Bumpy hide

When God created woman he didn’t make a cookie-cut shape for all of us. But what he did do is kindly bless us all with cellulite to varying degrees.

Eight out of ten women will feel speed bump like dimples all over their thighs (in particular) regardless of weight, diet and exercise. And yes, even supermodels are cursed. Evidence, courtesy of celebrity beach shots.

The prime cause for cellulite is hormonal, including puberty, monthly menstruating, pregnancy, HRT and oral contraceptives and free radicals and the reason why men aren’t afflicted with the condition as much is because their bodies are not flooded with oestrogen.

There is very little we can do to change the composition of our female bodies, but there are other areas which can be address to reduce cellulite. Technology has always concentrated on the theory of ‘breaking down’ the cells with laser treatments or radio frequency treatments found in clinics. But recent research and clinical trials have concentrated on - rather then breaking down the cells, discovering why the fat is pushing through to the dermis (top layer of skin), why the body is malfunctioning and what we can do to repair these cells.

British Beauty Expert Jo Heptinstall has been researching health and beauty techniques since the late 80s, developing a microcurrent device used for tissue regeneration in the beauty market. In 2005, she began to delve into the world of cellulite removal techniques and began working with a study and research team. This research coupled with her experience in cell regeneration has earned Jo a reputation as ‘the’ British Beauty Expert in cellulite. She believes we should be working from the inside out in a holistic bid to tackle cellulite.

“Lifestyle is the main contributor to congested tissues. We don’t take enough responsibility for taking waste out of the body. When we conducted clinical trials, a large percentage of the ladies said that they don’t open their bowels every day, which means all the toxins from our waste products are poisoning our internal environment. We also need to drink more water to flush away waste and breath deeply. Many of us don’t breath properly from the diaphragm and therefore we’re not oxygenating our cells.”

Jo also believes that due to our diets our PH balance is completely out of synch and if the body isn’t balanced then it opens it up to disease. Our diet needs to contain 75% of vegetables and fruit to neutralise the build up of acid and increase the alkaline.

Jo has been working with a research team and collaborated with Urban Retreat to launch a product that is believed to combat cellulite. The Urban Retreat Body Detox 10 Day Anti-Cellulite Plan and Anti-Cellulite Body Blitz Treatment are both an at-home product and salon treatment aimed at diminishing the orange peel effect. The treatment mirrors her holistic approach to health, attacking cellulite by decongesting the tissue and ridding the body of damaging toxins with ingredients such as vitamin rich seaweed mud, ivy, horse chestnut and caffeine (which helps break down fatty deposits).

Jo says: “Up until now the beauty industry has tended to just recommend one solution to a client who can’t lose weight or has cellulite. However we are all different and have these problems for different reasons – which is why every client should be given the benefit of complete and thorough analyses to find the root of the problem and then take a multifaceted approach to dealing with it.”

These treatments are designed to be used once and then hope that cellulite will never come knocking at your dermis again. As Jo says, “it’s an ongoing process.” There is no quick-fix solution to cellulite. Like most life-time partnerships you have to work at it.

Jo Hepinstall’s hot tips for combating cellulite

• Open your bowels at least once per day to rid your body of congestion
• Drink more water to revitalise the body and flush out the toxic waste
• Cut down on alcohol as your system will use it to fuel the body instead of burning fat.
• Don’t drink alcohol before a meal as it absorbs the enzymes and stops you losing weight.
• Don’t eat fruit after a meal as it ferments on top of your food. Eat before or as a snack.
• Avoid sugar and sugary drinks as sugar is more fattening than fat.
• Take nutritional supplements to help cell repair and guard against congested tissue. A good multivitamin, Omega 3 and 6, an Anti-oxidant and Vitamin C are essential.
• Change of diet during menstruating – drink more water and eat more fruit and vegetables.

Urban Retreat Body Detox 10 Day Anti-Cellulite Plan, £29.50 available at www.boots.com