Dear Rissa,
My New Year’s resolution last January was to start taking care of my body. I’m now eating healthier and have begun to exercise regularly. I’m really happy that I’ve lost some weight. But I noticed I have cellulite on my thighs! What causes this? It’s unsightly and I want to get rid of it. What can I do?
T.S.
Cellulite has always really been a big female concern. According to the Vogue Beauty and Health Encyclopedia, “Cellulite is a kind of fat whose trademark is a dimpled effect on the skin’s surface, called peau d’orange by the French, who coined the word cellulite, too.” Cellulite accumulates on thighs, buttocks, hips, and even knees and ankles.
According to Dr. Ariel Torres, medical doctor at Marie France, simply put, cellulite is “fat trapped under the skin. Even if you exercise or diet, ayaw matanggal.” So what causes it? He explains that for one, it is genetic. “If your mother or grandmother has it, you will also have it,” he says. The food that we eat plays a role, too. Too much spicy and salty food and too much caffeine (coffee lovers, beware — he means anything over one to two cups a day) promote cellulite. Bad dietary habits can cause a high level of waste products to be trapped and dumped as cellulite. Dr. Torres explains that such foods constrict the blood vessels and pathways where fat can exit to be burned for energy use. But a warning to those who diet too much: “Overdieting can also promote cellulite,” Dr. Torres says. When you deprive yourself of food, the body doesn’t know when it will next get its source of energy. This signals the body to store more fat. Torres adds that the appearance of cellulite is also hormonal, such as for mothers who have a hard time getting rid of post-pregnancy fat and cellulite.
But you don’t have to be heavy to have cellulite. Though studies show genes, diet, and lifestyle affect the formation of cellulite, it can affect women of any size, weight, and body structure. Dr. Torres explains that the biggest misconception people have is that cellulite happens only to big or heavy people. “You can be malnourished or 10 pounds underweight and still have cellulite,” he says. Yes, almost every woman has cellulite — even models and your favorite celebrities. “Eight out of 10 women will develop cellulite at one point in their lives,” he states.
Fact is, cellulite doesn’t happen on top of your skin — you can’t wipe it away with creams, lotions or gels. Cellulite forms deep within your skin’s layers. That’s why you need a cellulite treatment that reaches deep inside your skin. Marie France offers VelaContour, a cellulite treatment proven to reduce and even eliminate cellulite. VelaContour is an effective non-surgical, non-invasive machine treatment that smoothens out cellulite while tightening the skin and contouring your body.
VelaContour treatments are available at Marie France. Call 894-BODY (2639); Cebu (032) 233-7637; Pampanga (045) 961-2981 for a free consultation.
Marie France was the first to come out with VelaSmooth, the first machine treatment approved by the FDA for reduction of cellulite and body contouring without needles or surgery. And now, Marie France does it again by introducing VelaContour — the newer, more advanced version of VelaSmooth. The totally redesigned cellulite treatment is able to deliver fat-melting, cellulite-vanquishing energy faster than before. It is done only once a week (instead of twice a week with the old VelaSmooth) and delivers faster and more visible results. Yes, clients will see results sooner, in as little as four to six treatments.
So how does it work? According to Marie France, VelaContour’s attack on cellulite and fat uses Electro-Optical Synergy (ELOS) that combines infrared light and bi-polar radio frequency (RF) together with skin-contouring action through positive and negative procedure. They further explain that what infrared light does is it increases circulation so that energy stored in fat becomes available for burning. Then, the bi-polar RF concentrates on the fatty areas pre-heated by the infrared so that it is focused only on the target area. Lastly, the positive and negative pressures stimulate connective tissues to replace fat mass with lean mass. It also improves lymphatic drainage to increase metabolism.
No painful liposuction or plastic surgery, no sticky creams — just a powerful combination of light, energy, and specially designed rollers to smooth out the skin’s surface and significantly reduce the appearance of cellulite, contour your curves, and reshape your body’s problem areas.
Marie France explains clinical studies have shown that an average circumferential reduction of one to three inches on the treated area can be expected. It not only reduces cellulite but also offers advanced contouring of the body by treating the areas where one can accumulate pockets of fat that are resistant to exercise such as thighs, love handles, and flanks. You lose inches without the lipo.
To understand how the machine works, I tried it myself. In the treatment room, the therapist first puts lotion on the area to be treated so that the hand piece of the machine easily glides over the skin. Once the machine is turned on, you begin to feel a mild pinching sensation from the rollers. It actually feels very relaxing and feels as good as a deep tissue massage. For anyone who feels uncomfortable, the therapist can easily adjust the tension of the rollers. You also feel your skin begin to get warm. Even if my skin is very sensitive to heat, it never felt too hot. It was in fact very soothing, like having a hot compress pack placed on the surface of your skin. The therapist uses the machine in different areas of the body — the back of your thighs, the butt, inner thighs, the stomach, the flanks, the bra line area of the back, and on the inner and outer arms. The whole procedure just took 30 to 40 minutes! It was painless, easy, and there’s no post-treatment downtime. There are no adverse side effects, and you’ll be able to return to your regular activities right away. I was able to drive to my meeting right after.
If you want to make the ugly dimpling of cellulite disappear or if you are longing to have your pre-baby body back, VelaContour’s painless, non-invasive cellulite therapy is your answer. But according to Dr. Ariel Torres, there are certain restrictions for the treatment. Those who have pacemakers, cancer, a condition of blood dyscrasia (a rare condition where you easily bruise even with the slightest bump), skin infections as well as pregnant women and young adolescents who fall under the pediatric age (where organs are not yet fully developed) may not go through the VelaContour treatment.
Results are immediate and can be achieved even with a few treatments. But are they permanent? “Permanent — but it depends if you go back to the bad habits that made the cellulite worse in the first place,” Dr. Torres clarifies. He shares one diet tip: “Eight hours before your intended sleep, avoid carbohydrates. Your body will just store it and convert it to fat.”
So continue eating healthy and exercising regularly. Taking care of yourself and your body is a great New Year’s resolution. Continue to work hard at it and good luck!
Rissa
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Summer: What And Wear
How can I update my summer wardrobe? What key pieces should I get?
Florabel
Think light, punchy, and cheerful. Have fun with fashion to help beat the terrible heat. Look for citrus colors, in stripes and florals, and combine them in fun ways — stripes with florals, stripes with dots. I love stripes, especially navy-cream or black-white because they make for instant chic. It always looks expensive.
Ease up on the denims unless they are lightweight and go for frocks in cotton and voile. Let your hair relax, too — don’t use too much hairspray; instead, go for thin garter headbands and other nice hair accessories to keep our locks away from your face.
Get the prettiest sandals or thongs and the only other thing you will need is a great pedicure.
Even your umbrella can add a happy color to your summer wardrobe.
Lucy
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Scar War
Dear Ms. Tingting,
This is a query from my mom Sally: What cream do you recommend to remove scars from cauterization?
Badgie
From reputable drug stores you’ll find Contractubex that comes in a tube. Another is Mederma. Apply both three times a day on scars.
Another cream I used that elevated a deep wound was Solcoseryl Healing Cream, but that was before the wound was totally dry. Try it, too.
Tingting
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Send e-mail to tingtingcojuangco@yahoo.com, ltg@pldtdsl.com, and stylesos_rissa@yahoo.com.