulation, having reasonably spotted a gold mine in the female fat layer. Courses "treatment" poured for clients in hundreds of dollars.
The American Medical Association in 1978 announced that such a diagnosis as cellulitis does not exist, and, of course, it has never been in the International Classification of Diseases. However, the frightened consumers began to believe that the cream can penetrate the skin and dissolve the fat cells, that wrapping with polyethylene will help to “evaporate” them, and that there are anti-cellulite exercises for “problem areas”. There was even the idea that cellulite is not fat, but a gel-like substance from water, fat, and toxins, which you can lime with a diet. Not so long ago, a horror story was born that cellulite is a sign of endocrine diseases, problems with the thyroid or pancreas.
Of course, from the point of view of physiology, all this is absurd assumptions. In just a couple of decades, our heads were not only driven into the idea that they were “suffering” from cellulite, but also forced to buy various placebo and give more and more money to cosmetic companies. It's time to leave this realm of ignorance and understand two things: the first is that it is not always possible and necessary to get rid of cellulite, the second is that this is not a problem.
Is there a difference between cellulite and "normal" fat
Cellulite is not a medical term. From the point of view of medicine, this is simply the body fat, that is, the norm: for doctors and biologists, the problem in this simply does not exist. To understand the features of fat deposits, scientists collected men and women with and without cellulite, took samples of the subcutaneous tissue from each of the "problem" and not affected by the visible layer of zones. Then a series of tests was conducted to find out whether samples of material from cellulite zones differ in their biochemical composition or condition of the tissues. In the course of repeated tests, it turned out that there is no difference between cellulite and normal adipose tissue, and its presence is not related either to health or to life expectancy. Despite this, cosmetologists continue to call cellulite lipodystrophy, deftly replacing concepts.
The characteristic appearance of fat deposits, however, has its own reasons. In the subcutaneous layer are adipose cells, adipocytes. Fibers that connect the skin to deep tissues form cells that contain accumulations of fat. When fat cells grow in size, these “compartments” form bulges on the surface of the skin. In women, adipocytes are larger than men and have the ability to accumulate more fat. In women, as a rule, by nature more sensitive, thin and elastic skin - under it fat is especially noticeable. However, due to age-related dystrophy of the skin or a sedentary lifestyle, cellulite may become even more visible.
In the body of an average woman without overweight, the percentage of fat in principle is higher than in the male body. This difference appears along with puberty and persists throughout life, being the result of biochemical sex differences. The accumulation of body fat in adolescence ensures the normal flow of a hypothetical pregnancy in the future. The reason for this difference is in the female hormones estrogen: it is thanks to them that the distribution of fat in the body occurs “according to the female type” (it is more on the buttocks and hips), and its accumulation is several times more effective. Moreover, adipose tissue is largely responsible for the production of hormones, including the same estrogens - which is why those who lose too much fat from fasting or exercise can lose their periods.
Hilly thighs are not a sign of obesity, but of a mature female. According to various sources, from 85 to 98 percent of women have visible fat accumulations in the gluteal and femoral region, and this does not depend on their height and weight, but is due to female hormones. This means that cellulite is not observed in approximately every 40th woman.
About shame and prejudice
The market of cosmetology services is still aggressively offering us "treatment" and "getting rid" of cellulite, convincing us that if it is not a disease, then it is certainly an aesthetic problem. However, anti-cellulite procedures are often considered to be procedures that are not. Liposuction - a popular method of surgical removal of fat - is not only not aimed at "treating" cellulite, but can exacerbate the uneven distribution of fat under the skin. Mesotherapy, which is considered a simple and fast alternative, is in fact an aggressive and often dangerous procedure. The main active ingredient of lipolytic drugs, phosphatidylcholine, is banned in several European countries, because procedures based on it often cause serious complications.
Cosmetologists claim that 10-15 wrapping sessions will bring visible results, and many women will naively wrap themselves in polyethylene at home. In fact, the maximum that can be lost from wraps is fluid. The effects of massages, as well as ointments, scrubs and creams are not aimed at the fat, but on the skin: these measures improve blood flow and tone, make the skin more elastic. This can make cellulite less noticeable, but does not affect the state of fat cells. A balanced diet, moderate exercise, good sleep, quitting smoking and other good habits can also help - universal recommendations in any situation.
The anti-cellulite advertising campaign attacks the consumer’s brain in such a way that cellulite has become a stigma and is considered a sign of laziness, promiscuity and a sedentary lifestyle. In fact, many active women, including professional athletes, have a necessary - and visible - fatty layer. It is a little sad that we have to look at each other's hips in order to feel confident. We hope that sports observers will someday get rid of the sexist custom to endlessly remove the athletes' priests at competitions and focus on the score. But, cynically, these photos make it possible to understand that cellulite is present both in miniature Lucimara da Silva, and in powerful Serena Williams - and this does not prevent them from being strong, dexterous and beautiful.
In sports, muscle mass is increased and fat is burned, but with a healthy approach, this happens with the preservation of the hormonal, and hence the fat balance in the woman's body. Physical activity makes cellulite less noticeable due to improved blood circulation in the skin, but even professional bodybuilders have problems with self-esteem due to such a natural thing as the uneven surface of the thighs.
Despite the fact that 80-98 percent of women have cellulite, we are not only accustomed to be ashamed of it - but we often consider it normal to poison those who come to hand with the “unsuccessful photo”. This is extremely beneficial cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies that earn on our complexes. Every time we buy anti-cellulite products and services, we not only fill their pockets, but also invest in our own insecurity.
About the importance of a healthy body attitude
The only way to change the view on cellulite is to counter the advertising picture with a real picture. So says Canadian blogger Kenzi Brenna, who has coped with her dysmorphobia and eating disorder, began to lead a healthy lifestyle and launched the #CelluliteSaturday campaign on the Web. Within its framework, Kenzie calls on every Saturday to upload photos of cellulite. This hashtag should help girls form a realistic visual environment and unite in the fight against inappropriate shame.
More and more celebrities are taking on a body positive agenda. Kim Kardashian frankly told about the British Cosmopolitan cellulite: "I have cellulite - and what's the big deal? It is stupid to assume that a person should be perfect simply because of the attention of the press." According to Kim, ice cream with cookies and cream is well worth cellulite dimples. Rapps Iggy Azalea also believes that they should not be shy: "It is important that people see that celebrities, including me, have cellulite and that we know about it. I have no problems with this, I am still sure in herself, "she says in an interview with the WHO magazine.
For biased attitude to the natural properties of our body, whether it is fat, menstruation, sweat or tears, as a rule, shame and fear are hidden, and in the marketing strategies of many companies, unfortunately, is still not without speculation on these human feelings. But almost every one of us has cellulite - and this is absolutely normal. It is important to develop a healthy attitude to your body, learn to love it and appreciate the changes that are happening to it.
Images: 1, 2 via Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons
