Beneath the skin are a large number of fat cells that form those orange peel type effects everyone knows as cellulite; whilst some areas are more susceptible than others, most sufferers find they are affected in areas below the waist. Although additional fat is normal in women, this is not just a problem exclusive to overweight women; the cottage cheese appearance so familiar with this condition can affect slim women as well.

Fat beneath the surface of the skin pushes against connective tissue causing it to give that dimpled look commonly known as cellulite. In reality, nobody knows the real reason why some people accumulate these fats and not others, but there are some factors that health experts are considering such as the structure of the fat cells or toxins that enter the body.

Two components of the skin that decrease with age are elastin and collagen, both of which may be responsible for the increase of these fatty cells as women grow older. Women are more prone to hormonal imbalances as they age and the fat found in their thighs and buttocks where it forms is different to the fat in other areas, unlike men who rarely suffer with this condition.

The presence of cellulite is not always prominent, unless one tries to pinch the upper skin of one's thigh; should it feel lumpy then you most certainly have it but a woman should not feel bad about having it, since most have this condition to a certain degree. After a great deal of research, certain conditions do help with the formation and retention of the fat cells; the age of the person, their gender, how thick their skin is and the amount of extra fat they carry, all play a part.

One thing for sure is that technology has not as yet devised a miracle potion or treatment that can eradicate it completely. A large number of cosmetic clinics are now offering a massage service which they say rids the cellulite but it in fact hides it by puffing up the skin in the areas affected.

Liposuction is sometimes used to remove fats generally from the body and can be attempted for this condition as well but the use of drugs injected into the cells to remove it is costly and out of reach for most women. The problem with liposuction is not really the correct therapy for removing this type of fat but is for deeper fats, not those stuck in connective tissue, so it cannot claim to be a best treatment for cellulite.

There isn't one single therapy or treatment that can rid someone of these fat deposits and even special burning creams provide dubious results; however the most recent creams available seem to just hide the effects or offer a temporary fix. It can only really be reduced as part of an overall weight reduction program through adopting a healthy eating and living plan, together with increasing exercise, so that body fat is reduced rather than connective tissues.

If this is also followed by the adoption of drinking plenty of fresh water every day; unwanted toxins which can help in the formation of cellulite in the tissue are gradually removed.