Does the fight against cellulite depend on the phase of the menstrual cycle?

We all remember well that a woman’s appearance greatly depends on her hormonal levels. Most cosmetologists remember that the healing time of the skin and the effectiveness of cosmetic procedures can vary depending on hormonal fluctuations in one or another phase of the menstrual cycle. But not everyone knows that even the fight against cellulite can be more effective if you select procedures depending on the phase of the cycle. How to choose the right cosmetic products for cellulite, and what effect can be achieved, read on estet-portal.com.

Hormonal cellulite: causes

The hormone estrogen is responsible for preparing the female body for conceiving and bearing a child. Its interaction with adipose tissue becomes one of the causes of hormonal cellulite: with an excess of this hormone, metabolic processes are disrupted, and waste and toxins begin to accumulate on the buttocks, thighs and abdomen - in places where they will not cause harm.

Some classify cellulite as a secondary sexual characteristic, considering the appearance of “orange peel” to be only a cosmetic defect. However, cellulite most often becomes one of the symptoms of pathological processes occurring in the body, which may include hormonal imbalance. This disorder may be caused by the following factors:

• puberty;
• menopause;
• pregnancy;
• postpartum adaptation;
• ovarian diseases;
• pathologies of the thyroid gland;
• endocrine dysfunction;
• taking contraceptive medications.

Hormonal imbalance rarely causes cellulite on its own. The formation of characteristic fat capsules, as a rule, is provoked by a number of negative factors, including poor nutrition, poor environmental conditions, constant stress and lack of physical activity.

Sports training

It has been absolutely established that physical inactivity is one of the culprits of cellulite, along with hormonal imbalance and vascular disorders. Have you noticed that female athletes have virtually no bumps or dimples in their riding breeches? So, if you want smooth skin on your thighs and buttocks, put on a tracksuit and get to work. Physical activity improves metabolism and helps break down fat reserves. Aerobic types of training are preferred - cycling, running, brisk walking, swimming, skiing, tennis, dancing, as well as vibration training.

How to recognize hormonal cellulite?

Cellulite is already a sufficient reason to visit a doctor and take care of your health. A serious hormonal imbalance can be suspected if the formation of loose fat deposits is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• the appearance of acne;
• digestive disorders;
• obesity, sudden weight gain;
• increased appetite;
• deterioration of hair and nails;
• frequent neuroses;
• formation of edema;
• blood pressure surges;
• painful periods, severe deterioration in well-being during the premenstrual period;
• sharp breast enlargement, nipple hardening.

If the appearance of cellulite was caused by hormonal imbalance, only a specialist can provide effective treatment: home cosmetic procedures will improve the condition of the skin, but will not eliminate the cause of tissue changes.

Cellulite? Deciding on the definition

Doctors call cellulite an acute inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue caused by streptococci and staphylococci.

What ordinary people call cellulite or orange peel, doctors call fibrosclerosis, liposclerosis or lipodystrophy. But to avoid confusion, we will continue to call fibrosclerosis cellulite.

Fibrosclerosis, unlike true cellulite, is not a disease; rather, it is a cosmetic skin defect. The reasons for its occurrence: heredity, hormonal imbalances, disruption of internal organs, obesity, puberty, pregnancy, loss of skin elasticity, the effect of estrogen on blood vessels.

Effect of hormones

The metabolic processes occurring in the body depend almost entirely on internal secretion. Cellulite and hormones are directly related: it is the hormonal balance that ensures the normal breakdown of fats. The functioning of the hormonal system depends on a number of elements, and the lack of at least one of them causes health problems.

Prevention

To reduce the negative effects of estrogen and other hormones, you should follow the following rules:

1. Create a rational menu with a reduced amount of fats and carbohydrates.
2. Exercise regularly or take a walk in the fresh air.
3. Eliminate bad habits.
4. Take care of the skin in the area of ​​deposits using creams or scrubs, and get an anti-cellulite massage from a professional cosmetologist every two to three months.
5. Drink more clean water.
6. Be regularly examined by a doctor and donate blood to determine hormone levels.

The state after discontinuation of OK is an unpleasant period. However, if you follow all the rules and recommendations of specialists, complications can be avoided.

Hormones responsible for the regulation of metabolism

Diet

Many women believe that as soon as they get rid of extra pounds, cellulite will go away on its own. In fact, according to research published in the Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, after losing weight, only 2/3 of women experience a reduction in the appearance of cellulite, while in 1/3 it becomes more pronounced due to looser skin. And yet, nutritionists give advice: you need to eat mostly low-calorie foods, reduce the amount of animal fats, eat more vegetables and fruits. Include sea fish and seaweed, which contain a lot of iodine, in your diet more often. The lack of this element leads to disruption of the production of thyroid hormones, which, in turn, regulate the entire metabolism in the body, including in subcutaneous fat tissue. You need to drink at least 2 liters of fluid a day: water helps remove toxins. It is worth giving up strong black tea and coffee, as these drinks wash away beneficial minerals from the body.

Drug treatment

To find out which hormones affect cellulite and its development in a particular case, you need to make an appointment with a gynecologist or endocrinologist and undergo the appropriate tests. Based on the results, the doctor will prescribe the necessary medications. To treat hormonal cellulite, complex therapy is used, aimed at solving the following problems:

• normalization of hormonal balance;
• acceleration of lipolysis - breakdown of fat tissue;
• strengthening and cleansing blood vessels;
• slowing down the growth of connective tissue that tightens fat cells into characteristic capsules;
• elimination of congestion and swelling;
• normalization of skin texture.

Stabilizing hormonal levels means supporting the glands that form it. Each of them requires certain vitamins, as well as micro- and macroelements for normal operation:

Also, for the normal functioning of the hormonal system, vitamins of groups A, C and E are necessary. Therefore, patients are often prescribed a vitamin course and are advised to pay attention to their diet.

Important!

You cannot take hormonal pills on your own, without a doctor’s permission, this is dangerous and can lead to a deterioration in the body’s condition.

Stages and types of cellulite

Cellulite is divided into four main stages:

1. In the first stage , the number of fat cells increases on the legs and thighs, as well as other parts of the body. Bruises easily form in these places, spider veins and hemorrhages occur. The slightest damage does not heal well.
2. In the second stage, when the muscles are tensed or the skin is folded, an uneven surface (“orange peel”) appears. The cover becomes pale, the local temperature decreases, and loses its original elasticity.
3. The effect of orange peel at the third stage is already visible at rest (standing and lying down). Swelling increases due to increasing disruption of blood supply and outflow of lymphatic fluid.
4. At the last stage, large nodular subcutaneous formations are visualized, fused to the upper part of the integument.

The types of lipodystrophy are as follows:

• hard cellulite (becomes noticeable only when taking a skin fold, observed in young women, accompanied by stretch marks);
• flaccid cellulite (muscle tone decreases, shaking of fatty tissue is visible when moving, the zone changes location depending on body position);
• edematous (a distinct pit appears when pressed with a finger, the skin becomes thinner and becomes transparent);
• mixed (combines characteristics of two or three types).

How to speed up treatment?

Drug treatment is recommended to be combined with other methods of combating cellulite, including:

• Special anti-cellulite procedures: massage, ozone or pressure therapy, liposuction.
• Body wraps and masks: You can use home remedies based on essential oils, coffee, red pepper and ginger.
• Balanced diet: the daily diet should contain a limited amount of calories, it is advisable to give up sweets and starchy foods or limit their consumption.
• Moderate physical activity: Regular cardio exercises such as running, jumping and race walking help get rid of fat deposits. Doctors also recommend visiting the pool and performing special exercises in the water.
• Regime normalization. Maintaining a work-rest schedule and alternating physical and mental activity contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system, which affects the production of certain hormones.

Important!

Getting rid of bad habits and leading a healthy lifestyle helps you forget forever not only about cellulite, but also many other unpleasant diseases.

What to do after gaining weight as a result of taking hormonal contraceptives

If hormonal causes of cellulite are identified, it should be eliminated comprehensively. The more advanced the process, the longer the treatment process takes. First, you should visit a gynecologist-endocrinologist and choose the most suitable method of contraception. You may have to stop taking oral contraceptives.

Nutrition

The fight against obesity should begin with a menu review. Fried, fatty, smoked foods should be excluded from it. You should forget about consuming pickles, marinades and baked goods. Alcohol and carbonated drinks are prohibited. You need to eat as much fruits and vegetables as possible, as well as foods high in dietary fiber.

You need to eat little by little, but often, up to 4-5 times a day. The main calories should be taken in the first half of the day. It is important to drink plenty of fluids; it is best to use clean water, fresh juices and fruit drinks. Smoking should be stopped, as nicotine and other components of tobacco reduce the rate of restoration of elastic fiber, increasing sagging of the skin.

Massage and drainage

You should undergo a course of special massage and lymphatic drainage in a beauty salon or clinic. Now specialists use cupping or roller massage, brushes or vibrating massagers.

Such techniques help to increase blood supply, eliminate stagnation of lymphatic fluid, and increase the speed of local metabolic processes. At the same time, muscle tone is restored and excess fat is burned.

To enhance the results during the massage, it is recommended to use anti-cellulite cream with seaweed, juniper, grapefruit and lavender oils, vitamins A, C, E. Their components help tighten the skin, remove toxins, and accelerate collagen synthesis.

Folk remedies

As an additional means of combating fat deposits on the legs and thighs, you can use some additional techniques that can be done at home.

Take five drops of lemon juice per teaspoon of regular baby cream, and before applying, clean problem areas with a washcloth or scrub. Repeat daily, before bed. Fruit acid allows you to break down fat and has a tonic effect on the skin.

Clean the skin, and then spread it with liquid honey with a little salt. Then press your hands tightly and suddenly tear them off. Carry out this massage for about 10 minutes, then wrap your legs and thighs with film and hold for two hours. This action is quite painful, but very effective. After several sessions, the skin becomes noticeably smoother and firmer. Then the product should be washed off with water and anti-cellulite cream applied. Repeat three times a week.

How to carry out treatment based on the hormonal cycle?

Cellulite caused by hormonal imbalance is recommended to be treated under the supervision of a specialist. Individually selected therapy in combination with universal methods is more reliable and will help get rid of fat deposits much faster than self-medication. It is important to remember that only systematically following the recommendations and leading a healthy lifestyle will help you forget about the “orange peel” forever.

Is it possible to do anti-cellulite massage during menstruation?

Despite the fact that critical days are not a disease, they impose certain restrictions on the usual way of life. Mood swings, weakness, fatigue, apathy, severe pain, purely physical discomfort associated with bleeding - these are not all the delights of life familiar to women.

During menstruation, various physical activities and massages that activate blood flow in the pelvic area are contraindicated. In order not to harm yourself, it is important to be attentive to your health and take into account all possible contraindications.

You will learn further about whether it is possible to do anti-cellulite massage during menstruation.

Ideally, a massage course should be planned so that it is not interrupted by long breaks, since they negatively affect the effectiveness of the results. But this is not always possible - most methods involve a course effect, and it is impossible to predict and “plan” your periods in advance.

Or, let’s say, a woman works until late in the evening, and can visit the massage parlor only on weekends. Menstruation is a relative contraindication for some techniques and an absolute contraindication for others. If a specialist says that you can’t do this or that type of massage during your period, then that’s the way it is.

Don’t test your health – one week won’t make much of a difference.

In a special danger zone

During menstruation, you can massage some areas, but not the hips, abdomen or lower back.

You can rub your lower back a little yourself if it brings you relief (aggressive influences, professional back massage is prohibited).

Deep actions and too intense movements are still undesirable, since the blood vessels are weakened during menstruation, sensitivity is increased - this is fraught with increased pain and the formation of small bruises.

Anti-cellulite procedures are both contraindicated and simply useless. Their danger lies in the fact that increased blood circulation in the pelvis can cause bleeding, and their uselessness can cause swelling. During menstruation, excess fluid is retained in the body, which is then eliminated on its own, and the sensitivity of the skin also increases.

If it’s very bad, what should I do?

Nothing - in this case, rest and peace are indicated for you. If the pain is tolerable and you know that, for example, a back or ankle massage will improve your well-being, feel free to sign up for a session. In case of heavy discharge, spasms, or severe pain, it is better to postpone the procedure. The same can be said about feeling unwell - wait until the condition stabilizes.

Be sure to read: Reliable help in the fight against excess weight - slimming pants

Massage during menstruation: do's and don'ts

So, let’s look at the main features of working with different zones and the possibility and feasibility of targeting them during menstruation:

1. Neck and face – there are no contraindications for them, except your personal reluctance. The course of procedures can not be suspended during menstruation.
2. Back, lower back - it’s impossible, it will hurt, and there will be zero benefit.
3. Anti-cellulite techniques will not give effect due to tissue swelling, but they can increase the pain of menstruation or even cause bleeding.
4. Lymphatic drainage – the situation is similar.
5. Cupping and vacuum - hardware and manual cupping effectively helps against cellulite, lymph congestion, and other problems. But during menstruation, these techniques are prohibited (though sometimes relative).

You can massage your head, hands, feet - yourself or from a professional. Therapeutic procedures are quite good for migraines and lower back pain. The best saviors during menstruation are specialists in oriental medicine - they are able to relieve pain and, in principle, reduce negative manifestations by pressing on bioactive points.

Self-massage

Self-massage is a simple and accessible technique for improving overall well-being. Again, rubbing the abdomen with a mitten and cupping are contraindicated - put them off for 5 days until the menstruation ends.

During menstruation it is useful to massage:

• Ankles - blood will begin to leave the uterus, severe cramps will pass.
• The area of ​​the uterus - but do not press, but rub it with light movements. Move your hands clockwise until you feel relief. If the sensations are unpleasant, the exposure should be stopped.
• Back and lower back - with a towel or just your hands. Again, unnecessary pressure or excessive effort is not necessary.

The diamond technique helps many women. Lie on your side or stomach and begin to gently move your fist in a circle in the lower third of your back. Alternate fist pressure with stroking.

Menstruation and cellulite treatments

Most massage therapists consider menstruation to be an absolute contraindication to anti-cellulite procedures; others say that towards the end of bleeding (from the third day) or when the discharge is not too heavy, massage of the relevant areas can be done.

But keep in mind - even if the pain is insignificant, you don’t mind taking risks, you don’t want to interrupt the course, or you simply can’t reschedule for another time, the effectiveness of the effect is still reduced.

This is explained by the peculiarities of female physiology and is determined by the accumulation of fluid in the tissues during menstruation.

Be sure to read: List of hormone tests that need to be taken if you are obese

Vacuum massage is painful in itself; during menstruation, the unpleasant sensations are further intensified. Due to the use of a special apparatus and suit, LPG is less painful than the conventional cupping technique.

If you do not touch the abdominal area, in principle, menstruation is prohibited, since they activate blood circulation throughout the body, which is undesirable.

At a minimum, this will increase the pain of menstruation due to the rush of blood to the uterus, and at maximum, it will cause pelvic bleeding and disrupt the entire subsequent cycle.

Are you planning to continue the course during your period? Be sure to provide information about your health to a specialist - he will be able to give you useful recommendations or dispel doubts, adjust the intensity of the effect on the skin during the massage.

The problem of female cellulite

We owe the appearance of orange peel to estrogen, an important female hormone.

Even with its normal values, cellulite may be present; the risks of changes in subcutaneous adipose tissue as a result of hormonal imbalances increase significantly.

When taking hormonal contraceptives, the orange peel also becomes more pronounced; similar processes begin during pregnancy and after childbirth.

Also, the formation of an unsightly crust is influenced by stress, overwork, and an extremely stressful rhythm of life. Age-related changes, poor diet, and low physical activity also cause changes in hormonal levels.

You can eat right, but cellulite will still appear - there is nothing wrong with this in the initial stages, another thing is that most girls and women want to look perfect. Therefore, with a proper lifestyle and a balanced diet, it is recommended to combat orange peel with massages, wraps, and special creams.

Where does it come from?

As a result of hormonal fluctuations, fat cells become “locked” in certain areas of the body.

Collagen fibers, responsible for the accumulation of fats, take on the appearance of a honeycomb in the hive; under normal conditions, they can interbreed.

There is a closure of the subcutaneous fat tissue, fats are not released, hormones do not reach the cells. The process of constant absorption of fats begins, which cannot be removed from the body.

Be sure to read: Removal of subcutaneous fat deposits using thigh liposuction

Additionally, toxins settle in cellulite cells, causing cell swelling - the skin of problem areas swells and becomes puffy. Capillaries and blood vessels are compressed, and fluid is retained.

What to do

You need to fight cellulite in a comprehensive manner - neither massage alone nor proper nutrition without local procedures will help you.

Be sure to check your hormone levels - if they are not okay, visit your doctor so he can conduct the necessary research and prescribe a course of correction.

Calming procedures, normalization of sleep and rest patterns, comprehensive cleansing of the body, and appropriate physical activity can be useful.

Massage for cellulite is effective, but only if it:

1. Combined with diet, physical activity, correct hormonal levels,
2. It is carried out in courses - one session will not give you anything.

There is also little point in completely relying on the power of massage - yes, the skin will get better, but if your hormones are out of order, or you eat anything, the results will not last long. The procedure is not carried out every day - you need to observe pauses of 1-2 days.

If you do not have the opportunity to visit a salon, do a cellulite massage yourself - you can find many detailed guides on this topic on the Internet. For home beauty therapy you will need a mitten or a special massager, jars, oil, cream.

Proper nutrition

As mentioned above, proper nutrition is a component without which it will be impossible to achieve a beautiful, toned body. If many do not recognize this point as a preventive measure, then when the first bumps appear under the skin they understand the need to change the usual menu.

You should eat a balanced diet. The diet must contain all the elements necessary for life. Do not give up carbohydrates, because the human body needs them for energy.

But you should fuel yourself only with complex carbohydrates - fruits and dried fruits, cereals, nuts and natural dark chocolate. You should avoid simple carbohydrates, which are found in chocolate bars, cakes and pastries. They provide the body with a lot of calories, but there is no practical benefit from them.

In order to reduce the risk of cellulite you need to:

1. Proper nutrition. The daily diet requires vegetables, fruits, less preservatives and animal fats, but more vegetable fats. It is better to forget about all sorts of sweets, buns, pies, fried foods, smoked meats.
2. Active lifestyle, sports. It is very bad if you are forced to stay in the same position, sitting or standing, for a long time every day. To increase your daily activity, you can stop using the elevator and go up or down the stairs. An excellent option would be to walk from work to the metro.
3. Monitor your blood circulation. Good blood circulation is the key to proper metabolic processes in the body.
4. Eliminate alcohol and cigarettes. The worst enemy in this matter is beer with fish, chips and all kinds of crackers. If you really want to drink, then at least without such a snack.
5. You should not suddenly lose or gain weight. Diet will help you lose weight, but not get rid of cellulite. Therefore, it must be harmonious, balanced and gradual.
6. Monitor the general hormonal levels of the body. You need to pay special attention to the work of the ovaries, since for women it is the most important organ.
7. Drink more water and freshly squeezed juices every day. Fresh citrus fruits and a cocktail of carrot juice and celery will bring great benefits. Celery strengthens blood vessels and normalizes blood circulation. As an additional cleansing, you can use fresh beets and celery. Beets perfectly remove toxins accumulated in the body. You need to drink fresh juice on an empty stomach.
8. Minimize stress in everyday life. The activity of the body is based on physiological functions: blood circulation, digestion, respiration, metabolic processes. Stress disrupts this coordinated work, negatively affecting the endocrine glands and adrenal glands, the hormones of which are responsible for water balance in the body.