What is cellulite?
Cellulite is a skin condition that is characterized by the appearance of lumpy and dimpled skin. These characteristics affect the interaction between fat cells and connective tissues. Females are more likely to experience cellulite due to the natural distribution of body fat in the body. The most commonly affected areas are in the abdomen, hips, buttocks, and thighs.
Should I be concerned for my health?
Cellulite does not pose as a harmful condition to your health. However, if you are someone who is concerned with your skin appearance, seeking advice from a licensed healthcare provider or dermatologist may be helpful.
Causes
Hormones and genetics are the main factors to the development of cellulite. Individuals with excessive fat in the body are more likely to develop cellulite.
How does Red Light Therapy help?
Red Light Therapy reduces body fat and cellulite by using medical-grade 5w LEDs to project clinically proven red and near-infrared wavelengths. More specifically, red light at 660nm and near-infrared light 850nm provides a therapeutic effect by increasing mitochondria, blood circulation, and collagen production.
Learn more about How Red Light Therapy Works.
Mitochondria
The mitochondria is the powerhouse of our cells that houses production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which are the energy molecules that fuels everything the body does. With the stimulation from red light therapy, cellular function is enhanced through the increased production of ATP. With more energy, the body is able to function at its best.
Collagen
Collagen is an important protein that the body produces to help build healthy bones, skin, hair, tendons, and connective tissues. As the body ages, collagen production slowly declines. Red light therapy has become one of the most popular alternative therapies for boosting collagen production. With more collagen, the skin is able to thicken and become stronger, which decreases the appearance of cellulite.
Learn more about collagen.
Blood Circulation
Blood circulation is one of the most vital functions in the body. It’s how essential nutrients and oxygen get delivered to the brain and throughout the body. Red light therapy improves blood flow by stimulating the production of Nitric Oxide (NO) in our cells. One of the main functions of NO is to relax the walls of blood vessels, allowing for increased blood flow through arteries and veins. With an increase in blood circulation, the body is able to transport more nutrients and oxygen throughout the body and remove unwanted waste.
Combining exercise with Red Light Therapy
Pairing exercise with red light therapy is one of the most effective ways in reducing body fat and cellulite. Exercise stimulates the body's metabolism to break down subcutaneous fat and build leaner body mass. A study has found that cellulite and thigh circumference were reduced in individuals who engaged in a high intensity treadmill program combined with red light therapy [1].
Strength training is another form of exercise which stimulates our muscles. As the body exerts energy for strength training, muscles and tissues break down and rebuild into stronger and larger muscles. This yields to an increase in metabolism in the body, which can help further break down subcutaneous fat.
Learn more about how red light therapy improves strength & performance.
Other studies have shown red light therapy to help reduce body fat and cellulite when using red light therapy alone and combining it with other modalities such as vacuums and massages [2,3].
Which Red Light Therapy device should I use?
When searching for a red light therapy device on the market, it's important to find a device that suits your needs and provides the best power output. With world-class performance, Orion provides red and near-infrared light therapy devices that include medical-grade 5 watt LEDs and the highest irradiance on the market for an optimal at-home and clinical experience.
Shop the Orion lineup to find the best device that suits you.
[1] Paolillo FR, Borghi-Silva A, et al. New treatment of cellulite with infrared-LED illumination applied during high-intensity treadmill training. J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2011 Aug;13(4):166-71.
[2] Lach, E. (2008). Reduction of subcutaneous fat and improvement in cellulite appearance by dual-wavelength, low-level laser energy combined with vacuum and massage. Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 10:202-209.
[3] Gold, M. H., Khartri, K. A., Hails, K., Weiss, R. A., & Fournier, N. (2011). Reduction in thigh circumference and improvement in the appearance of cellulite with dual-wavelength, low-level laser energy and massage. Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 13: 13-20.
