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The main hormonal changes for women occur at puberty, pregnancy and menopause. In women, hormonal changes can trigger the appearance of cellulite. This means that a woman may have newer and older cellulite tissue at the same time on different areas of her body. For example, a young woman has had some areas of cellulite on her thighs since her teens so when a pregnancy triggers a larger area of cellulite, she will now have cellulite on her body at different stages of cellulite formation.

Predisposed To Cellulite

Women are predisposed to the occurrence of cellulite. The extra fat that is carried by women is meant to support a pregnancy and lactation. 90% of women get cellulite during their lives. It does not matter if a woman is athletic, slender or overweight because none of these factors will influence whether she has or does not have cellulite. Factors that are believed to influence the appearance of cellulite are genetics, hormonal changes, poor skin tone, weight gain and a sedentary lifestyle.

The earlier that cellulite formation is treated, the easier that it will be to smooth out the appearance of the skin. When the skin is in a more stubborn stage, prolonged treatments will be needed to improve the appearance of the skin.

Four Stages Of Cellulite

The first stage of cellulite is numbered 0 and means that cellulite cannot be detected during a pinch test. The second stage of cellulite is numbered 1 and in this stage, a pinch test will reveal cellulite, which cannot be seen when lying, or standing. The third stage of cellulite is numbered 2 and the cellulite cannot be seen when lying down although it can be seen when standing up. In the fourth stage numbered 3, the cellulite can be seen in a standing and lying position.

Being able to identify the stages of cellulite can help you to treat your cellulite. If you can prevent cellulite or begin treating it while it is in stage 1, you will have faster results from your efforts at improving the appearance of cellulite. This does not mean that you cannot have success at treating the later stages of cellulite.

Is There a Change in Cellulite After Menopause?

If you are wondering if there is a change in cellulite after menopause, the answer is yes.  Menopause is the last hormonal change in women’s bodies and it has an effect on the appearance of a woman’s body.  Hormones can affect the skin and connective tissues that are involved in the appearance of cellulite and there can appear to be more cellulite after menopause.

Cellulite and Hormonal Changes

Hormonal changes occur naturally over the course of a woman’s life.  The first major hormonal change is at puberty.  Pregnancy is another condition, which changes the hormonal balance in the body.  As a woman ages, her body no longer stays in a condition to bear children as a result of aging and the hormonal changes that occur with age. 

At menopause, the hormonal change will cause the skin to thin and the connective tissue to lose its tone.  The skin also softens and is no longer elastic.  All these skin conditions affect the appearance of cellulite. 

Along with these changes, the connective tissue that holds the fat cells together is no longer as flexible.  When the skin thins, the fat cells that bulge will become more visible, when there is an episode of water retention or extra fat.  The elastic skin, that hid the fat cells before menopause, stretches and thins after menopause. 

First You Don’t See it, Now You Do

When the skin loses its ability to bounce back, it sags and will not hold its own shape anymore.  The effect of softening skin and less elasticity also causes the cellulite to appear because as the skin loses it elasticity, it loses its ability to cover the fat cells.  Consequently, what is beneath the skin, namely the structures of the bones, circulation system and fat cells, will become more visible after menopause. 

Diet and Exercise Are Preventative Measures

To combat these effects, a combination of a nutritious and balanced diet with regular exercise can reduce the appearance of cellulite after menopause.  It can be alarming to find cellulite in any case, but to have it worsen at menopause can be an unexpected and unwanted change.  Proper nutrition will keep your body functions, including skin function, energized.  Exercise will improve circulation throughout your body and will keep your skin as elastic as it can be. 

Cellulite after menopause can be effectively checked with regular effort.  Cellulite after menopause can also be a fact no matter what you do although diet and exercise can help.  If you are bothered by cellulite after menopause, you can choose out of the many treatments that are offered to reduce cellulite.