My thighs look like cottage cheese

What is going on?

Dimples on your cheeks and chin are adorable, but when they show up on your butt and thighs, that is another story!

Cellulite rears its bumpy head when deposits of fat push against your skin’s connective tissue, creating lumps on your skins surface. No matter how sick you may feel about cellulite, orange-peel thighs aren’t a disease, and since experts don’t consider it a medical concern, there is no official doctor-speak for it.

Still, science has proven that the amount of cellulite you have is linked to genetics, age, diet, and exercise. So, if your mom has a bumpy butt or if you are not exercising and eating right, cellulite is much more likely to appear.

How do you know if you have cellulite? You can see it! If you are not sure, squeeze your stomach, thighs, or butt. Do ripples appear? If so, congratulations. You have joined the ranks of most women around the world, as Newsweek reports that over 85 percent of women over the age of eighteen have cellulite somewhere on their bodies.

How to deal?

While creams, lasers, pills, and other products that claim to cut cellulite are wastes of money, there are ways you can reduce and camouflage cellulite. For starters, drinking enough water during the day helps to keep skin smooth. Dehydrated skin makes cellulite more apparent. Also, moisturized skin looks more toned and healthy than dry skin, so lotion up!

Exercise is a great skin solution, too. It won’t get rid of cellulite, but lifting weights and doing cardiovascular work not only make you stronger and healthier, but also tighten and tone areas that are cellulite (and stretch mark) prone.

Although using a body brush or shower scrub won’t get rid of cellulite, it will help your skin shine and glisten. Similarly, tanning can sometimes minimize the appearance of cellulite, but don’t use dimpled skin as an excuse to bake in the tanning bed or in the sun without sunscreen. Opt for sunless tanning lotions or sprays to get the same effect.