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Cellulite
Classification and external resources
The dimpled appearance of cellulite
MedlinePlus	002033

larger scale uneveness of the skin

Cellulite is sometimes known as cottage cheese or orange peel

Cellulite describes a condition that is claimed to occur in most women,^[1] where the skin of the lower limbs, abdomen, and pelvic region becomes dimpled.^[2] There is no such thing as cellulite. ^[3]The term was first used in the 1920s and began appearing in English language publications in the late 1960s, the earliest reference in Vogue magazine, "Like a swift migrating fish the word cellulite has suddenly crossed the Atlantic."^[4] Its existence as a real disorder has been questioned,^[5] and the prevailing medical opinion is that it is merely the "normal condition of many women and some men".^[6] One cosmetic company has noted its historical place in industrialised societies as an "inappropriate term used by women to describe curves which they judge to be too plump and not very aesthetic".^[7]

Synonyms include: adiposis edematosa, dermopanniculosis deformans, status protrusus cutis, and gynoid lipodystrophy. Descriptive names for cellulite include orange peel syndrome, and cottage cheese skin.

[edit] Epidemiology

Cellulite is thought to be common in most women.^[8] There appears to be a hormonal component to its presentation. It is rarely seen in males,^[2] but is more common in males with androgen-deficient states such as Klinefelter's syndrome, hypogonadism, post-castration states and in those patients receiving oestrogen therapy for prostate cancer. The cellulite becomes more severe as the androgen deficiency worsens in these males.

[edit] Causes

The causes of cellulite are poorly understood,^[9] and may involve changes in metabolism and physiology such as gender specific dimorphic skin architecture, alteration of connective tissue structure, vascular changes and inflammatory processes.^{[1][2][9][10]}

[edit] Hormonal factors

Hormones play a dominant role in the formation of cellulite. Estrogen may be the important hormone and initiate and aggravate cellulite. However, there has been no reliable clinical evidence to support such a claim. Other hormones including insulin, the catecholamines adrenaline and noradrenaline, thyroid hormones, and prolactin are all believed to participate in the development of cellulite.^[2]

[edit] Predisposing factors

Several genetic factors have been shown to affect the development of cellulite. Gender, race, biotype,^[11] a hormone receptor allele that determines the receptor number and sensitivity, distribution of subcutaneous fat, and predisposition to circulatory insufficiency have all been shown to contribute to cellulite.^[2]

[edit] Diet

Dieting has shown to have variable effects on improving or worsening the appearance of cellulite.^[12]

[edit] Lifestyle

A high stress lifestyle will cause an increase in the level of catecholamines, which have also been associated with the evolution of cellulite. ^[2]

[edit] Treatment

Numerous therapies for the treatment of cellulite are available, but the empirical evidence for the efficacy of these strategies is limited. In an interview with the New York Times, Dr. Molly Wanner, an instructor in dermatology at Harvard Medical School and an author of a 2008 evidence-based review of existing treatments, asserted, “At this point, there is no outstanding treatment for cellulite.”^[13] Dr. Michael F. McGuire, a clinical associate professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, confirmed that “realistically there is no cure for cellulite.”^[13]

The most beneficial therapy may be to control lifestyle factors.^{[citation needed]} Dr. Jeffrey Dover, director of SkinCare Physicians, a dermatology practice in Chestnut Hill, Mass., says: "Some people have misrepresented the truth to suggest that there’s a lot you can do [to treat cellulite].”^[13]

[edit] References