Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
There is no such thing as cellulite. The fat on a woman's
hips and thighs is the same as the fat anywhere else. She has
skin on the outside, fat in the middle and muscles and fascia
underneath the fat. Tiny bands of fiber called ligaments run from
the fascia, through the fat and attach on the skin. When fat is
stored on the hips and thighs, it pushes the skin upwards, while
the ligaments hold the skin down, causing an orange peel
appearance from the little dots where each ligament attaches to
the skin.
Getting rid of fat gets rid of the dimpling, but for women
who store fat primarily in their hips and thighs (rather than their
bellies), this can be very difficult. You can be skinny everywhere
else and still have dimpled thighs. Don’t be deceived by creams
and other products that promise to get rid of cellulite; they are
worthless.
January 8, 2006