Cellulite affects about 85% to 90% of post pubertal females of all races. Though it is not a disease, the issue is of cosmetic concern to many individuals. Poor circulation of lymph due to excess of fat, lack of exercise or fluid retention contributes to cellulite formation. This may explain its formation in some women who are not overweight. Women all over the world are bothered by cellulite as evidenced by millions of dollars that are spent each year on treatments that claim to reduce cellulite A large number of methods to reduce cellulite are now available being both invasive and noninvasive. The invasive methods for cellulite therapy are liposuction, mesothearpy and acupuncture.
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is ancient form of Chinese medicine that was developed thousands of years ago. The principal method of treatment is by insertion of very fine needles into points which lie beneath the skin. These points may also be treated by warming with a burning herb, by gentle electrical pulse (electro-acupuncture), or by laser.
How does acupuncture work?
• Acupuncture assists the body to heal itself by affecting certain physiological changes.
• It stimulates the nerves endings which improves the tone and the pore size of the blood vessels thereby increasing the blood circulation.
• It also relieves muscle spasm and causes the release of certain hormones, such as endorphins and cortical (a natural steroid) which help in reducing pain.
• The benefit of acupuncture varies from one individual to another, but generally acupuncture treatment reduces stress, increases general well being. It brings about self healing, strengthens natural vitality and the natural defenses of the organism, in other words it makes people function better and feel healthier.
Acupuncture in cellulite therapy
Acupuncture may be a good alternative for those women who wish to choose a less invasive method of treatment for cellulite. A slight prickling sensation is felt as the needle pierces the skin and sometimes a tingling sensation is experienced while the needles are in place. Hair-thin needles are inserted to certain target areas of the body. This could be treated with specific herbs for better results. Acupuncture mainly involves the balancing of the yin and the yang energies; hence this therapy needs to be tailor-made according to the patient.
Since cellulite is mainly a metabolic disorder involving fatty acid deposition, acupuncture is advantageous as it solves the problem by acting in many different ways at the same time. Acupuncture helps in mobilizing the tight fat pockets which form the cellulite. It also is known to improve the metabolic functions of different cells in the body. This helps in detoxification of the body as the improved circulation can easily excrete the toxins and the wastes through the kidneys. Together all these mechanisms act to give a smooth appearance and texture to the areas of the body affected by cellulite.
Acupuncture is a form of specialized therapy. It does not have any side effects, but by nature it is an invasive procedure. This makes it important that this form of therapy must be undertaken only from individuals with the expertise to deliver.
