The Cellulite Mystery Revealed (Part 3) – What Aggravates Cellulite
In Part 1 of this article series we discussed about cellulite in general. In Part 2, we discussed about how cellulite develops. In this article, let us discuss about some of the key factors that aggravate cellulite.
As mentioned in the last article, the connective collagen bands in the skin of women produce large chambers that can store large amounts of fat globules.
Unfortunately, these long collagen bands in women can be easily weakened by a host of factors. Over filling of the fat chambers stretches these weakened bands to its limit. The weakened bands aggravated by an overflowing compartment, forces a deep protrusion into the skin. This gives rise to the lumpy and unsightly appearance of cellulite. But what causes these bands to weaken and the storage chambers to overfill in the first place?
Hormonal Effect on Cellulite
Cellulite is mostly found in women when they undergo hormonal changes such as puberty, pregnancy, and menopause and also whilst taking birth control pills.
Estrogen in women is responsible for the development of secondary sex characteristics such as breasts and plays an important role in regulating the menstrual cycles. Before childbirth, estrogen is released to soften the fibrous tissue that shuts the womb. Without estrogen, childbirth is not possible.
Estrogen promotes the release of the enzyme collagenase. This peaks before a woman’s menstrual cycle. Collagenase is an enzyme that breaks down collagen. When collagenase breaks down part of the collagen bands under the skin, the body attempts to repair the damage with fibrous scar tissue. This scar tissue attempts to fill in the gaps created by the degraded collagen. While undamaged collagen bands have more flexibility, scarred bands are extremely stiff and this worsens the dimpling effect.
For this reason, women on birth control pills have higher tendencies to develop cellulite.
Cortisol is released by the body at times of stress. Cortisol levels can remain elevated over prolonged periods in women who are subjected to chronic and persistent stress. Cortisol promotes the deposition of fat in the problem areas such as the abdomen, thighs and buttocks as documented in the Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism Journal.
Obesity
Being obese or overweight simply means that you are carrying a larger amount of fat. A large part of this excess fat will be stored under the skin in the fat chambers. The excess fat will fill up the fat chambers very quickly and even causing these chambers to over-fill. This makes the dimpling effect even more prominent.
In Part 4 of this article series, we will further discuss about the effects of a sedentary lifestyle on cellulite.
Get The Best FREE 30 Day Weight Loss Program for Men and Women
This 30 day Correct Weight Loss program is based on the sound principles of healthy and holistic weight loss. Lose weight correctly once and for all. The program includes basic weight loss education, nutrition and supplementation advice and daily exercise worksheets. Find out more about the Correct Weight Loss Diva program for women and Correct Weight Loss Alpha program for men.
// Categories: Science & Research
// Tags: cellulite, cortisol, cortisol and cellulite, cortisol and weight gain, dimpling effect, effect of cortisol on cellulite, fat globules, how cellulite is formed, perpendicular collagen fibres, skin connective tissue, stubborn fat, weight loss and menstruation, what causes cellulite, why cellulite, why men dont get cellulite, why women get cellulite, X collagen fibres Back to top
Download FREE Ebook that tells you all you need to know about Alcohol and Weight Loss. 
