A lot of our clients ask us: What causes water/fluid retention on thighs, buttocks, lower legs or even the stomach? Can/does water retention cause cellulite? Does water retention make cellulite worse? Water retention (also referred to as fluid retention, puffiness, swelling, oedema etc.) affects a large number of women and, to a lesser extent, men. Water retention occurs when the veins and lymph vessels can not remove water from the tissues efficiently. Water retention can manifest occasionally (e.g. in the summer heat and/or if standing for long periods of time) or it may be chronic. Symptoms can range from mild (e.g. cellulite or puffiness typically appearing on the calves, thighs, hips, arms and face) to severe (medical water retention / lymphedema). Water retention can have many causes, both genetic and lifestyle-based. Check our comprehensive guide on the causes of fluid retention…
Cellulite massage: all the facts and none of the hype
Massage for cellulite: does it work? There are many different types of cellulite massage (e.g. manual lymphatic drainage massage, deep tissue, body brushing, fascia massage, home cellulite massagers, cupping, vacuum massage , vibration etc). But do cellulite massages work? And of those that actually work which are the most efficient?
Slimming massage: does it work?
A slimming massage can mean two things. Losing “inches” by boosting circulation / lymphatic drainage and consequently reducing water retention; and losing actual fat. The former approach works, albeit temporarily. You receive a few lymphatic drainage or other type of massage and if your excess “inches” where due to water retention you lose some of the excess water and you think that you “slimmed down”. Slimming, of course, refers to fat loss and in this case no fat loss has occurred, just a temporary “water loss”…
What is the best cellulite treatment? [2025 edition]
A list of the most effective cellulite treatments - in real life, not in the virtual reality of social media
As most women know by experience, most cellulite treatments simply do not work. And when we say they don't work, we mean that they either do not work at all or that they offer so poor results that you would need 20, 30 or 50 sessions to be happy with the results. Here we will review the best treatments, according to effectiveness (more effective treatments are presented first, ineffective treatments are presented last)…