Does Collagen Help with Cellulite? How to Reduce It on Your Thighs & Legs

Have you noticed dimpled, uneven skin around your thighs, legs, belly, or arms? If so, you may have cellulite. But, don't worry, cellulite is relatively common, especially among overweight women.

Luckily, there are various naturally remedies that can help you get rid of cellulite and prevent it from returning in the future.

We’ll go over how to get rid of cellulite with our top 5 tried-and-true tips, so you can flaunt your figure, without the pucker. (The last tip in this article is our favorite!)

What is Cellulite? (& What Are Some Treatments?)

If you’ve noticed a cottage cheese or orange peel-like texture to your skin, you may have cellulite. Cellulite is a common condition that causes a dimply, lumpy texture on the skin and often affects women more than men. It’s often found on the buttocks and legs (usually in the upper thigh area), but can also appear on the upper arms, lower stomach, and breasts.

According to plastic surgeon Stephen T. Greenberg, M.D., there’s a common misconception that the appearance of cellulite is caused by increased body fat. In fact, Dr. Greenberg says that cellulite is due to the fibrous tethers or bands within the fat that tug on the connective tissue underneath the dermis. He says that this constant tugging throughout the layers of the dermis is what creates the distinctive lumpy, dimpled appearance and that’s why losing weight isn’t necessarily the best way to reduce it. 1

According to plastic surgeon Dr. Stephen Warren, M.D., when it comes to treatment, there are a few FDA-approved options. These treatments are performed by dermatologists and other medical professionals and are meant to help reduce or remove cellulite. Some of these FDA-approved treatments include laser therapy, dermal fillers, and cryolipolysis, a fat-removing procedure. Dr. Warren says that regardless of the FDA-approved procedure used, removing cellulite is difficult and the results may only last a few months. So, unless you drill down to the root cause and seek long-term preventive solutions, cellulite will likely come back like a bad penny. 2

What Causes Cellulite?

Various factors contribute to the formation of cellulite, including diet, hormones, lack of exercise, and primarily, genetics. Women usually start to see moderate cellulite on their bodies between the ages of 25 and 35 - and it only gets worse as we age.

Worst yet, if you’re a woman, you may know that as we get closer to menopause, we observe significant decrease in estrogen levels. This leads to a loss of receptors in the blood vessels. Due to decreased circulation, less oxygen and fewer nutrients are able to travel throughout your body, which means the level of collagen in the dermis decreases. This causes fat cells to enlarge and protrude through the collagen matrix and makes the fat deposits more visible. To make matters worse, as we age and lose more collagen, the dermis becomes less elastic, thinner, and more likely to sag. This increases the chance of cellulite developing.

While we cannot control how we age or the hormonal changes that take place, we can find natural alternatives to prevent or slow down this potential cellulite build-up and lessen its appearance. 

5 Simple Tips to Prevent, Reduce & Remove Cellulite

Can you get rid of cellulite without going to the dermatologist? With so many medical and non-medical treatment options available like massage, laser, creams, and injections available, we’ve put together 5 of our favorite tips so you can experience significant cellulite reduction at home.

1. Getting Rid Of Cellulite With Exercise (How To Get Rid Of Cellulite On Your Thighs, Legs, & Arms)

One of the best methods for reducing cellulite is regular exercise. “How do I get rid of cellulite with exercise?” you may wonder. Some of the best exercises for women who want to get rid of cellulite on thigh and leg areas include both high-intensity aerobic exercises and strength training workouts. These types of workouts are a great way to burn fat, improve circulation, and indirectly work off the fat deposits under the dermis.

Even if weight loss is not your goal, firming the muscle and connective tissue underneath the cellulite may help smooth the dermis for less visible dimples.

The Best Exercises If You're A Woman With Cellulite

To get rid of cellulite on legs (or at least make it less noticeable), focus on strength-training moves that build up the hamstrings, quads, buttocks, and hips. Aim for training the lower body at least two times a week, increasing the healthy weight over time to challenge your muscles.2

Who says you need to go to a gym to build your muscle mass? If you don't have time or access to gym facilities for a cardio or strength training workout, build your leg, butt, and arm muscles at home with exercise bands, or by carrying weights and speed walking around your neighborhood especially up and down any hill you can find. The brisk walk with a few pounds in each hand will get your heartbeat up, increase blood flow and circulation, and support joint health while improving the cellulite on your thighs and butt.

2. Improving Your Diet (Cellulite Treatment For Better Beauty & Health)

Before you ask for laser treatments, a magical beauty cream, or dermal injections from your dermatologist, try and adjust your diet. How do you get rid of cellulite with your diet?

The first step is recognizing a poor diet, if your diet is high in processed foods, starches, refined sugars, preservatives, and salt, it can lead to toxin buildup. The body stores these toxins in our fat cells. One of the keys to a successful cellulite treatment is reducing the number of toxins in your body since they worsen the appearance of cellulite. Dr. Warren says that adopting a balanced diet along with other healthy lifestyle changes can provide visible health benefits and reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Food Categories To Avoid:

1. Trans-fats - These are found in most processed foods
2. Excess sugar or 'bad sugar' - Sugar gets stored in fat cells causing them to expand. In addition, did you know that sugar can destroy your collagen and accelerate aging?
3. Sodium - Limit your salt intake. Sodium causes fluid retention, which can actually make cellulite in your skin look more noticeable.

How To Reduce Cellulite With Health Foods

A healthy diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, fiber, and antioxidants may help remove toxins from your body and make cellulite dimples less noticeable. The hydration provided by fresh citrus fruits and vegetables flushes out toxins. The high-quality fiber content in whole grains makes you feel fuller, and longer, so you’re less likely to crave unhealthy foods.

Find The Right Dietary Supplements (Treatment For Cellulite)

Antioxidants like French Pine Bark Extract have the added benefits of removing toxins, strengthening your blood vessels, and increasing blood flow. Clinical studies have proven the powerful healing benefits of French Pine Bark through and through again.

LAC Masquelier French Pine Bark is clinically proven to offer your skin and body 3-way protection thanks to its antibacterial, antiviral, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory effects.

This supplement is designed to protect, preserve, and enhance your vitality, youth, and overall quality of life.

Antioxidants: A Natural Beauty & Health Treatment

Another powerful antioxidant is Grape Seed Extract. This extract is known to improve circulation in the legs and to strengthen blood vessels in the lower body, which is important for preventing the formation of cellulite on the legs, buttocks, and calves. Thanks to its antioxidative properties, grape seed extract is another enemy of cellulite as it prevents the build-up of fatty tissue and inflammation of the dermis, and, indirectly, may help to prevent cellulite.

Eat More Fat

It’s important to eat fat, as long as it’s the right kind of fat. Collagen-rich foods like olive oil, avocado, nuts, grape seed oil, seeds, and even heavy cream, not only nourish your skin cells but also make you feel more satisfied after meals, which may help you reduce cellulite.

Try To Drink More Water

Don't forget to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water per day to flush out toxins that are hiding in the fat layers beneath your dermis. Hydration plumps the dermis, making your skin look less lumpy.

Dermatologists and beauty experts often recommend adding hydrating ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, into your skincare routine to keep your dermis plump, moist, and smooth. Supplements, like our Taut Hydrate vegan supplement, provide your dermis with 120mg of hyaluronic acid, a quantity that’s been scientifically proven to improve overall skin health and the appearance of wrinkles. 3

3. Dry Brush For Increased Lymphatic Drainage & Improved Circulation

Dry brushing is a popular spa treatment and a simple way to help reduce the appearance of dimpled skin. Think of it as a massage for your dermis. It involves scrubbing your skin with a stiff bristle brush.

Like a massage or facial, dry brushing treatments improve lymphatic drainage and blood circulation while helping to eliminate the toxins that break down connective tissue. That’s because a whopping 70% of your lymphatic vessels are located right underneath the dermis.

Dry brushing also temporarily plumps the dermis and reduces the appearance of dimples. Your skin will feel softer and smoother after just one session.

Three Things To Look For In A Good Brush

1. Soft, but firm brush - Soft enough that it does not break your skin but firm enough to give you the needed exfoliation and drainage effect
2. Natural bristles - The brush should be made with natural bristles
3. Good grip - A wooden handle that can give you the grip you need as you brush your underarm, buttocks, leg areas, and all over your body.

How To Brush For Best Results (Giving Your Skin A Massage)

Most experts recommend dry brushing in the morning, rather than before bed, due to its energizing qualities.

Brush vigorously in a circular motion around your thighs, buttocks, stomach, arms, underarms, and legs at least two to three times a week.

If you have sensitive or dry skin, talk to your dermatologist before you start dry brushing.

4. Scrub With Coffee 

Coffee is one of the most popular energy drinks for people all over the world, but only recently have its myriad of benefits been discovered. The caffeine found in coffee is not only a good stimulant for our brain and an excellent energy booster, it also helps remove water and toxins trapped in our body and dermis.

Caffeine is a popular cellulite cream ingredient because it dilates blood vessels, which tone and tighten tissue. In addition, the caffeine in coffee boosts circulation and reduces water retention, smoothing out the appearance of cellulite. 

Coffee grounds can be made into an exfoliating scrub that removes dead dermal cells, regenerates healthy new cells, and reduces cellulite. Ground coffee contains antioxidants that help release toxins.

Coffee scrub has powerful anti-inflammatory and metabolic properties. It enhances fat metabolism and its most beneficial effects include lifting and toning your dermis when it’s combined with natural oils.

How To Make A DIY Coffee Scrub Treatment

You don’t have to invest in special creams or expensive treatments to reduce the appearance of cellulite at home. Make your own coffee scrub and customize it to suit your needs. Whether you are a coffee drinker or not, you can make your own coffee scrub using ground coffee mixed with natural essential oils for skin.

Try almond oil and jojoba oil, both work great to improve dermal density and elasticity and protect your dermis from free radical damage. Evening primrose oil, commonly found in beauty products, like creams, massage oils, and facial masks, is a great add-on to your home-made coffee scrub.

Evening Primrose Oil has cleansing properties and the ability to stimulate the production of anti-aging proteins as well as remove dead cells. This oil also helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles, repair damaged cells within the dermis, and increase the delivery of oxygen to the cells.

Once you’ve made your scrub, gently massage it onto the dermis to reap all of its benefits.

5. Prevent & Reduce Cellulite With The Best Collagen Supplements (No Procedure Necessary)

Last but certainly not least: Collagen peptide supplements. This protein makes up to 80% of our dermis and after the age of 30, it’s common to start losing 1 to 2% of our natural collagen. On top of that, hormonal changes result in even more protein loss and dermal thinning. Together, this increases the chance of fat deposits being pushed up against the dermis and creating cellulite.

The best way to get rid of cellulite (or at least reduce its appearance throughout your body, including your thighs) is to increase the density of your dermis with the right type of collagen treatment.

The key to seeing a significant improvement in cellulite is by taking a high concentration of bioactive collagen peptides and continuing the treatment for at least a few months.

What Are Peptides?

Peptides, also known as hydrolyzed collagen, are obtained by breaking down collagen fibers and fibrils into smaller chains through a process called hydrolysis.

In their native state, protein molecules are simply too large for the body to absorb efficiently. Peptides, as opposed to larger amino acids, have to be broken down and then reassembled back into collagen.

Clinical trials demonstrate that peptides get absorbed into the bloodstream and then penetrate and remain in the dermis, triggering collagen production.

Can Peptides Help Reduce The Appearance Of Cellulite?

As your collagen levels increase, your dermal walls will strengthen and retain more moisture, resulting in a dermis that looks firmer and more hydrated. Collagen also thickens the dermis while making it more elastic, firm, and smooth, which in turn reduces the appearance of cellulite lumps.

Clinical studies show that taking a minimum of 10,000mg of hydrolyzed peptides a day for around two months can help increase collagen density within the dermis, reduce fine lines, and smooth uneven texture. Replenishing collagen can help prevent and minimize cellulite.

Why Is Taut® Collagen The Best Supplement For Your Beauty & Health?

Each 1.7oz bottle of Taut® Collagen Drink Advanced Formula contains 13,000mg of marine collagen peptides — that’s 2 to 6 times the concentration found in other brands. Containing 90% Type I collagen and 10% Type III peptides, the high dose of digestible liquid collagen included in our formula has an absorption rate of over 90%.

Our drinkable collagen liquid is safely sourced from deep-water red snapper fish and processed under an environmentally friendly, ISO-9001-certified procedure.

Taut® Collagen Drink is formulated with 6 key ingredients including hydrolyzed marine elastin, an essential protein that helps improve dermal elasticity and suppleness while minimizing sagging. Other active ingredients include hyaluronic acid, grape seed extract, vitamin C, salmon milt DNA, and ceramides, all of which work synergistically to hydrate and protect against free radical damage and help support and promote firmer, and youthful smooth skin.

Taut® Collagen guarantees the highest degree of purity and effectiveness and contains no pork, chicken, beef, or other non-fish ingredients. It’s also free of chemicals, preservatives, allergens, and gluten. 

Who says you can’t have a youthful glow right now? If you’re a woman who wants to enhance skin elasticity and radiance (without going to the dermatologist or waiting months to see results), give our Intense Transformation Program a try. This treatment bundle contains 3 boxes of our delicious peptide drink so that you can get a head start on dramatically reversing the early signs of aging and achieving smooth, radiant, and younger-looking healthy skin!

Hear What Customers Have To Say

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Wonderful!

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I absolutely love Taut collagen!

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It’s never too late to start any of our Transformation Programs, which are all available by auto-ship, so you never have to worry about running out. If you have a question about any of our products or programs, feel free to reach out to our team of beauty experts!

References

1. Understanding Cellulite: The Science Explained
   
2. 5-Minute Quick Lower Body Workout
3. Oral Hyaluronan Reduces Wrinkles: 12-Week Controlled Study
4. 5 Tips to Naturally Get Rid of Cellulite