Martedì 17 Novembre 2009

CELLULITE AND THERMAL WATERS

In spite of what many women believe, cellulite is not just an aesthetic problem but it is a real pathology that affects the subcutaneous adipose tissue, causing a sclerosis and fibrosis of the same tissue.

There are many different causes that depend on 4 factors: the genetic, the hormonal, the vascular and the postural factors.

Other causes, such as the diet and a sedentary lifestyle, are considered co-factors and, although they do not affect the normal physiology of the adipose tissue, they increase it causing a worsening of the problem.

It is fundamental to underline how important is establishing the causes of the problem in order to set up a correct therapeutic approach. As cellulite is a chronic disease, it must be treated with medical-aesthetic and targeted aids so as to obtain excellent short-term results and assure that they will last long-term.

As the great cellulite expert professor Curri said, among all the causes, the most important is undoubtedly the vascular one; this idea made him affirm that cellulite was “... not a disease but a complication of the functional venous insufficiency...” present, in different ways, in the female sex as a consequence of the hormonal action of estrogens and progesterone.

Starting from this idea a real school of thought originates, according to which the basis of every anti-cellulite treatment is the peripheral circulation correction and a lipolytic action in order to optimise the treatment.

In recent years, there is a more and more convincing offer related to the treatment of this disease: thermal centres offer medical treatments, guaranteed by the scientific support of evidence-based medicine, and complementary non-medical treatments.
In the spas you can find: specific thermal waters, specialised medical staff, paramedical personnel, sophisticated equipment suitable to achieve good/excellent results in reducing or limiting this disease.

Bromine and iodine-salt sulphur water is an effective and complete therapeutic mean.  
It is considered the thermal water par excellence for cellulite treatments since it acts on the venous microcirculation, besides having anti-inflammatory actions and also actions due to the presence of iodine.

The action on the peripheral venous circulation is often enhanced and supported by additional mechanical means such as ozone and hydro massage.

The strong anti-inflammatory action of thermal bromine and iodine-salt water is very useful for that kind of cellulite where the subcutaneous adipose tissue presents all the phlogosis phases, from the initial one to the chronic one of final fibrosis.

Meanwhile, the presence of iodine stimulates the peripheral cell metabolism with a direct action on adiposity, without intervening at central level.

Moreover, this thermal mean, if used at high concentrations, has a strong osmotic action on the oedema that is linked to the cellulite process.

It is known that, in the sequential study of this pathology, some complementary methods such as anti-cellulite massage, anti-cellulite mug and bandage have been introduced to enhance the action on the peripheral venous circulation and to complete the treatment cycle.

Dr. Roberta Gazzini
Surgeon
Specialist in Medical Hydrology