Can a Body Contouring Wrap Reduce the Appearance of Cellulite?

Although over eighty percent of women suffer from cellulite, it's never an easy reality to accept. This is particularly true if you compare your own thighs to the sleek airbrushed legs you see in the fashion magazines. This may be why so many women desperately seek a solution to the problem of cellulite. Creams, pills, lotions, and special garments have all been advertised as a solution to cellulite but when actually put to the test, most fail miserably. Recently, there have been enthusiastic claims that a simple body contouring wrap can dissolve pesky cellulite and give sleeker, smoother thighs and hips. Is there any truth to the claims that a body contouring wrap can diminish cellulite?

First, it should be understood that cellulite is basically fat just like other fat that's present on your body. It appears more lumpy and bumpy than normal fat because of the connective tissue network it presses against as the fat cells expand. With age, the connective tissue that holds in the expanding fat cells weakens, allowing the subcutaneous fat to push towards the surface. This results in that “lumpy, bumpy” appearance commonly thought of as cellulite.

It's been claimed that a body contouring wrap can reduce the appearance of cellulite by removing excess toxins and fluid. Body contouring wraps performed at a salon or spa can cost anywhere from seventy-five to three hundred dollars for a single session. During these sessions, the areas to be treated are wrapped tightly with bandages after applying a salt and clay mixture.You are then asked to relax on a thermal blanket while bandaged to “sweat out” the impurities and toxins which are supposedly contributing to cellulite.

After the body contouring wrap is complete, the bandages are removed and measurements are taken to determine how much “fat” was lost during the process. Although the companies who market these wraps point to the fact that inches are lost after a body contouring wrap is performed, the fact that measurements have changed doesn't necessarily mean that fat has been lost. When the body is bandaged tightly and exposed to warm temperatures, a certain amount of water will be lost due to sweating and the effects of compression. This can cause minor fluctuations in measurements which may be incorrectly attributed to fat loss. Over a period of hours or days as rehydration occurs, the measurements as well as any visual improvement in cellulite from the body contouring wrap will likely be lost.

The concept of the body contouring wrap illustrates the old saying that if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. It would certainly be good news to thousands of women if a simple body wrap could undo the effects of cellulite. Unfortunately, the best treatment for cellulite isn't a body contouring wrap, but a good exercise plan involving both fat burning and strength training along with a healthy eating plan that optimizes weight. The good news is you won't pay hundreds of dollars to get started on this type of plan and you just might see results.