Cellulite after weight loss: why does it look worse?

“TL;DR: Nobody gets more cellulite after losing weight. It’s just that the pre-existing cellulite can become more visible in some people, due to fibrosis or skin looseness becoming more apparent after weight loss.

This is especially pronounced when not a lot of fat is lost from cellulite fat cells during weight loss.”

Why do I have more cellulite after losing weight?

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 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 and we call that cellulite.

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 than releasing 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.

Cellulite before and after weight loss

Se we can have three scenarios:

  • We can have less hypodermal fat reduction during weight 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.

  • 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.

  • 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 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.

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, microneedling-free, 99.5%+ safe and always non-invasive.

And 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.

Learn more or check prices and book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment at our London clinic (49 Marylebone High Street, W1).

Advanced, infrared / 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 240mW/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 (49 Marylebone High Street, W1).

Discover our professional training in cellulite, skin tightening, radiofrequency and ultrasound

Do you want to deeply understand radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, cellulite and skin tightening?

Attend a half-day, 1-day or 2-day or 3-day professional consultancy / 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 an expert treatment at our London clinic (49 Marylebone High Street, W1)


Essential reading

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The ultimate cellulite removal guide | 2024 edition

This is our extensive how-to guide for firmer, smoother, slimmer legs, brought to you by LipoTherapeia, London’s only aesthetic practice dedicated only to cellulite reduction and skin tightening. This 111-tip list and linked articles are the outcome of more than 23+ years of theoretical research and practical experience in cellulite and skin tightening, with literally thousands of people and 22,000+ treatments. Honest, no-nonsense, science-based and actionable information, tried and tested again and again over more than two decades.

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What really works and what is a gimmick | 2024 update

At LipoTherapeia we preach what we practise. Our 100% focus is how to offer you the safest and most effective treatment possible, without cut corners or compromises. I put myself in your shoes and personally preach on this website and practise at the clinic what I would do myself if I needed skin tightening and cellulite reduction. Here is some more context into the technologies and active ingredients we use…

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Instant miracles and “amazing cellulite transformations” do not exist, no matter how expensive the treatment - don’t be naive

There is a lot of misinformation on cellulite, due to a mix of urban myth and marketing hype. And there are many things that you should not waste time doing when it comes to cellulite removal. In fact it is not a coincidence that we devote as many articles on what not works for cellulite on our “How to get rid of cellulite” guide, as we do on cellulite myths…

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About LipoTherapeia

The LipoTherapeia® Plus treatment, a combination of deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency, deep acting, high-power ultrasound cavitation and high-power LED phototherapy, is arguably the strongest SAFE skin tightening/lifting, natural anti-ageing and cellulite treatment in London

The treatment is provided with advanced protocols based on the Physics of radiofrequency, ultrasound and phototherapy and on the anatomy and physiology of cellulite and skin laxity

The LipoTherapeia® Plus treatments are exclusively provided at our practice in central London (The Light Centre Marylebone, 10 Portman Square, London W1H 6AZ)

Genuine, AI-free content

This website is human-written 100%. We do not use Chat-GPT or any other AI tool for our pages and articles to bombard you with low quality, copy-paste spam articles and inaccurate information.

Chat-GPT and similar tools copy the web to regurgitate meaningless lowest common denominator platitudes, i.e. generally accepted myths that often have nothing to do with reality. Plus plenty of inaccuracies, misinformation and a healthy added dose of literally made up stuff - what AI experts call “AI hallucinations”.

No AI tool has the depth of experience accumulated over tens of thousands of sessions with real human beings (in fact, AI tools have zero experience, obviously). Neither can an AI tool discriminate what is reality and what is made up BS on the web.

Of course, the aesthetics industry is already full of myths, inaccuracies, platitudes and hallucinations anyway, so the advent of AI does not make much of a difference. The beauty industry has always been full of BS (sorry, that’s the correct word), AI or no AI.

So 20+ years on, we still keep it real, regardless of AI.

Trademarks & copyright

Copyright: All text and before & after pictures: © 2003-2024, LipoTherapeia Ltd. All rights reserved. No reproduction without written permission (plagiarising web pages will be reported to search engines for removal from their index).

Trademarks: Meso-CRF®, LipoTherapeia®, and Celluence® are registered trademarks in the UK & EU and belong to LipoTherapeia Ltd. All rights to the usage of those trademarks and copyrights are strictly reserved and are only allowed with prior written approval. The term LipoTherapeia® Plus is used by us to refer to our skin tightening / cellulite / anti-ageing treatments based on ultrasound, radiofrequency and phototherapy.

Disclaimers

Efficacy: As with any medical / aesthetic treatment or skin product, results vary from person to person depending on lifestyle, genetics, state of health (how each individual body responds to treatment), so specific results cannot be guaranteed. BTW, there is NO cellulite removal or long-term skin tightening/lifting with one, two or even three sessions and there is neither 100% (nor permanent) cellulite removal/skin tightening/lifting, with ANY technique, including ours, so we never make such misleading claims.

Safety: Our treatments have proven 99%+ safe over the last 13+ years (with minor/temporary irritation occurring in the other 1%- of treatments). However, as with any medical/aesthetic treatment or skin product, sensitivity varies from person to person, and from time to time even on the same person, depending on lifestyle, genetics and state of health (how each individual body responds to a treatment at a specific time), so we cannot guarantee 100% safety.

Accuracy: The information presented on this website is based on our interpretation of peer-reviewed research and/or our extensive 23-year experience and study in our field of specialisation, but it cannot be guaranteed 100% accurate or impartial.

Prices and special offers: Subject to change without prior notice. Special offers can not be combined.

Non-medical: No information, treatment or product on this website aims to treat or diagnose any medical condition or to provide/replace medical advice. Always consult your doctor.

Not professional advice: No information on this website is intended as direct or indirect professional (or personal) advice

For information purposes only: All content on this website is strictly for information purposes only.