
The lies we've been told about cellulite
As a Gen X-er, I grew up dreading the prospect of cellulite. That's what happens when you come of age in the 'circle of shame' era, where bodily imperfections are highlighted with a red marker pen in gossip magazines and used to discredit women (it's always women) who fail to look smooth and perfect. Cellulite, we were told, doesn't discriminate. Rich or poor, fat or thin, it was coming for you. As someone who is largely desk-bound, under-hydrated and eats a packet of crisps a day, it was definitely coming for me.
Which it did, some time in my late forties. But only in my fifties did it become so 'bad' that I resolved to hide it, rather than inflict its dimpled unloveliness on the world. As a lifelong shorts wearer, this felt like a loss. But were wide-leg linen trousers so bad? Clearly not, since every midlife woman I knew seemed to own a pair.
My decision lasted for two days – not because I hate wide-leg linen trousers (I do) or found a miracle cure (as if), but because I went to a music festival. This confirmed what I already suspected: that younger women are far more tolerant and accepting of their bodies than the self-critical, apologetic women of my generation. Gen Z women don't hide their cellulite: they celebrate it, even highlighting it with painted stripes of glitter.
Granted, the glitter trend might largely be contained to festivals and parties. But the trend for short shorts and even shorter minis seems to be embraced by thighs of every size, shape and texture. This feels as emboldening for me as it does for my teenage daughters, as it has the knock-on effect of making other woman feel less self-critical and self-conscious.
Brought up on a diet of body positivity instead of cabbage soup, for Gen Z, the idea that only the svelte and smooth of thigh should dare to bare theirs is anathema. 'I don't think my legs are perfect, but I wouldn't hide them away – I'll put some fake tan on and try not to obsess,' says Maya, 16. 'I don't massively love her music, but in terms of body diversity, I do think someone like [singer] Lola Young is a better role model than the pop stars in my mum's day. She had strong women like Madonna, but they were all the same size – tiny.'
Just as Gen Z is more accepting of their bodies, they're also less accepting of spurious advertisements for products that claim to improve them. As every woman knows, no promises are more outlandish than those that pertain to the reduction and erasure of cellulite. When an ad for a product purporting to 'smooth the look of cellulite, compressing and lifting loose skin' popped up on my Instagram feed, I was horrified that someone was charging £22.50 for what was essentially two bits of see-through duct tape. But Gen Z mobilised. 'Sellotaping my legs on a hot day? No thanks,' wrote one in the comments. 'The fact that you say cellulite is normal but try to profit from women's insecurity about having cellulite is wild to me,' wrote another. 'Also, single use plastic? Really?'
What is cellulite?
Regardless of your age, it always pays to separate the facts about cellulite from the increasingly outlandish fictions. Cellulite is caused when the skin overlying fat (usually on thighs, stomach, bottom and arms) is pulled downwards by fibrous connective tissue. The collagen fibres between skin and muscle separate the fat into multiple pockets, a process which can be amplified with age (the skin becomes thinner and loses elasticity), as well as by poor diet or a sedentary lifestyle. It's also genetic: if you're amongst the 10 per cent of people who won't get it, you can live as you please.
Even if you do embrace cellulite but want to reduce the appearance of it, there are some things you could try. I asked Georgios Tzenichristos, a physicist and former competitive athlete who's been specialising in cellulite since 2001, whether it's possible to get rid of cellulite. His LipoTherapeia treatment, the culmination of 24 years of study, experience and research in cellulite and skin tightening, is a favourite with A-listers and billionaires for its science-based approach and its refusal to over-promise.
The 'fat' myth
'There are so many myths,' he laments. 'The 'cellulite equals fat' equation is wrong: cellulite and fat are two different things. It's not all water retention, it's not all fascia, coffee doesn't cause cellulite, and the idea that you can get rid of it permanently with a couple of treatments is simply not possible. Cellulite reduction is a gradual process, not an overnight success. This means 6-12 weekly sessions for most people. In most cases, you can't eliminate all of the cellulite because by the time you show up at a clinic, permanent changes have already taken place inside your skin. Prevention is the key.'
Which brings us to exercise. Can the right form of exercise prevent it, if not cure? 'Building muscle can certainly improve the look of cellulite,' says skin specialist Sophie Smith, co-founder of Grand Aesthetics. 'Strength training – especially lower-body moves like squats, lunges and glute bridges – helps add definition and firmness under the skin, which naturally reduces the appearance of dimpling. I'm also a fan of Emsculpt, which is like a supercharged muscle workout that also helps tighten the skin. It's not a magic fix, but when combined with consistent training and hydration, it can make a visible difference.'
In-clinic or at-home treatments
As someone who saw little change after five sessions of Endermologie, a lymphatic drainage massage performed by a therapist with a hand-held device hooked up to a machine (French women swear by it, and while it was certainly relaxing, it was also £130 for 60 minutes), I'm protective of my money and time.
So what can I try at home? 'It is actually possible to dramatically reduce the appearance of cellulite, but only if you treat it at its root,' says Lucy Goff, founder of LYMA Laser Pro, an at-home device developed to smooth cellulite and tighten skin. 'Cellulite isn't a surface issue, so creams and massages won't fix it. It's caused by structural tension deep beneath the skin. Our technology is able to penetrate up to 10cm without any heat, damage or downtime. Other treatments, such as radiofrequency or microneedling, can help, but they rely on causing controlled damage. The LYMA Laser Pro does the opposite: it heals, regenerates and rebuilds.'
Body Blur skin perfector, £33, Vita Liberata
It sounds promising, but at £4,995, it also sounds expensive. Maybe I'll take a leaf out of 16-year-old Maya's book, and slap on some fake tan for now. Inspired by a friend, I'm going to try Vita Liberata's Body Blur (£33), a self-tan that claims to disguise imperfections and give skin a subtle glow. It certainly gave my friend (still wearing shorts at 52) the legs of a 16-year-old. If only we could bottle a 16-year-old's confidence. Or better still, their ability to not to care.

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