After months of hiding under pants and tights, your stems are ready for the big reveal. Get rid of cellulite, stretch marks, and veins with these tips
Most women spend time and money pampering their faces but blow off their body skin. And legs especially don't take kindly to the diss. Over time they fall victim to damage thanks to "genetics, hormones, childbirth, sun damage, standing too much, and sitting too much," says dermatologist Anne Chapas, Make your legs look instantly sexier this way.
Smooth Out Cellulite
Dimples on your cheeks are cute. But dimples on your butt cheeks? Maddening! "Fat is organized into chambers that are separated by strands of fibrous connective tissue. When fat pushes through the bands, you get puckering and bulging. Think of how a mattress looks—that's cellulite!
De-puff. Fluid buildup exacerbates the cottage-cheese look (it increases the fat bulge between the fibrous bands), so "stay away from anything that makes you retain water, like salty snacks," advises Waldorf. Another tactic: Build muscle, which will improve blood flow and reduce fluid retention. Kim Garcia, a personal trainer in Spring Hill, Florida, recommends doing a fat-burning, muscle-building combo of single-leg bridges and jump squats.
Hydrate and massage. Tightening and smoothing your skin will make cellulite-stricken areas appear firmer. After exfoliating in the shower with a loofah (it aids product penetration), use firm, circular strokes to rub in a retinol-based cream, which will help rebuild collagen and thicken dimply skin. Chase that with a coating of cream spiked with caffeine, which some studies suggest can temporarily stimulate blood flow and flush excess fluids; try FatGirlSlim by Bliss. Apply this combo twice a day.
Let the doc de-dimplify. VelaShape (a derm fave) hits the cellulite trifecta: fat, skin texture, and fluid. Treatments combine suction, infrared light, and radio frequency to melt localized areas of fat as well as heat and smooth the skin's surface, helping remodel collagen. But you'll need to get touch-ups, because cellulite is chronic, not curable, explains Chapas.
Minimize Stretch Marks- Rapid weight gain comes with an added woe: stretch marks. Putting on pounds too quickly stretches the skin, pulling the collagen and elastin apart and creating angry-looking red scars. These marks typically fade from red to white or gray after about a year, making them less noticeable on fair-skinned people but more pronounced on people with darker skin tones. In any case, the wrinkly texture persists, says Waldorf.
Act quickly. "It's easiest to treat fresh stretch marks that are still red," says Chapas. "At that point you still have a shot at reversing the inflammation and preventing a scar." Look for a product containing onion extract, which studies have shown can reduce redness as well as the wrinkly texture; try Mederma Stretch Marks Therapy. Apply it twice a day for four to 12 weeks. For older marks that are light pink or gray, a high-potency Retin-A cream (prescribed by a derm) can rebuild collagen and minimize the marks when applied nightly for 12 weeks.
Lighten up with a laser. For new red marks, Waldorf recommends a pulsed dye laser, which delivers heat that stimulates the growth of new, healthy collagen while collapsing blood vessels to fade color quickly. You'll see improvements after just one or two treatments. To remove older pale marks where the main issue is the wrinkly, depressed texture, try fractional resurfacing, which targets the damaged skin, stimulates the production of collagen, and helps restore the skin's elasticity and smoothness.
Erase Age Spots
Many people slather their upper bodies with SPF but then skimp on protecting their legs. Big mistake. "Between shorts, skirts, and the sun's reflection off the sidewalk, legs are one of the most common places women develop melanoma and sun damage in the form of red or brown spots," says Chapas.
Head for cover. To keep discoloration from looking even worse (and prevent future spots from developing), start wearing SPF now. Legs need at least half an ounce (half a tablespoon per leg) of broad-spectrum SPF 30 anytime you're baring them. Try Yes to Carrots Hydrating Body Lotion with SPF 30.
Try a fading formula. The good news: Over-the-counter creams can fade sun spots a bit. The bad news: They take at least 12 weeks to work. Look for ingredients such as lactic acid (which exfoliates the top layers of skin), soy, licorice extract, and kojic acid; they can all block pigment production.
Heat to treat. The Fraxel Re:Store Dual Treatment zaps and peels the dark pigment in your skin's surface layer and is the best option for treating large body areas. "Once the discolored cells absorb the heat from the laser light, they temporarily darken, scab on the surface, and then flake away," explains Waldorf. Healing time is three to four weeks, and you may need more than one treatment.
Disguise Veins
Caught in a tangled web of unsightly spider veins? Blame your mom or your kids. "Genetic predisposition and hormones associated with birth control and pregnancy are big factors," says Luis Navarro, But being on your feet all day or regularly wearing body slimmers can take a toll too—these supportive undergarments cause blood to pool in your legs and may make your veins bulge. A 40-milligram dose of horse chestnut seed extract has been shown to improve the tone of veins, increase blood flow, and reduce swelling.
Inject your veins away. Asclera vein treatments are the current gold standard in treating small spider veins (those up to three millimeters in diameter). The chemical substance is injected into the veins, irritating their lining and causing them to collapse. Results are permanent but if you're prone to spider veins, your body may create new ones in other places.
Play hide and no seek. A heavy-duty water-resistant concealer designed specifically for the body, such as Cover FX Total Coverage Cream Foundation SPF 30, can erase all signs of spider veins...at least for the day. Apply it in long, even strokes, and use a damp makeup sponge to smudge away any hard lines.
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