myths / cellulite myths / fat myths

Cupping for cellulite: does it work?

Cupping for cellulite: does it work?

“Does cupping work for cellulite?” This is a common question we are asked at the clinic and on this article I am going to explain how effective cupping is for cellulite, according to both science and my own practical experience (I have practised different types of cupping treatments for cellulite reduction already a good 20 years ago)…

Break down cellulite: does this phrase really mean anything?

Break down cellulite: does this phrase really mean anything?

It is a common question from clients: “Does XYZ treatment “break down” cellulite?” Of course “breaking down the cellulite” doesn’t mean anything at all. Cellulite is a multifaceted aesthetic condition, comprising four physical manifestations in different proportions: water retention/poor circulation, fat accumulation, fibrosis, skin looseness….

Radiofrequency treatment is like resistance exercise for your skin

Radiofrequency treatment is like resistance exercise for your skin

Deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency provided under at intensity just under the pain threshold is the most effective SAFE skin tightening and cellulite reduction treatment available today (superficial or low-power RF doesn’t work). Radiofrequency works by stimulating collagen contraction, collagen cell proliferation, collagen and elastin…

Cryolipolysis vs radio frequency vs cavitation: what is best?

Cryolipolysis vs radio frequency vs cavitation: what is best?

This is a common question at the clinic: “What is best, coolsculpting/cryolipolysis/fat freezing or radiofrequency?” However, as this question is very generic, it invites another question: “What is best for which outcome? For fat reduction, cellulite removal or skin tightening?”

Is vegan diet good for cellulite?

Is vegan diet good for cellulite?

“Vegan diet is healthy, so it must be good to help get rid of cellulite, right”? This is a question I hear often at the clinic and my answer is, “not necessarily”. Indeed veganism, or at least vegetarianism is good for the planet, and indeed can be good for your health and appearance, but not necessarily…

Can collagen increase the size of the buttocks?

Can collagen increase the size of the buttocks?

This is a question asked by a website reader a few days ago, meaning collagen supplements, and the quick and simple answer is an unequivocal: no, collagen cannot make your bum, breast or other body area bigger. After several months of use (not days or weeks), hydrolysed collagen supplements: help firm up skin (especially hydrolysed collagen type I and III); partially help prevent cellulite; help protect your joints from wear and tear (especially…

When to have a course of cellulite / skin tightening treatments for maximum results before holidays

When to have a course of cellulite / skin tightening treatments for maximum results before holidays

If your cellulite treatment is a clay body wrap, lymphatic massage, mechanical massage with vacuum suction or anything similarly short-lasting, yes. Have the last session just 1-2 days before your holidays and hopefully that will last you up to one week into your holidays. However, if you are having a real cellulite / skin tightening treatment that aims for long-term results, such as deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency or high-power ultrasound cavitation, the best thing to do is finish your sessions about a month before your holidays or thereabouts…

Cellulite creams vs cellulite treatments

Cellulite creams vs cellulite treatments

This is a common question we hear at the clinic. Cellulite creams are much more economical than treatments, so if they do work they make more sense, at least economically. On the other hand, many people do not believe that creams are even absorbed or they believe that their benefits are due to massaging the cream on the legs, two myths that we addressed in detail in previous articles. Of course a good cellulite cream is absorbed; and the effect of massaging the cream into the skin is negligible. On this article we are looking at the pros and cons of cellulite treatments vs cellulite creams.

How can I tone my glutes without growing them?

How can I tone my glutes without growing them?

The gluteus maximus is a muscle which almost no man or woman can have enough of, simply because it makes the butt area look strong, beautifully curvy and sexy. However, some people would prefer to have just a toned butt but not too toned or big. How can one do that? It’s simple. Do lots of intensive resistance exercise two to three times a week, for several weeks. And when you reach the stage where your muscles don’t just tone but they start growing bigger, stop and switch to maintenance resistance training for that area, once every two weeks…

Avocados, avocado oil and cellulite

Avocados, avocado oil and cellulite

Avocados are fruits rich in fat and in fibre - they contain about 15% fat, with 10% being oleic acid, a monounsaturated, omega-9 fatty acid. Avocado oil, being a fatty extract of the avocados, contains 100% fat, of which about 70% is monounsaturated oleic acid. Monounsaturated fat is a neutral fat that, from a health point of view, can be consumed in high quantities without the negative aspects that too much omega-6 fat can have on…

Does radio frequency melt fat? The hype and the facts.

Does radio frequency melt fat? The hype and the facts.

I don’t know where this “fat melting” idea came from, but those who invented this phrase a few decades ago, should have known that fat is already liquid in fat cells. In fact, scientists call the lipid content in fat cells “the adipocyte lipid droplet”. So next time you visit a clinic where they claim to melt your fat…

Do cellulite creams work? Facts vs marketing hype.

Do cellulite creams work? Facts vs marketing hype.

In a previous article we have discussed the differences, merits and drawbacks of cellulite creams vs cellulite treatments. On this article we are focusing a bit more on why a good, concentrated, multi-ingredient cellulite cream can play an important role in cellulite reduction, more than what most women assume.

Radiofrequency lipolysis for fat reduction and weight loss: does it work?

Radiofrequency lipolysis for fat reduction and weight loss: does it work?

Claims that a non-surgical treatment (be it ultrasound, radiofrequency, laser, electromagnetic waves etc) removes fat from the body completely, by first "melting the fat which is then removed from the body via the kidneys and the urine" are utterly false (pure lies, basically) and have no physiological basis...

Can radiofrequency dissolve fillers or Botox?

Can radiofrequency dissolve fillers or Botox?

Radiofrequency increases the metabolism of tissues where it is applied. Increased metabolism will result to increased breakdown of products such as fillers and botox. Furthermore, certain types of radiofrequency, such as high frequency RF, should not be used on fillers, as temperature may increase disproportionately inside the filler, potentially causing damage…

Does liposuction get rid of cellulite?

Does liposuction get rid of cellulite?

To understand whether liposuction can help with cellulite we have to know what kind of fat liposuction removes and what kind of fat cellulite is made of. In addition to deep fat, found deep inside the stomach (visceral fat) and intramuscular fat, found inside muscles (as in “marble fat” in steaks), there are two other types of fat on the human body which are found on the surface of the body: subcutaneous fat, which is found under the skin; and hypodermal and dermal fat, which is found inside the skin…

Quinoa, protein and cellulite

Quinoa, protein and cellulite

As is common with many foods novel to Europe and the US, it was cleverly marketed as "superfood" by the media, in their quest for sensationalistic titles and internet traffic. One clever marketing idea is that quinoa is “protein”, meaning that quinoa is a food rich in protein. Is this correct? Let’s have a look at the facts…

Is it the cellulite cream itself, or massaging it into the skin, that works?

Is it the cellulite cream itself, or massaging it into the skin, that works?

Is it the cellulite cream that works or the massaging action by which the cream is applied? This is the natural evolution of “creams don’t get absorbed” idea. If creams do not get absorbed and yet people are happy with them, that means that something else works, other than the cream. And what else can that be than massaging the cream into the skin? Makes sense, right? Well, let’s look at the facts…

Cellulite “before and after” pictures on Instagram? 95%+ are fake, don't fall for the smooth operators.

Cellulite “before and after” pictures on Instagram? 95%+ are fake, don't fall for the smooth operators.

It is so easy to be fooled by Instagram pictures of C-list celebs "undergoing a non-surgical bum lift procedure" or experience an “amazing transformation” with their cellulite. Don't fall for them. The sad truth is that the vast majority of "before & after" photos found on most websites and on Instagram are simply fake, aiming to take advantage of the public's ignorance and gullibility. Read below about specific examples of the most common tricks….

Do fizzy / soda drinks cause cellulite? The roles of carbonation, caffeine, sugar, sweeteners and BPA lining in drink cans

Do fizzy / soda drinks cause cellulite? The roles of carbonation, caffeine, sugar, sweeteners and BPA lining in drink cans

Fizzy drinks have been implicated as one of the main causes of cellulite. However, not all fizzy drinks are the same. Different fizzy drink ingredients have a different effect on cellulite: some are detrimental to the health and appearance of your thighs and butt, whilst a small minority are absolutely harmless, all depending on their ingredients found in them.

Coffee, lipolysis, fat loss and cellulite: facts vs myths

Coffee, lipolysis, fat loss and cellulite: facts vs myths

All you ever wanted to know about caffeine, weight loss, fat reduction and cellulite. If caffeine is lipolytic, why doesn't coffee help me lose weight? How do caffeine creams help with local fat loss and cellulite? Why does caffeine cause cellulite? Get the facts, not the hype with our detailed guide based on science.