Diagnosing Cellulite
Cellulite is a real medical condition that follows a predictable path of development. It typically starts with a few broken veins or tiny areas of discoloration and a tendency to bruise easily. This early stage may be missed, but it soon develops into the distinctive "orange peel" appearance as the tissue under the skin becomes swollen and distended. If left unchecked this frequently develops into the "mattress skin" stage in which the skin feels cool to the touch. After this the tissues deteriorate further into islands of concentrated blood flow that feel hot and are surrounded by cold cellulite tissue. The lack of circulation in the damaged cellulite tissues finally results in more fat and fiber accumulation along with fluid retention to produce a honeycomb structure of swollen lumpy tissue that disfigures the body profile known as steatomes.

How Does Cellulite Begin?
Cellulite is caused by damage to the delicate capillary or drainage system in the fat layer under the skin. It begins when the circulation in the capillaries, veins or lymphatic drainage vessels under the skin slows down. This leads to sluggish or even static regions of blood or lymph flow, which allows highly reactive chemicals known as free radicals to attack the walls of the capillaries, veins or lymph vessels as well as the surrounding tissues. Once damage has occurred in one of the circulatory systems in this fatty layer it spreads to the others, leading to accumulation of lymph in the tissues. This all happens without any outward signs other than perhaps a tendency for cuts and bruises to heal more slowly.

In these "pools" of lymph accumulation protein fibers tend to precipitate out and form fibers; these fibers are laid down around groups of fat cells giving rise to a lumpy appearance on the skin; this is the beginning of the cellulite cycle.

What Causes the "Orange Peel" Effect?
As the circulation slows and lymph accumulates in the fatty tissue under the skin more and more protein fibers are formed. Normally cells known as fibroblasts would dissolve these abnormal protein fibers, but as the circulation and drainage deteriorate these fibroblasts become defective because they are starved of oxygen and nutrients. Instead of removing the protein fibers and maintaining a network of fine, elastic, supporting fibers they build thicker, less flexible webs of fiber around groups of fat cells.

Fat cells have fat-storing and fat-releasing receptor sites. Different parts of the body have fat cells with more fat storing sites or more fat-releasing sites. This is why many women tend to store fat on certain parts of the body and lose it on other parts, frequently giving rise to the familiar pear shaped body. Cellulite areas usually have fat cells with more fat-storing sites. This means that any fatty substances in the lymph surrounding the damaged tissues are quickly taken up by the fat cells and stored. During exercise the body demands energy and the fat cells should release fat into the blood for consumption by the muscles. The damaged cellulite tissues are not able to respond, however, due to the damaged circulation so fat from other areas is used and the cellulite areas continue to build up fatty deposits.

The combination of thick, rigid fibers and increasing fat along with distended tissues caused by fluid retention gives rise to the "orange peel" appearance of the skin we associate with the first stages of cellulite. Without treatment the cycle of damage accelerates causing patches of isolated fatty tissue that feel cold to the touch separated by "hot" zones where blood circulation is concentrated. This is known as the "mattress skin" stage and progresses to the formation of large fatty lumps known as steatomes.

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