It looks like we can thank Vogue
magazine for introducing us to cellulite, as they first used the term in the 1920s "Like a swift migrating fish, the word cellulite has
suddenly crossed the Atlantic.”
Before this point women were not
generally as scantily clad in public and so would not have been thinking about
how their skin looked; in fact they probably had more relevant considerations
such as, how to get hold of contraception, their financial dependency and whether
they were ever going to get the vote. Nowadays, however, cellulite is a multi-million
pound industry, with even very young girls worrying about whether they have a
thigh gap or not, and why is it dimpled? Well, medical opinion seems to err on
the side of it being normality; after all, 85-90% of post-adolescent women seem
to have it, so can it really be a problem? It has even been described as an "inappropriate term used by
women to describe curves which they judge to be too plump and not very
aesthetic”.
The presence of cellulite is thought
to be dependent on sex, and race and one’s genetic bio-type; if your mother had
it, you probably will, but as your mother was female, she probably did have it,
as oestrogen plays a part in its development and women have more body fat than
men – for good reasons, such as storing energy for a possible pregnancy. Women
and men store fat differently, as we all know, not only do we have more body
fat, but our bands of connective tissue are differently structured: in men, the
bands are thicker, more numerous and form a crossed pattern, in women there are
less of them and they are vertical, enabling fat to pucker and poke through. Well, lucky us! (Even
if you are really skinny, you will probably have some layers of fat between
your skin and muscles, so you will still have it.) So, really, it appears to be
a natural condition to women, and nothing to get so worked up about; basically,
if you have breasts, you probably have cellulite, so let’s embrace it and
cosset it! Most men don’t notice it, and are not even aware of its existence on
us. In fact, men are programmed, by nature, to like curves, not coat-hangers! Also,
remember that our daughters see how we feel about our body and mimic it; let’s
try to ensure that they grow up with healthy body images rather than “issues”!
If it is really getting you down, though,
there are a few easy things you can do which will tone the skin and make it
less noticeable:
·
Eating lots of vegetables (ideally raw) and drinking plenty of water
will help your skin to look better in any case, and help reduce any oedema
which can accentuate cellulite.
·
A light tan can make your skin look healthier, and means that you are
getting some of that all-important vitamin D from the sun.
·
Having a cold shower after your regular hot one really does tone the
skin up, and I speak from experience here! Just think of it as standing under a mountain
waterfall: try to enjoy it and in time
you will miss it, if you don’t do it!
·
I like to use Dr Hauschka Lemon and Lemongrass Oil on my thighs and
legs, as it has a gorgeous smell and makes my legs look and feel beautiful. (Any
that is left can be used on the ends of your hair, which makes it smell lovely
and seems to condition it well!)
Please, treat your legs with love,
rather than loathing; after all, they carry us around all day, on unsuitable
shoes most of the time, and then are berated for looking like something that Rembrandt
or Reubens would have loved to paint! Love your cellulite, massage it gently with
the finest organic ingredients, and you will start to notice it less, and love
your body more!
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