Cellulite is the lumpy substance resembling cottage cheese that is commonly found on the thighs, stomach, and butt. Cellulite is actually a fancy name for collections of fat that push against the connective tissue beneath a person's skin, which causes the surface of the skin to dimple or pucker and look lumpy.

You can check to see if you have cellulite by pinching the skin around your upper thigh. If it looks a bit lumpy, you probably have it. And if you do have cellulite, you're definitely not alone: Most girls and women — and some men — have cellulite.

The four stages of the phenomenon

Stage 1

This is when fat cells start to increase in volume and begin to absorb much more fat than they normally would. Blood vessels start deteriorating due to dehydration and lack of nutrients. Although vessel damage is minimal, it causes leaks and allows waste liquids to accumulate inside the dermis. The excess moisture causes Collagen and Elastin to start breaking down and making the skin less elastic. The inflated fat cells in the sub dermal layers begin to gather into groups forming large clumps and we already can feel the cellulite coming. Just kidding. In the first stage of cellulite there are hardly any visual signs, pinching the skin only reveals folds as a cause of Collagen and Elastin deterioration, but "no orange-peel" yet.

Stage 2

During the second stage of cellulite formation the dermis keeps deteriorating because of the leaking blood vessels, the accumulation of residual water and the damage suffered by the Collagen and Elastin. This is when the dermis is in such a bad shape that it allows the fat cells to move up into it and cause visible change in skin texture. You might not notice any traces of cellulite when sitting down or standing up, but the pinch test reveals minimal traces of that nasty "orange peel" tissue called cellulite. So, at step 2, the cellulite starts to become visible.

Stage 3

In the third stage of cellulite synthesis of Collagen and Elastin slows down due to liquid accumulation in the tissue (women’s hormonal action increases the amount of body liquid) and for the same reason connective tissue starts breaking down. The fat cells that have now climbed up from the sub dermal layers of the skin into the dermis swell up even more, become surrounded by fibrous brands called Septa and push-up even more making the "cottage cheese peels" significantly more visible by performing the pinching test. The hit of cellulite. Some women start to feel fatigue and extra weight in their legs due to poor circulation in certain areas, caused by the damaged blood vessels.

Stage 4

The connective tissue in the dermis continues to break down while the Septa surrounding the groups of fat cells start to thicken and harden forming tough nodules. At this point the dimples in the skin become visible in any circumstances without performing the pinching test and it’s often accompanied by sensations of tenderness and mild pain. The legs start to feel heavier, become swollen and hurt even when you’re resting. The cellulite at its best.

It’s important to always check for cellulite and be able to determine what storage it is in because many experts claim they can cure or at least keep cellulite under control as long as it is treated in one of the early stages, before the Septa turn the fat cell groups into hard nodules.