June 16, 2020

Collagen for Cellulite: Does it Reduce Cellulite?

Written by Hannah Marchese
Updated on June 24, 2021

Overview

Thanks to social media and photoshop, many people have unrealistic expectations of what a woman's body should look like. Picture after picture shows seemingly airbrushed models with silky smooth skin. The appearance of cellulite is nonexistent. This isn't real life; not even close. Who's to say what a normal body looks like? Cellulite is completely natural, and every body type has it. Some people associate cellulite with being overweight, which isn't always the case. Women who are size 0's and are extremely petite have it too. This is because cellulite has to do with your fat cells and the amount of muscle you have. No matter what size you are, if you don't have muscle, then you have fat (and to be clear, muscular people have fat on their bodies as well). Having fat on your body does not mean you are overweight or unhealthy, by any means. Muscle is lean and strong, making it harder to be dimpled and stretched like cellulite is. It typically appears on your legs and butt, but it can be other places. Wherever you have it, it's normal. Weight loss, excess fat, and changing your body mass index can sometimes cause cellulite, because the skin changes and moves, resulting in dimples and what some people describe as "cottage cheese" skin and skin waviness. There isn't much that is really known about what causes cellulite. It happens when fat cells accumulate and push up against the skin. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about it, as most treatments aren't permanent. However, there are things you can do to minimize it and help improve your skin's texture. The biggest thing you can do to improve it? Build muscle where you have cellulite. Your next best bet is dietary supplementation. More specifically, collagen supplements. Collagen is responsible for skin elasticity, helping to strengthen the dermis layer of skin, and helping skin glow. Read on to learn about how collagen can potentially help improve cellulite on your body.

How much collagen should I take for cellulite?

Collagen is a protein in our body. It's formed through chains of amino acids that act as building blocks. Collagen production slows down as we age, especially after age 20. This leads to things like wrinkles, fine lines, dull skin, and weak connective tissues. Elastin is another part of our skin that plays a part in aging. Overall, collagen plays a large role in your skin health, and not just the skin on your face. To see the beneficial effects of collagen, try starting with the daily recommended dose of 12-15 grams. Since cellulite is a larger and more complicated issue than skin dullness, for example, it may take more collagen and a longer amount of time for you to start seeing results, especially for improvement of dimpling and dermal density. If your body reacts quickly, you could see results in about a month. However, don't get frustrated if you don't see results that quickly. Everyone is different, and it could just take you more time or more collagen. There are also other ways to get collagen, which could be an additional boost for you. You can try eating more foods that contain collagen or promote natural collagen production, in addition to your supplement. Bone broth is created by simmering the bones of animals (typically beef or chicken) for hours, and sometimes overnight. It's packed with collagen and it's also great for healing the gut and immune boosting. Seafood and meat is rich in collagen as well. Foods that promote skin health and potentially collagen production include lemon (and other citrus fruits that are high in vitamin C), leafy greens like kale and spinach (packed with antioxidants), and vegetables that contain vitamin A (such as sweet potato). You can eat as much of these real, whole foods as you like! They will help your diet be collagen-rich and clean so that your body and skin are especially healthy.

Can collagen peptides help cellulite?

Yes, collagen peptides can help cellulite. There have been a few clinical trials that give us information that shows a direct correlation between collagen peptides and cellulite specifically. In one clinical study, women who received collagen peptides daily for 6 months showed a decrease in cellulite compared to the placebo group, which stayed the same. This is very promising information that shows how collagen can truly change your body and help you achieve the results you want. The specific collagen peptides you need for your body depends on how much cellulite you have, and if you have any other skin issues you want to resolve. Collagen peptides are one of the more popular forms of collagen. They can sometimes be labeled as bioactive collagen peptides, collagen peptides, or hydrolyzed collagen, which is the same thing. This simply refers to how the collagen is broken down. When it is in peptide or hydrolyzed form, it means it has been broken down into very tiny particles, which are easily absorbable and digestible. The great thing about collagen is there are no known side effects. This means it is safe to try and see how it works for you. There are also more types of collagen besides collagen peptides. You can try different types and see what works best for you. We discuss collagen peptides and hydrolyzed collagen so much because they are typically regarded as the best types of collagen. This is because of what we mentioned previously: they are broken down more. This means you can see better results due to the fact that your body can actually absorb these particles. Collagen is helpful for so many varying issues beyond just our skin; you can try collagen peptides to help with tons of other health issues and improve your skin at the same time. A great way to incorporate collagen into your daily life is through supplements. To get your daily dose of collagen, you can try our Kalumi BEAUTYfood bars. They contain 8 grams of hydrolyzed marine collagen and sweet potato, containing betacarotene- a precursor of vitamin A, as well as cocoa butter, which contains antioxidants and polyphenols.

How do you quickly get rid of cellulite on your legs?

There are a few things you can do to improve cellulite anywhere on your body. Typically, people have the most cellulite on their legs, but everyone is different. It can depend on your BMI, genetics, how much subcutaneous fat you have (jiggly fat under the skin), and other similar issues. It's important to be realistic with yourself; the truth is, it may not go away quickly. It's not something that disappears overnight. Thankfully there are some cellulite treatments that do help and can give you significant improvement. One thing you can do is help to improve blood flow to your areas of concern. Get your circulation going by staying active, and using tools (like a gua sha tool) to massage the skin. You can also utilize various skin care practices such as dry brushing, massaging, and scrubbing the skin. You can also start engaging in more cardio-based activities such as running and biking, which will help to strengthen the legs and smooth out cellulite. Lastly, make sure to hydrate constantly; this will help every aspect of your skin health.