[funniegrrl]

Excellent op-ed piece in the NY Times regarding the new Dove marketing campaign and anti-cellulite creams in general can be found here:

Fat Chance by Jessica Seigel

[flipafart]

the best way to get rid of cellulite, and this really works is to build muscle. you will never see any bodybuilders with cellulite. so there you go a simple but not easy cure

[funniegrrl]

As the article explains, "cellulite" is a made-up problem. There is no such thing as cellulite. What IS there is connective tissue that loosens with age, allowing fat to push through and give a dimpled appearance. This is a more common condition with women than men because the structure under the skin is weaker to begin with, and we naturally carry more fat. Trim, fit girls in their late teens can have "cellulite." Reducing the amount of fat under the skin can help. The reason body builders seem to not have any is not only because of the muscle but their very low body fat %. So, yes, strength training and fat reduction will improve the appearance, but building muscle won't "get rid of cellulite."

[MrsJim]

Originally Posted by funniegrrl

As the article explains, "cellulite" is a made-up problem. There is no such thing as cellulite. What IS there is connective tissue that loosens with age, allowing fat to push through and give a dimpled appearance. This is a more common condition with women than men because the structure under the skin is weaker to begin with, and we naturally carry more fat. Trim, fit girls in their late teens can have "cellulite." Reducing the amount of fat under the skin can help. The reason body builders seem to not have any is not only because of the muscle but their very low body fat %. So, yes, strength training and fat reduction will improve the appearance, but building muscle won't "get rid of cellulite."

I think what you're saying is that 'cellulite' isn't a MEDICAL term (or at least, wasn't originally coined by the medical profession). However, it seems the medical establishment HAS taken an interest in cellulite - a search on Medline reveals 63 studies which have references to cellulite.

There ARE bodybuilders who have cellulite - I lift weights regularly and yup, I do have the stuff. but I don't let it bother me. It's not as bad as it was, and I do believe that exercise including weight training helps a ton. I also use some of the various firming lotions on the market (including Dove's - but whichever one is on sale - Suave, Jergens, etc) because I think they do make my skin a little firmer and smoother; I don't think they're going to make my cellulite magically disappear or anything though.

Besides, I'd buy body lotion anyway. I like the Dove Firming Cream; it's very rich and emollient. I also like the Jergens Firming Lotion.

The thing I don't get is why the NY Times opinion piece picks on Dove. There are far worse offenders out there - I haven't seen any Dove ads that call their product 'anti-cellulite' - meanwhile there are many, many other brands out there using the term "anti-cellulite" such as Neutrogena, Avon, L'Oreal, and others. Dove's "Campaign for Real Beauty" has certainly caused a stir; perhaps the author wanted 'in' on the furor?

(BTW, I *like* the ads, personally...I've also tried several various Dove products lately - so far, I've liked the ones I've used; my favorite is the Foam Hair Conditioner along with the Firming Cream.)

[Amarantha2]

I like the Jergens firming lotion. I don't know if it makes my skin "firm" or not, as that's kind of subjective and I tend to doubt a lotion can do that, but it seems to.