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Cellulite is a condition characterized by portions of
sub dermal adipose fat-containing tissue that migrate
into and through the sub dermal elastic tissue matrix.
Cellulite appears due to the protrusion of pockets of
depot fat from subcutaneous tissue through an elastic
layer of connective tissue overlying the depot fat
into the dermis. |
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Patients
having cellulite appear to exhibit a deficiency in the
fibrous layer at the interface between the dermis and
the subcutaneous tissue. This deficiency allows depot
fat below the interface to protrude through the
fibrous layer and into the dermis, thereby causing
irregular elevations and depressions of the dermis
characterized by a "dimpled" appearance |
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Cellulite is not a unique substance; indeed, it is no
different from fat cells found in any other part of
the body. Fat cells have fat-storing and fat-releasing
receptor sites. Different parts of the body are
characterized by fat cells with more fat-storing sites
or more fat-releasing sites. The distribution of
adipose tissue throughout the body is not uniform. In
certain portions of the body, such as the subcutaneous
tissue, adipose tissue is present in great abundance.
Adipose tissue consists of small vesicles or "fat
cells" lodged within a matrix of areolar connective
tissue. In many parts of the body, the areolae are
occupied by fat cells. The matrix and fat cells
constituting adipose tissue are referred to as "depot
fat". |
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In
cellulite, fat is stored in fat cells which lie
between the skin and the underlying muscle. These
fat cells are grouped together into large
collections separated by fibrous strands (fibrous
septae). These fibrous strands run between the
muscle and the skin. In fact, fibrous septae
surround and hold the fat in place in small
compartments. As fat cells expand with weight
gain, the gap between muscle and skin expands, but
the fibrous strands cannot stretch and thus cannot
support the skin. The skin is tethered down by
string-like tissues that pull it inward, toward
the interior of the body. The tension of these
septae pulls in sections of fat along with them,
causing the fat cells in the subcutaneous layer to
increase in number and stick together within the
connective tissue fibers, resulting in a dimpling
effect ("orange peel" or "cottage cheese"). |
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