Cellulite can be described as a deposit of fat just below the surface of the skin. They are usually located very close to the surface of the skin and that is what gives it the rough, dimpled appearance. This problem isn’t because no one is overweight, as both slim and plus-sized women have the condition, just that it may be more noticeable in heavier women than their lighter counterparts. When fat cells are in abundance, they squeeze and break down the collagen fibers that connect fatty tissues to the body, allowing for the bulge we see.

The cottage cheese skin condition is not considered a medical problem or disease but simply a cosmetic one, as it mainly affects the self-esteem of those who suffer from it. It is also not considered a skin disorder, so seeking treatment is never a life or death issue. Although it is considered a normal appearance on the body that affects women and some men, those who want to get rid of it will stop at nothing to deal with the situation.

The cause of cellulite

The cause of the orange peel condition is not a mystery to anyone. The reason it looks like this is based on how our fatty connective tissues are organized. We all have strands of fatty connective tissue that separate fat cells and skin. In women, these fibers will form a network pattern that looks like a honeycomb, so any increase in one area will appear as a lump.

So why not in men?

The reason you won’t see it on men is that most of the time their fibers are arranged in a horizontal criss-cross pattern which will prevent any kind of bulging or dimpling. Due to the structure of the female skin, as the adipose tissue increases it grows in the upper layers of the skin and this also causes its expansion. The other reason it becomes so apparent in women than men is because women have thinner skin than men, so any internal pressure will become more apparent in women. Orange peel skin occurs for two main reasons:

1. Our tissue changes with age: Those strands that hold connective tissue thicken and our skin becomes thinner.
2. The average woman will lose 5 pounds of muscle and that will be replaced with around 15 pounds of fat after every decade of her life. Because fat is soft, it does not hold the skin taut and requires more space than muscle, so bulging becomes inevitable and the result is the mattress phenomenon or cottage cheese skin condition.

conclusion

Genetics also play a role, as well as our hormones, whether we develop cellulite or not. And because women have a few more hormones in their bodies than men, it becomes clear that they will face a bigger challenge here. There are also some people who simply have more fat cells, weaker veins, poor circulation, hormone sensitivity, and a more delicate lymphatic system.