“Cellulite is caused by herniation of fat bulges between fibrous bands that connect your skin to the underlying tissue,” explains board-certified dermatologist Anna Guanche, M.D., founder and director of Bella Skin Institute. “This tethering pulls down on your skin, causing the normal layer of fat beneath the skin to push upward. The result is a puckering appearance to the skin or skin dimpling.”
It’s incredibly common, affecting up to 98% of women, and it can be genetic—meaning, you can have cellulite no matter what products you use on your skin, how old you are, or how much you weigh. However, it does tend to show up with age as the skin loses elasticity, Guanche notes.
“It tends to appear in the hips, thighs, and buttocks, but may also occur on the lower abdomen, breasts and arms,” says board-certified dermatologist Marisa Garshick, M.D., FAAD. And, sorry to say, no treatment will 100% get rid of cellulite. It’s a deeper skin concern that requires more invasive skin procedures to actually eliminate. And even then, there’s a good chance that cellulite will start to reappear over time1.
