As if we didn't need any more reminders that cellulite can strike anyone at any time, recent news of Serena Williams' skin dimples have swept the tabloid scene. On one hand, the negative publicity about the tennis star's skin imperfections has unleashed an inspiring backlash of body positivity. On the other hand, though, all the happy thoughts and self-love mantras in the world can't cheer up someone who feels sad or disappointed when they see their own orange-peel skin in the mirror.
Cellulite is a slow and insidious skin affliction that can strike anyone, anytime, and at any age. And it doesn't just show up overnight; it can take months or years to fully develop, and then the unfortunate skin bunching that you see when you sit funny somehow transforms into a permanent fixture on your hips, buttocks, thighs, and stomach.
Most cellulite experts advise women to get moving and focus on muscle-building exercises in the areas where their cellulite is the most visible. This includes squats, lower abdominal work, hamstring curls, and more. Of course, it also involves eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated, all of which can help reduce cellulite.
For the average woman, it can feel extremely demoralizing to see someone like Ms. Williams struggling with visible cellulite. After all, she's a world-renowned tennis star. As a consequence of her sport and training regimen, she works harder to tone the muscles in cellulite-prone areas than most women could ever dream of. And if she's still struggling to achieve smooth, perfectly tone skin, then how is there any hope for the average, busy woman who doesn't have the time, means, or energy to work out like a professional athlete?
To her credit, Serena has suffered from some pretty scary health problems in recent years. They have been serious enough to take her off her regular exercise program and force her to make drastic changes to her diet. On top of everything, her sister and fellow tennis star Venus has gone through some stressful health problems of her own. Between the emotional stress, the decrease in exercise, and the radical nutritional changes, it's hardly a wonder that her skin has lost some of its tone and elasticity.
If you're like Serena - if life's curveballs are keeping you from achieving your goal of having smooth, tone, perfect skin - that's no reason to feel hopeless. There are solutions out there that you can incorporate into your daily routine to help improve your skin tone and reduce your skin blemishes.
For starters, she should continue to eat healthy. Ms. Williams is on record confessing her love of "junk food". More recently, however, her health scares have inspired her to improve her diet. Diets which are low in salt, rich in healthy fatty acids, and contain adequate amounts of protein are great for improving skin's tone and texture. The amino acids (from protein synthesis) and the fatty acids help hydrate skin and rebuild a strong, firm collagen matrix. Reducing excess sodium helps keep skin from retaining water, which contributes to and exaggerates the appearance of cellulite.
Next, she should get back to her regular exercise regimen. It's only in recent years that Serena has been photographed with visible cellulite around her hips and thighs. Before that, her skin was smooth and tone at the height of her professional career. Whatever she can do to get back to her old cellulite-busting workouts will dramatically reduce the visibility of her current skin blemishes.
She should also avoid taking drastic measures. Serena may have the means to erase her cellulite with expensive plastic surgery, but being the most expensive option doesn't mean it's the best option. Surgery can cause bruising, scarring, infections, and isn't always 100% effective. Plus, you'll have to set aside time for the procedure (or procedures) and recovery. And who's got time for that?
Lastly - and most importantly - she should work a high-quality cellulite cream into her daily routine. Cellulite creams are a great way to help reduce the visibility of dimply skin where diet and exercise fall short. They're simple to use, affordable, and contain natural botanical extracts that are safe and gentle on your skin. If you want to learn more, feel free to continue browsing our site and check out some of our product reviews!