Beneath the skin are a large number of fat cells that form those orange peel type effects everyone knows as cellulite; although it can be found anywhere, it is primarily in a persons lower half. This is not a situation purely confined to those who carry excess weight; 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. Health experts have been trying to discover the cause for some time as it is not a condition that affects every woman but they believe it does have some connection to the way the fat cells are made and possibly how toxins enter and are stored within 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.

Even women who do not appear to have cellulite may have them and sometimes this is visible when the skin is compressed as in the case of squatting or when it is pinched between the thumb and forefinger; however as most women suffer with at some stage it seems to be a perfectly normal condition. Although it may not be known what causes, some factors seem to contribute to its build up including age, sex, extra fat carried and skin thickness all seem to aid the formation.

Despite research, science has no answers to the definitive cause which means that any manufacturer can make claims but how to rid people of the condition including creams to make it disappear. Where cellulite removal massage is offered at a clinic, all that is done is deep tissue massage which just masks the affect so it cannot be seen as readily.

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. Only temporary relief can be gained from both these procedures and liposuction despite its success at removing deep fat from large areas of the body, is not designed for the fats close to the surface as in the case of cellulite.

Whilst the creams that claim to burn the fat deposits away may not be very successful, the latest generation is designed to hide the condition although once again this is a short term answer. So far the best method is back to basics combining a healthy diet with exercise that gradually burns off the fat but not the connective tissue where it is found.

Many toxins that accumulate in the body can be flushed out with regular amounts of water which some believe is still an effective way to keep the body free of harmful substances including the toxins which help with the formation of cellulite.