“Over the last two decades I have seen more than 4,000 women with cellulite, many of whom after a phase of weight loss. My experience has shown that women with looser skin complained that their cellulite worsened after weight loss. This make sense logically, as loose skin does make cellulite look worse but I am pleased to say that my experience and explanation of this phenomenon is also corroborated by research on this specific subject, which is presented below”
does cellulite go away with weight loss?
When cellulite looks worse after weight loss | In summary
When you put on weight…
When you lose weight…
More cellulite after weight loss: what the science says
Cellulite before and after weight loss
What can I do about cellulite after weight loss?
What about extreme skin laxity after weight loss?
Effect of weight loss on cellulite: gynoid lipodystrophy
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When cellulite looks worse after weight loss | In summary
After weight gain, fat cells in both the deeper subcutaneous layer and the more superficial hypodermal layer fill with fat. This causes the skin to stretch to accommodate the increased volume. When weight is lost, the body primarily sheds fat from the deeper subcutaneous tissue, while the stubborn hypodermal fat responsible for cellulite often remains. As a result, skin that was stretched becomes loose, and the remaining hypodermal fat causes a puckered, dimpled appearance—making cellulite more noticeable, similar to a deflated balloon.
Scientific studies support this, showing that skin compliance (looseness) increases with weight loss, especially in women who initially had looser skin. Additionally, losing thigh circumference does not always equate to a reduction in cellulite if hypodermal fat remains.
There are three outcomes after weight loss: cellulite worsens due to loose skin and persistent fat, stays the same if both fat layers reduce evenly, or improves if hypodermal fat reduces more than subcutaneous fat.
Further fat loss is not always advisable, as it may lead to a gaunt appearance. Instead, non-invasive treatments like high-power radiofrequency and ultrasound cavitation can help reduce cellulite and tighten skin. In extreme cases of loose skin, surgical options like a thigh lift may be necessary.
When you put on weight…
…adipocytes (fat cells) in your subcutaneous adipose tissue (i.e. fat UNDER your skin, what we call ‘fat’) fill up with fat and that gives you volume. Skin has to accommodate the excess volume by stretching, i.e. by becoming longer.
At the she time, adipocytes in your more superficial hypodermal adipose tissue (i.e. fat INSIDE your skin, what we call ‘cellulite’) also fill up with fat.
When you lose weight…
…you mainly lose fat from the subcutaneous adipose tissue and not so much from the hypodermal one, which is more stubborn, as it tends to accumulate more fat and release less fat.
Furthermore, when you lose weight you are left with the excess length of skin that used to accommodate the extra subcutaneous fat.
The combination of the still quite filled up hypodermal fat tissue and excess skin gives skin the puckered appearance of a deflated balloon, i.e. more visible cellulite.
More cellulite after weight loss: what the science says
The above explanation makes sense logically and is also my experience after seeing hundreds of people with cellulite after weight loss.
However, I am please to see that is is also corroborated by the research paper below.
This is what the paper said: “However, the subjects whose cellulite worsened experienced significant increases in compliance (i.e., their skin became significantly looser) when they lost weight”.
Obviously, women with looser skin to begin with experienced more skin laxity as they lost weight, compared to women who started the weight loss with firmer skin.
Furthermore, women who lost a lot of thigh fat did not necessarily lose a lot of cellulite, either because subcutaneous fat reduction did not coincide with hypodermal fat reduction or because the large reduction in thigh fat created the above mentioned “balloon pucker” effect.
Cellulite before and after weight loss
Se we can have three scenarios:
Worse cellulite: We can have less hypodermal fat reduction during weight loss than subcutaneous fat reduction. In this scenario, cellulite may not be so visible, due to skin being more taught. After weight loss, skin becomes more “deflated” and therefore cellulite is fully visible. [Again, this makes sense logically and is also my experience after seeing hundreds of people with cellulite after weight loss but I am please to see that is is also corroborated by the research paper below. “Significant reduction in thigh circumference did not coincide with a significant reduction in thigh percentage fat in the subjects for whom cellulite worsened.“]
No change in cellulite: Of course, in some cases hypodermal and subcutaneous fat are equally reduced during weight loss and that makes cellulite appear smoother than before or at least the same as before - not worse.
Improved cellulite: And in many cases hypodermal fat reduction is greater to subcutaneous fat reduction, so cellulite looks better after weight loss.
What can I do about cellulite after weight loss?
As hypodermal adipocytes that cause the cellulite appearance can be quite stubborn, losing further weight to empty them does not make sense, as your face may become too gaunt.
Furthermore, skin will gradually contract a bit after weight loss, but not fully.
The best way to tighten skin is deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency, which also helps with hypodermal fat reduction
High-power ultrasound cavitation will also help with hypodermal fat reduction
The combination of both is the most effective way to reduce cellulite and tighten the skin at the same time, naturally and safely
And of course you can follow our comprehensive “How to tighten skin and reduce cellulite” guide with 100+ tips for cellulite reduction and skin firming.
What about extreme skin laxity or cellulite after weight loss?
For extreme skin looseness after extreme weight loss, a thigh lift or tummy tuck surgery may be the only way to remove the excess length of skin.
Cellulite surgery is not recommended in most cases, as it usually causes more adverse reactions than cellulite itself.
For anything other than excess skin laxity, the combination of deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency and deep-acting, high-power ultrasound cavitation is the best solution to cellulite reduction.
Effect of weight loss on cellulite: gynoid lipodystrophy
Abstract: Background: Gynoid lipodystrophy (cellulite) affects most women, and many seek plastic surgery consultation to improve appearance. Various products are offered, but the literature on the cause and treatment is limited. Understanding the biological and biophysical factors that affect severity may facilitate the development of effective therapies. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of people who have lost significant weight as a result of bariatric surgery or medically supervised weight programs. The effect of weight loss on cellulite severity has not been systematically studied and remains a common patient concern. The authors hypothesized that cellulite severity would decrease with weight loss and subsequent decrease in subcutaneous fat in most subjects. Methods: The authors examined the cellulite changes in female subjects who were enrolled in medically supervised weight loss programs using quantitative surface roughness by three-dimensional laser surface scanning, tissue composition by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, dermal-subcutaneous structure with three-dimensional ultrasound, and tissue elasticity with biomechanical measurements. Results: The majority of subjects had an improvement in cellulite with weight loss, but the condition worsened for others. Improvement was associated with significant reductions in weight and percentage of thigh fat, significantly higher starting body mass index, and significantly greater initial severity. Cellulite worsened with a significantly smaller starting body mass index, smaller reductions in weight accompanied by no change in percentage of thigh fat, and significant increases in tissue compliance. Conclusions: Cellulite is a complex condition, and treatments such as weight loss have variable effects on the improvement or worsening of this condition. Additional studies are required to understand how the factors that influence and modulate cellulite severity, particularly those at the level of the subcutaneous tissue septa, can be manipulated to improve this condition.
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