Early treatment for cellulite recommended for best results

A plan for treatment of cellulite involves more than curbing calories.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Cellulite happens.
The appearance of swollen or lumpy skin can happen to slim women, it can happen to plus-size women. What matters is a woman's circulation and water retention, not her body fat, says Anne Bramhan, consultant for Spa Montage in Laguna Beach, Calif.
This is actually good news because it means something can be done about it beyond curbing calories.
Spa Montage offers a cellulite treatment plan that begins first with an evaluation to determine what stage a woman's cellulite is in. The earlier it's treated, the better chances are for improved appearance, notes Bramhan.
The treatment is a combination of counseling, including how to improve tissue movement through exercise and food awareness, and noninvasive therapies, such as connective tissue massage, and algae and clay wraps. Algae delivers nutrients to the skin, and clay assists in drawing excess water from the tissue.
Homework
The spa then sends clients home with a maintenance program they can do on their own. Suggestions include from deep abdominal breathing, water exercise, dry-body brushing, bathing three times a week in a seaweed bath, and ending showers with a cold rinse.
There are certain things Bramhan advises avoiding: junk food, diet soda, high pressure massage, high-impact exercise that can overload the blood flow system, and tight and restrictive clothing, among them.
Cellulite does indeed seem to affect women more than men, she says. "Men don't have the same relationship to fat and hormones as women."