Water cellulite is a type of cellulite linked to water retention, and it can affect even the slimmest women. How can you recognise it, where does it come from, and which everyday habits (diet, exercise, massage) are worth adopting? Here’s everything you need to know.
How does water cellulite develop?
Water cellulite, as its name suggests, is linked to a problem with the body’s ability to eliminate water. Instead of being flushed out, water lingers in the tissues, which gradually become waterlogged. This type of cellulite is therefore linked to water retention, often with a puffy feeling and heavy legs.
Water cellulite can affect all women, even the slimmest. It feels soft and is not painful. This type of cellulite most commonly appears on the thighs, the arms, the calves and even the ankles.
• How to recognise water cellulite?
If your skin looks puffy without pinching or touching it, you likely have water cellulite. If you pinch your skin, you’ll notice a wider, ridge-like area without any clearly defined hollows between each patch of orange-peel skin.
• What causes water cellulite?
This type of cellulite is linked to water retention: fluid builds up in the tissues, often most noticeably in the legs.
So when it comes to water cellulite, water retention is at the heart of the matter!
Not sure which type of cellulite you have? Head over here to find out in just 4 questions.
Your everyday diet
• Eat potassium-rich foods
Make room for foods rich in potassium, as part of a varied diet. You’ll find it in a variety of fruits and vegetables: prunes, chestnuts, avocado, spinach, potatoes, celery, bananas, kiwi, melon, tomatoes and pumpkin.
• Increase your vitamin B6 intake
Foods rich in vitamin B6 are another good way to add variety to your plate. Look to foods such as wholegrains, egg yolks, walnuts, hazelnuts, bananas, white meat, oily fish and shellfish.
• Put pineapple and asparagus on the menu
Some foods, such as pineapple or asparagus, add variety to your plate. Put them on the menu regularly, just for the pleasure of it!
• Cut back on salt
Of course, maintaining a varied diet and reducing your salt intake is essential! Try seasoning with lemon juice, garlic or onion instead, as these help add flavour to your dishes.
• Eat less sugar
It’s also worth cutting back on sugar and salt in your diet. That means eating less of the foods that contain them, such as white bread, pastries, crackers, processed meats, smoked meat and fish, and ready meals.
• Drink plenty of water
Finally, remember to drink water regularly throughout the day: a good habit to keep up every day.
To make it easier, keep a water bottle close at hand, whether at your desk or in your bag, and mix things up with still water, sparkling water or herbal teas with no added sugar.
Did you know? To round off your daily routine, you can also discover the Anti-Cellulite Drainer.
Which sports are best if you have water cellulite?
If you have water cellulite, the best approach is to choose gentle activities that are kind to the legs, without putting pressure on them, meaning low-impact exercise.
Ideally, opt for water-based sports such as:
- aquabike
- swimming
- aqua aerobics
These activities are low-impact and easy to fit into a healthy routine, on your own or with friends, at your own pace. Pick the one you enjoy most: it’s the best way to keep it up.
You can also consider:
- brisk walking,
- hiking,
- cycling
Walking every day is a simple habit to get into. Running, step aerobics or tennis, on the other hand, are best avoided.
On the other hand, steer clear of:
- the hammam,
- the sauna
- hot baths
Heat is often best avoided if you’re prone to water retention. Opt for lukewarm showers instead and, if you like, finish with a jet of cool water on your legs, working upwards from your ankles to your knees: a lovely feeling, especially in summer.
Massage: your ally against water cellulite
Regular palpate-roll massages are a great addition to your cellulite care routine. The palpate-roll is a manual massage method: this unique technique involves a rolling, kneading action on the skin. It can be performed by hand (though it takes some practice) or with the help of an anti-cellulite cupping device.
The anti-cellulite cup is incredibly easy to use: it replicates the palpate-roll movement, so you can easily massage the areas of your choice. Massaging with the cup helps keep things simple: it can then glide freely over the areas of your choice, again and again, whether you’re dealing with water cellulite or water retention. By using the cup in smooth movements, you can also focus on the dimples on the surface of your skin.
- To perform these massages easily and quickly, use the Cellublue Anti-Cellulite Cup.
- A simple squeeze is all it takes to roll through the skin’s layers and massage the area.
- Its patented shape delivers a massage in just 3 minutes per area.
The cupping tool that replicates pinching and rolling, 3 minutes per zone
- The professionals' technique, at home: you lift, glide, and release, and the tool grips the skin fold like a manual pinching and rolling
- Soft silicone that fits thighs, buttocks, stomach, and arms
- 3 minutes per zone, every day, always with a massage oil so the tool glides
Stick with all these good habits and you’ll be taking care of yourself every day!
Water cellulite before and after: tracking your progress
Before and after photos are tempting, but every skin is different. To track your progress, compare yourself with yourself rather than with others. Take your photos in the same lighting, in the same position and of the same area, at regular intervals. Make a note of the habits you’ve adopted too: it’ll be easier to spot the ones that suit you and that you’d like to keep.
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Useful categories: Water Retention.
