How to reduce cellulite on the back and outer of thighs
Cellulite on the legs/thighs
What causes cellulite on the back of thighs and outer thighs (saddlebags)?
Cellulite reduction on the thighs/legs: what works and what doesn’t
Advanced cellulite treatments for the thighs in London, by LipoTherapeia
The only aesthetic practice in London specialising 100% in skin tightening & cellulite removal
Book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment at our central London clinic
Thigh cellulite
Cellulite is a distinct layer of fat (hypodermal adipose tissue) that occurs in the deeper skin layer of most women - and some men - at some point after puberty.
This is distinguished from the deeper, subcutaneous adipose tissue, which we call ‘fat’ and can be removed by liposuction. Cellulite is responsible for the orange peel appearance of the skin while fat is responsible for the increase in volume.
The thighs and buttocks area is where cellulite is most prevalent, and it is also the area where fat accumulates in most women (in contrast to abdominal fat accumulation in men).
This is due to the action of female hormones after puberty, which makes fat cells in both the hypodermal adipose tissue and the subcutaneous adipose tissue of the thighs more receptive to accumulating fat and more resistant to releasing fat. In time, and with our unhealthy, Western lifestyle, these areas fill up with fat disproportionately to other body areas.
The back of thighs and saddlebags (outer thighs) is where cellulite is found more frequently than any other part of the body, as they are very receptive to female hormonal stimuli. The outer thighs and back of thighs also seem to develop cellulite as a result of lipedema and also water retention.
Both subcutaneous adipose tissue and hypodermal adipose tissue negatively affect skin firmness. This is because fat itself is a very soft tissue and also because fat tissue break down connective tissue around it in order to expand, leading to collagen breakdown and fascia and skin looseness.
As a result, thighs with either cellulite and/or deeper fat accumulation tend to also suffer from skin and overall laxity, leading to loose inner thighs, droopy buttocks and overall excessive skin softness, making the appearance of the area worse.
⏵ Book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment at our central London clinic
What causes cellulite on the legs/thighs?
Skin looseness and cellulite is more common in larger-sized / curvy women (and some men), but it also occurs more frequently than most people think in slim women (and some men) too.
The main causes of this increased hypodermal fat accumulation in the thighs:
As mentioned above, the action of female hormones after puberty: this is why fat accumulates both at the hypodermal level (cellulite) and subcutaneous level (fat) of the thighs
Continuous dieting, fasting and yo-yo dieting, which result in the replacement of firmness with fat (independently of exercise, both are needed)
Lack of exercise, physical activity (independently of healthy nutrition, both are needed)
Hormonal changes, estrogen dominance, hormonal contraception by pill, patch or coil, menopause or hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Excess sugar, carbohydrate, fried food (of any kind), hydrogenated/trans fat, alcohol, seed oil consumption
Lack of protein and polyphenols in the diet, which are essential for skin firmness and to inhibit fat accumulation
Smoking and vaping, especially in genetically susceptible women
Endocrine disrupting chemicals, such as BPA, microplastics and PFAS (forever chemicals)
Pregnancy
Liposuction surgery, which typically leaves skin lax and with more noticeable cellulite: liposuction, vaser, smart lipo (laser lipo), bodytite, airsculpt etc
Cellulite surgery (cellulaze, subcision, cellfina), as it quite often fails to remove cellulite and can cause fibrosis or skin laxity
Genetic predisposition
The normal ageing process (older women and men typically have more cellulite)
All the above factors can develop cellulite and skin laxity in the skin and connective tissue of the thigh area - even in slim women and even in men.
Liposuction is, of course, not an option for cellulite, as it removes the deeper subcutaneous adipose tissue - not the more superficial hypodermal adipose tissue, which is part of the skin.
(If any cosmetic surgeon promises you that you will get rid of your cellulite with liposuction, they are just lying.)
Lifestyle change, i.e. healthy nutrition, exercise, healthy living overall, cessation of hormonal contraception (always with doctor’s permission), avoiding endocrine disruptors etc, as per the list above, will indeed reduce cellulite, but in most cases not fast enough and/or not on the stubborn areas of the thighs.
So there is a real need for a good cellulite reduction treatment on the thighs in both women and the few men that suffer from it (that is, only if you care about cellulite, of course - not everyone cares about skin smoothness/firmness and that is absolutely fine.)
⏵ Book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment at our central London clinic
What is the best cellulite treatment for cellulite on the thighs?
However, as every woman knows, lifestyle changes are quite often not enough to reduce cellulite considerably or quickly enough, especially on stubborn areas, such as the thighs.
So a lot of women look for cellulite surgery. However, we do not offer or recommend cellulite surgery which, as mentioned above, due to low effectiveness and high chance of adverse reactions, causes more problems that it solves, such as fibrosis, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, scars, hard bumps etc - and does not really reduce cellulite in most cases.
For more details on the adverse reactions of cellulite surgery, check our dedicated article.
There are also many non-surgical treatments marketed for cellulite reduction, the vast majority of which either don’t work or have a high rate of adverse reactions - or both.
Some people get fooled by deceptive marketing and opt for HIFU or RF microneedling, which, although non-surgical, can also result in the same adverse reactions as surgery, such as fibrosis, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, scars and hard lumps, and do not really reduce cellulite in most cases, either. For more details and links to examples of adverse reactions from RF microneedling or high-power HIFU, check our dedicated articles by clicking on the links.
We see dozens of people every year who have been burned - literally and metaphorically - by such surgical or non-surgical procedures and we only work on such cases if the skin is not too damaged by those “treatments”.
On the other hand, the low-power HIFU, as well as the usual bipolar/tripolar radiofrequency, acoustic wave therapy, lymphatic massage, vacuum suction massage with mechanised rollers, that you see in salons and clinics up and down the country, are safe but achieve little.
After specialising for more than two decades in cellulite reduction and skin tightening (no laser hair removal, fillers, botox, chemical peels, fluffy facials and the like - just cellulite and skin tightening), we can confirm that currently the best SAFE and effective technologies to reduce cellulite are high-power, deep-acting ultrasound cavitation, high-power, deep-acting radiofrequency, ideally combined with high-power LED red/infrared light therapy (unfortunately, superficial or low-power versions of these technologies do not work).
And these are the treatments we perform at our clinic.
⏵ Book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment at our central London clinic
Advanced cellulite treatments in London for the thighs/legs, by LipoTherapeia
LipoTherapeia® Plus, our bespoke combination of these three technologies, is exclusively provided without compromises or cut corners at our central London clinic.
A PAINLESS, realistically priced and effective technology, LipoTherapeia® Plus has a 99.5%+ safety rate at our clinic, as it is based on naturally stimulating collagen production, hypodermal fat release and circulation/lymphatic drainage - not on burning the skin inside, as some procedures mentioned above aim.
In addition to cellulite reduction, the technologies comprising LipoTherapeia® Plus also have a profound effect on skin tightness* as well as a beneficial effect on stretch marks. So you get a combined benefit by the use of these technologies.
(*In fact, deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency is the gold standard technology for SAFE and effective skin tightening.)
In most cases of cellulite / skin laxity we recommend 6-12 sessions for best results (there are no miracle treatments that reduce cellulite or tighten skin in 1-4 sessions).
⏵ Book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment at our central London clinic
The only aesthetic practice in London that specialises 100% in skin tightening & cellulite removal
Most aesthetic clinics offer 20, 30, even 50 different treatments, from laser hair removal to fillers to chemical peels to cellulite, and thereby lose specialisation and expertise.
A jack of all trades therapist or clinic cannot possibly be experts in 20, 30 or 50 different treatments. It is physically impossible to follow the science and all the latest developments in 50, 30 or even 20 fields.
And it is impossible to be an expert in an aesthetic condition, if you never study and practise with focus and depth the science of that aesthetic condition.
So at LipoTherapeia we only focus 100% on cellulite reduction and skin tightening - nothing else.
We do not do botox, fillers, chemical peels, dermablading, microdermabrasion, waxing, nails, fluffy facials, laser hair removal and the like: just cellulite reduction and skin tightening with the best ultrasound, radiofrequency and LED phototherapy technologies in the world (no exaggeration). And we have a deep knowledge of these five subjects - for your benefit.
⏵ Book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment at our central London clinic
More than two decades of experience in cellulite reduction
At LipoTherapeia we make the most out of the best technologies in the world with our advanced protocols, developed over more than two decades and based on:
A deep knowledge of the Physics of radiofrequency, ultrasound and phototherapy and the anatomy of cellulite and connective tissue (as opposed to the usual one-day training provided by machine manufacturers)
Literally tens of thousands of sessions on thousands of clients with hundreds of kinds of body types, sensitivities and health/aesthetic issues
All with 99.5%+ safety and NO PAIN, NO DOWNTIME, no microneedling, no injections, no fillers, no unsafe “instant miracle treatments”, no numbing creams, no invasiveness, no surgery, no drama.
Just comfortable, safe and effective treatment that works by stimulating your skin to become smoother and firmer., naturally and safely.
⏵ Book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment at our central London clinic
Caring, honest, boutique treatment and advice with an expert - premium treatment without the premium prices
Treatment is always provided by a highly experienced therapist and is personalised, according to your specific needs, after an extensive assessment of your type of cellulite.
No treatment by machine operators trained for one day, no ever-changing therapists and receptionists, no armies of pushy salespeople, no hard sales and no premium prices.
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 or skin laxity, listen to your story, discuss your case and offer you the best possible treatment.
⏵ Book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment at our central London clinic