Anti-cellulite Plan: External Treatments
Every day you should carry out body-brushing as part of the anti-cellulite programme. Once you've finished body-brushing, and after any bath or shower you take, you should apply an external cellulite treatment. No matter what the hype tells you, these will not melt away your cellulite. Instead, you're aiming to plump up the dermis using moisturizing ingredients (which helps disguise the cellulite), to firm and tone the skin and to boost circulation.
Look for creams that contain one or more of the following ingredients: Retinol. This is possibly the most important, since it has been clinically proven to improve skin tone. Horse chestnut. This has been used in research trials to strengthen weakened veins and boost circulation. Gotu kola. This helps build healthy collagen when taken as a supplement and may also work externally. Caffeine. This works as a diuretic, but may also trigger enzymes that switch on cells that cause fat to be released. Aminophylline. This may also help promote fat-burning; it's certainly been shown to shrink thighs.
If you would prefer to use aromatherapy oils to treat your cellulite, choose oils that strengthen the skin and decrease fluid. A good blend would be: one drop of fennel (do not use this if you are epileptic), one drop of cypress, one drop of grapefruit and two drops of juniper, added to 10ml of carrier oil. Use this for a massage or put it in a warm bath. (Do not use this blend of oils if you're pregnant.) Apply your chosen treatment to the affected areas in an upward motion. Don't knead and press the skin in an attempt to squeeze down the cellulite. This can damage the skin further and also doesn't aid the lymph flow or the circulation. When rubbing anything into your legs, always use long, gentle strokes.
Also carry out a weekly lymph massage. Use sunscreen. Having a tan disguises cellulite, but sunlight is the number one degrader of collagen and elastin fibres. Just 4 minutes of sun exposure in high summer can be shown to break them down. If you must have a tan, use a fake one.