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The development of cellulite on the body is rarely good news. Source of complex in the majority of women and sometimes even in some men, it can really ruin our lives. That's why you decided to follow the first recommendation to get rid of it: massage! And while you're on your way to eliminating it, the pain caused by massage slows down your motivation. So, why massaging cellulite hurts? In the first part, learn what cellulite is. You will thus be able to better understand why massaging cellulite is painful. Subject that we will tackle in a second part.

What is cellulite?

How is cellulite formed?

Cellulite is an excessive accumulation of watery fluid, toxins and / or fat in fatty cells (adipocytes) which are located in the hypodermis (the deep layer of the epidermis). As they thicken, these fat cells break down the skin and give it a bumpy appearance like orange peel. These fat deposits are also called " dimples"

This accumulation of subcutaneous fat can also lead to:

• poor drainage of the body part affected by cellulitis, since the blood and lymphatic vessels that circulate in the hypodermis are compacted by fat cells.
• A process of water retention which can cause blood circulation problems and thereby increase cellulite.

The degree of pain in relation to the type of cellulite

Also know that there is several types of cellulite (adipose, watery or fibrous) and different phases of development (incipient, installed, old). And depending on these characteristics, the massage to eliminate cellulite will be more or less painful.

The older the cellulite, the more it will hurt to massage the cellulite. In addition, it is the cellulite with the most substantial amount of dimpling that will also be particularly painful during massage, namely adipose cellulite and fibrous cellulite. Finally, know that it is the fibrous and old cellulite which will win the palm of the most painful massage. Indeed, already painful, deep, encrusted in nature and resulting from a deficit of collagen fibers, this cellulite is very difficult to dislodge and will require a more "aggressive" massage.

Why massaging cellulite hurts?

Although the massage step is essential to blur or remove cellulite, it can sometimes be unpleasant or even painful. For some people, it is even unbearable. So why massaging cellulite hurts?

Massaging cellulite is painful because of the nerves

The first goal of the massage is to dislodge the cellulite by releasing the fat stored and trapped in the adipocytes so that it can then be mobilized again and therefore removed by the process of lipolysis. To do this, the massage will “break” the fatty cells which are in the hypodermis thanks to strong and sustained gestures, pressures and palpations. The nerve fibers, which are responsible for the pain, are also located in the hypodermis. So when you massage the cellulite to reach the adipocytes, the nerves are also impacted and send a pain signal to the brain.

In addition, the dimples can sometimes have difficulty detaching from the muscular envelope to which they are attached. In this case, the dislodgement of the cellulite will be all the more painful since the muscle fibers will also be impacted and will also send a pain message to the central nervous system.

So to sum up, massaging the cellulite hurts because the cutaneous nerves are found to be stimulated at the same time as the cellulites are dislodged.

Massaging cellulite hurts because of the vascularity

The massage will also aim to improve blood and lymphatic circulation. For this, palpations and movements must be strong enough to reach the microcirculation which is located in the dermis (ie the layer before the hypodermis). Thus, during massage, the vascularization can also be impacted to the point of causing blue. Although this is not serious, they cause additional pain.

To amplify the effects of the massage, we recommend that you associate it with an anti-cellulite product such as a cream or an oil. They allow, thanks to their many active ingredients, to activate drainage and eliminate fat more effectively. In addition, if you have trouble getting rid of your cellulite, know that there is more efficient devices and treatments than manual massage.

To conclude : The skin is a large circuit where blood vessels, lymphatic system and nerve fibers pass! So when you knead or massage your skin to remove cellulite, all of these elements are called upon and can cause pain. So yes massaging cellulite often hurts, but don't forget that one painful massage = effective massage !