4 Ways to Reduce Cellulite at Legs

Most women and some men end up with leg cellulite. While having a deposit of fat that looks like the dimples of cottage cheese may cause you to feel insecure about exposing your upper thighs and buttocks, cellulite is more of a cosmetic issue than a bonafide medical problem. Many products and seemingly innovative techniques claim to reduce or entirely remove leg cellulite, but the vast majority of them haven't been proven to be effective. If you don't want to waste money you should know what methods are most likely to help you remove cellulite from your legs.

bStart a diet and fitness regimen that combines reduced caloric intake and regular exercise. Since some cellulite is associated with excess body weight, you should eat a well-balanced diet and get a mixture of aerobic and strength training exercise. When you eat well, burn off excess calories, and tone all of your major muscle groups, you can reduce the appearance of cellulite and (more importantly) you are at less risk of developing health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. You may also notice an improved self-image.

Step 2

Submit your body to radio frequency and laser systems. Some clinics offer systems that incorporate tissue massage and infrared light or radio frequencies to reduce the appearance of cellulite. According to the Mayo Clinic, many of these systems (if done on a regular basis) can improve cellulite for as long as six months at a time.

Step 3

Get a massage. Proponents of massage for cellulite claim that the tissue manipulation will get rid of toxins, improve circulation, and reduce fluid that has accumulated in areas where cellulite is most visible. Beyond getting a massage by a massage therapist, some massage treatments involve the use of new technology. According to a Vanderbilt University Medical Center study published in the November/December edition of Aesthetic Surgery Journal, a treatment known as Endermologie may be effective in reducing the appearance of cellulite. This technique uses a hand-held machine which uses a small vacuum-like device as it kneads skin between rollers.

Step 4

Avoid investing too much of your time and money in treatments that have never shown real signs of working. Specialized "cellulite treating" skin creams, as well as the ever-invasive liposuction and a technique known as mesotherapy, fit into this category. Skin creams may be a little safer and less expensive than liposuction and mesotherapy, but they may cause negative skin reactions such as rashes. And in case you've never heard of it, mesotherapy--which involves the injection of a solution that contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, herbal extracts--is also widely applauded as an effective treatment, but it is also can cause even greater problems than cellulite. Think: infection.