Cellulite on the arms, how to get rid of it?

[Article updated on 19/09/2023]

Particularly unsightly, cellulite can appear on the arm. It frequently affects women of all sizes (obese or emaciated women), while revealing flabby arms and orange peel skin in this segment of the upper limb. So, when cellulite is on the arm, it is unsightly. Fortunately, there are ways to completely dislodge it once it takes hold. With a suitable diet, a little sport associated with a local massage and anti-cellulite creams without forgetting a good dose of determination and perseverance, you can succeed in eradicating cellulite on the arms.

What is cellulite on the arms?

Cellulite on the arms is the result of an accumulation of fat in fat cells located under the skin.

According to Dr. Ariel Toledano, “this cellulite is often not watery. It is adipose cellulite in this case.^“(1).

Indeed, cellulite comes in three forms:

• adipose cellulite, resulting from water retention,
• so-called aqueous or fatty infiltrated cellulite results from excess subcutaneous fat,
• and fibrous cellulite; a loss of flexibility in the collagen fibers of fat cells is often the cause of this form of cellulite.

Adipose cellulite which appears in the area between the elbow and the shoulder alters the structure of the dermis, so it is no longer smooth. The skin of the arm is then distended, irregular, becomes dimpled and flabby, revealing several cracks. The grainy appearance of this skin is called orange peel. Dimples or nodules also appear.

The factors that promote this type of cellulite problem are excess fat resulting from a diet that is too rich (too fatty, too sweet) associated, sometimes, with a sedentary lifestyle and a lack of physical activity.

What foods are there to get rid of it?

A healthy and varied diet is necessary to eliminate cellulite on the arms which is the result of excess fat. Also, excessive weight gain can promote the appearance of cellulite. To reduce this fat in this part of the body, you must work to reduce overall body fat and lose weight gradually. Losing overall body fat will also lead to loss of arm cellulite, because you cannot treat the arm area separately. To do this, you must favor a diet, low in calories and fat, but rich in fiber, vitamins, antioxidants and proteins. Furthermore, you must remove or reduce the consumption of certain foods during different meals.

Foods to favor

As part of an anti-cellulite diet, good hydration is necessary for the body. Therefore, you need to consume plenty of water to allow the body’s skin cells to stay fresh and renew themselves. This intake of water necessary for the body, with at least 8 glasses of water, daily, promotes the elimination of toxins and the reduction of the orange appearance of cellulite which appears on the arm.

Fresh fruits and vegetables which also contain water contribute to hydrating the body. Also, you must introduce them into your diet to help you reduce arm cellulite.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are low in calories and contain lots of nutrients as well as antioxidants. You need to eat more of them, because they are the preferred foods when you want to reduce excess fat and lose weight in your arms. They must be cooked healthily (steamed, boiled, blanched), preferably without fat or in very small quantities. An anti-cellulite diet should contain among vegetables, celery, leek, eggplant, onion, cabbage and even pepper. During meals and desserts, the recommended fruits are red fruits, pineapple, grapes, apple, papaya. These fruits contain substances that act as natural fat burners, in particular, bromelain in pineapple or pectin in apple. Food supplements even exist and aim to reproduce this process. Discover my opinion on PhenQ here, who is one of its most renowned and effective representatives.

The food option should also contain foods rich in protein, in particular, lean meat, poultry, eggs, fish.

Foods to avoid

The nutritional approach to arm cellulite must be a diet that does not contain fats of plant origin. You must therefore ban foods rich in saturated fat, red meat, cold meats, sausages as well as fatty and salty foods (aperitif biscuits, industrial dishes, fries). Refined sugars, sugary foods, sugary sodas, pastries and smoked fish should also be eliminated. It is also necessary to reduce salt consumption which promotes water retention.

What sporting activities to eliminate cellulite on the arms?

To eliminate the appearance of cellulite on the arm, you must practice sports activity regularly. This practice is necessary because it helps avoid a sedentary life.

It also has other advantages, as Doctor Serfaty-Lacrosnière points out: ”Regular physical exercise for more than thirty minutes stimulates hormones (endorphins, testosterone and growth hormones) which encourage the body to burn fat by reserve, strengthen muscle tissue, protect bones and skin and give plumpness”⁽²⁾.

Against cellulite of the arm, this sporting activity should favor exercises that target the arm. These exercises help you lose calories, strengthen your arms and reduce the orange peel appearance. They will help you build muscle. With more muscle in the arm, you will have less fat and consequently a reduction in cellulite, with firm and thin arms. By strengthening the arm, you will prevent the build-up of fat.

These exercises, which allow you to work the arm effectively, are extremely important when it comes to getting rid of cellulite on the arm. So, you can practice swimming, opting for crawl or breaststroke which puts a lot of strain on the arm and forces it to work. Tennis and basketball are also effective sports for working the arm.

Regular cycling (indoors or outdoors) is also good for exercising your arms. Also, other very specific exercises allow you to use the arm and help you eliminate cellulite in the arm. These are biceps and triceps strengthening exercises. You can practice these exercises with dumbbells or with a weight. Likewise, lifting dumbbells also allows you to tackle cellulite on your arms.

Other regular exercises lasting 20 to 30 minutes, daily, will bring excellent results, in particular those which allow you to perform:

• forearm extensions above the head,
• tonic movements of the arms and shoulders,
• jumps with a rope,
• side push-ups or push-ups against a wall.

How to get rid of it with massage?

Massage is also essential to activate the loss of cellulite on the arm. This local massage with a draining effect allows you to exert strong pressure on the fleshy muscles of the arm, to eliminate toxins and to fight against water retention. For the arm, the anti-cellulite massage which starts from the elbow to the shoulders without forgetting the area affected by cellulite:

• provides muscle relaxation,
• stimulates microcirculation,
• optimizes lymphatic circulation,
• makes the skin soft and shiny,
• firms the skin of the arms,
• and helps eliminate cellulite.

Massages help reinforce the action of sporting activities and restart the process of eliminating toxins with the visible result of a reduction in cellulite on the arms.

Palpate-rolling is a massage technique that is effective in getting rid of cellulite. This anti-cellulite gesture will consist of taking a fold of the skin between the thumb and the other fingers and rolling this fold vertically, like a wave, from the inside of the arm outwards. This gesture must be repeated several times.

The practice of palpation and rolling makes it possible to mobilize fatty deposits, to melt fat or to unclog any excess fat water, to improve lymphatic and venous circulation and to stimulate blood circulation. These effects induce visibly reduced cellulite. To promote the evacuation of cellulite, it is essential to combine massage, particularly palpating and rolling, with anti-cellulite creams or essential oils in order to optimize the deep penetration of the active ingredients.

What cream should you apply to eliminate cellulite on your arms?

There are creams on the market that can effectively eliminate cellulite on the arms. They contain ingredients of excellent quality and great effectiveness. Characterized by an anti-cellulite formula, they should be used every day, while massaging the arms. The massage reinforces the action of the active ingredients which penetrate under the skin to produce effects and help to reduce the “orange peel” effect. The creams best suited to destroying dimples contain active ingredients such as caffeine which releases fat cells and promotes the destruction of fat. Other active ingredients are included in the composition of anti-cellulite creams; these are, among others:

• marine algae,
• fucus (a marine algae),
• ivy extracts,
• Garcinia Cambogia extracts.

These active ingredients help reduce fat cells, prevent new accumulation, eliminate cellulite and make the skin smooth and firm. But, the application of an anti-cellulite cream must constitute a complement to the anti-cellulite treatment; it must be combined with an anti-cellulite diet and regular sporting activity.

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My video guide to getting rid of cellulite on your arms is right here:

Sources:

(1) Allodocteurs.fr: How to eliminate cellulite on the arms? June 2014
(2) Sylvie Charier: Adipose cellulite: how to get rid of it? Marieclaire.fr, March 2018