“TL;DR: Smoking and vaping significantly contribute to cellulite, particularly in women with a genetic predisposition. Nicotine, present in both traditional and electronic cigarettes, is a major cause of cellulite due to its impact on skin and circulation, causing oxidative damage, inflammation, glycation, and fibrosis in skin and blood vessels. These effects impair lymphatic drainage and degrade collagen and elastin, exacerbating cellulite. Tar components in traditional cigarettes worsen these issues. Studies show that women with specific ACE gene polymorphisms who smoke face up to 13.5 times higher risk of moderate to severe cellulite, while non-smokers with genetic predisposition have double the risk. Vaping, though lacking tar, still delivers nicotine, making it only slightly less harmful. While nicotine may suppress appetite and reduce fat absorption in some, aiding temporary weight loss, long-term effects often lead to weight gain due to reduced physical activity. Both habits damage overall health, increasing risks of heart disease, lung disease, and cancer, making quitting essential to mitigate cellulite and improve well-being.”
How nicotine causes cellulite, either via vaping or smoking
Smoking, vaping, fat accumulation, weight gain and cellulite
Does nicotine cause cellulite and/or water retention?
Smoking, dieting, fat accumulation / weight gain and cellulite
Smoking/vaping, heredity and cellulite
Vaping and cellulite
Can vaping or smoking make me lose weight or put on. weight?
A multilocus candidate approach identifies ACE and HIF1A as susceptibility genes for cellulite
Cellulite, smoking and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion polymorphism
Have a skin tightening/cellulite treatment with London’s cellulite experts
Advanced, infrared / blue / red light therapy treatments in London at LipoTherapeia
The Cellulite School™: Get advanced training in cellulite reduction and skin tightening
Smoking, vaping, fat accumulation, weight gain and cellulite
Many women notice that vaping / smoking has made their cellulite worse, sometimes in a matter of months.
There is a lot of misinformation about everything to do with cellulite, so in this article we will examine how smoking (and vaping) affects cellulite and weight gain.
Does nicotine cause cellulite and/or water retention?
Nicotine not only does cause cellulite, it is in fact one of the most important causes of cellulite and poor circulation.
In addition, for those who smoke, smoke components, such as:
PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)
HCA (heterocyclic amines)
AGE (advanced glycation end-products)
…found in tar, cause skin and blood/lymph vessels to suffer:
Oxidative damage
Inflammation
Glycation
Fibrosis
This results in impaired circulation and lymph drainage and deterioration of the quality of skin’s collagen and elastin.
Since fibrosis/connective tissue deterioration, poor circulation/lymphatic drainage, glycation, oxidative damage and inflammation are all major causes of cellulite, it is easy to understand why smoking - and vaping to a lesser extent - are so bad for cellulite.
Smoking, dieting, weight gain, topical fat accumulation and cellulite
On the other hand, smoking and vaping may indeed decrease appetite and reduce fat absorption by fat cells in the more "genetically gifted" (i.e. naturally slim) women.
However, in women with a propensity to accumulate fat, this effect is diminished.
In all cases, in the long run the negative effects catch up with all women, regardless of genetics, wreaking havoc on skin, blood vessels and cellulite - not to mention overall health.
Smoking / vaping, heredity and cellulite
In two studies examining heredity and cellulite (details below), smoking was identified as a key factor for causing cellulite in a large number of genetically predisposed women, specifically due to its effect on skin and blood vessel fibrosis, oxidative damage, glycation and inflammation.
As nicotine is contained in both traditional and electronic cigarettes, vaping would have the same effect, regardless of the absence of tar.
In one study comparing 123 women with moderate to severe cellulite (~34 y.o.) to 109 women with no cellulite (~33 y.o.) it was found that:
Women who smoke but DON‘T have a genetic predisposition have equal probability to develop moderate/severe cellulite as women who don’t smoke. So it is not the smoking per se (however bad it is for health) but the smoking PLUS the genetic predisposition.
Women who don’t smoke but DO carry a genetic predisposition have 2x more probability of developing moderate/severe cellulite. So just the genetic predisposition itself is enough to double your chance of developing moderate/severe cellulite. However, the most important finding is the following:
Women who smoke and DO carry a genetic predisposition have 13.5x more probability of developing moderate/severe cellulite!
So if you have the DD or ID polymorphism of the ACE gene (rs1799752, aka rs4343), the one that also controls blood pressure*, you most probably will develop cellulite at some time. If you also smoke, it is almost certain that you will develop cellulite, especially after the age of 40.
(* With the DD polymorphism you have higher ACE levels and higher chances of heart disease.)
In the other study, this time looking at 200 slim women with cellulite and 200 slim women without cellulite, it was found that:
the ID type of the same ACE gene (rs1799752, aka rs4343) was also associated with higher prevalence of cellulite (1.8x higher, similar to the 2x higher probabiity of the study above)
the HIF1 gene polymorphism rs11549465 decreases the odds of developing cellulite by 40%
Clearly smoking/vaping does not affect all women the same in regard to cellulite, but it does affect genetically susceptible women quite severely and quite quickly.
And over time it affects ALL women who lead the ‘Western lifestyle’, to a greater or lesser extent and regardless of genetics.
Vaping and cellulite
Despite the absence of tar, vaping is only marginally better than smoking, as it still delivers nicotine to the body, which directly affects blood vessels and cellulite in a negative way, including affecting genetically predisposed women, as we discussed above.
So the best solution is to quit altogether.
Can vaping or smoking make me lose weight or put on. weight?
Due to nicotine being a stimulant and appetite suppressant, vaping and smoking usually stops most people from putting on weight and lead to weight loss in some people, at least temporarily.
However, in the long run, by reducing fitness and therefore physical activity, vaping and smoking may lead to weight gain on many people.
All in all, vaping and smoking are the worst possible ways to stay slim, as they damage health in multiple ways (heart disease, lung disease, cancer etc.), in addition to causing cellulite.
A multilocus candidate approach identifies ACE and HIF1A as susceptibility genes for cellulite
Research paper link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20059631/
Abstract: Cellulite is a common complex cosmetic problem for many post-adolescent women characterised by relief alterations of the skin surface, which give the skin an orange-peel appearance. Although genetic factors have been suggested to play a role in the development of cellulite, the genetic background of this condition remains unclear. We therefore conducted a multi-locus genetic study examining the potential associations of candidate gene variants in oestrogen receptors, endothelial function/adipose tissue hypoxia, lipid metabolism, extracellular matrix homeostasis, inflammation and adipose tissue biology, with the risk of cellulite. Using a case-control study of 200 lean women with cellulite and 200 age- and BMI-matched controls (grade 0 according to Nurnberger-Muller scale), we examined the association of cellulite with 25 polymorphisms in 15 candidate genes. Two of the 25 polymorphisms were significantly associated with cellulite at the P < 0.01 level. After allowance for age, body mass index, the prevalence of contraceptive use and smoking in logistic regression analysis, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios for cellulite were 1.19 (95% CI: 1.10-1.51; P < 0.01) for ACE rs1799752 and 0.61 (95% CI: 0.45-0.88, P < 0.01) for HIF1A rs11549465. This study, which demonstrates an independent role of ACE and HIF1A in predisposing to cellulite, may provide novel information on the pathophysiology of this common cosmetic problem, and offer a topic for research for novel beautification interventions.
Cellulite, smoking and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion polymorphism
Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-3083.2010.03827.x
Abstract: Unavailable
Have a skin tightening/cellulite treatment in London with the experts
At LipoTherapeia we have specialised 100% in skin tightening and cellulite reduction for more than two decades and 20,000+ sessions.
This is all we study and practise every day and have researched and tried hands-on all the important skin tightening equipment and their manufacturers.
As strong, deep acting radiofrequency and deep-acting, high-power ultrasound cavitation are the technologies of choice for skin tightening and cellulite reduction, we have invested in the best RF/ultrasound technologies in the world.
Furthermore, over the last two decades we have developed advanced RF and cavitation treatment protocols in order to make the most of our technologies, for maximum results, naturally and safely.
And for even better, faster results, we now combine our RF/ultrasound treatments with high-power red/infrared light LED treatment.
Our radiofrequency/ultrasound/LED treatments are comfortable, pain-free, downtime-free, injection-free, 99.5%+ safe and always non-invasive.
(No unsafe and ineffective RF microneedling or HIFU and no safe but ineffective acoustic wave therapy, superficial RF (bipolar/tripolar/multipolar etc), low power RF/cavitation, electrical muscle stimulation, lymphatic massage, cupping, dry brushing and no ridiculous bum bum creams.)
Our focus is on honest, realistic, science-based treatment, combined with caring, professional service, with a smile.
We will be pleased to see you, assess your cellulite, skin laxity or fibrosis, listen to your story, discuss your case and offer you the best possible treatment.
Advanced, infrared / blue / red light therapy treatments in London at LipoTherapeia
At LipoTherapeia we are passionate about phototherapy (also known as photobiomodulation/PBM, red light therapy, infrared light therapy, blue light therapy, LED light therapy etc) and we use the most powerful equipment available today (up to 200mW/cm2), for best results and treatment of large body areas.
We use specialised therapy protocols for skin rejuvenation / anti-ageing, pigmentation / post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), moderate/severe acne, skin redness, sensitive/inflamed/irritated skin, wound healing, sports injuries / musculoskeletal pain and overall wellness / well-being.
Our LED phototherapy sessions are comfortable, deeply relaxing and super-safe and are great to enhance our radiofrequency/ultrasound treatments for skin tightening / cellulite reduction.
On our booking page you can book stand-alone phototherapy sessions or combine them with our other treatments, as an add-on.
Learn more or check prices and book an expert LED phototherapy treatment at our London clinic.
The Cellulite School™: Get advanced training in cellulite reduction and skin tightening
Do you want to deeply understand radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, LED phototherapy, cellulite and skin tightening?
Attend a half-day, 1-day, 2-day or 3-day one-to-one masterclass and confidently offer your clients the safest, strongest and most effective treatment possible.
Service available via Zoom or at our central London practice.
Learn more or check prices and book training at our London clinic or via Zoom.