Cellulite Causes and Grades: What to Know About This Common Condition

Cellulite is a cosmetic problem that makes your skin look uneven and dimpled. It is common and affects up to 98 percent of women.

Although cellulite is not harmful to physical health, it is often considered undesirable.

This article will explore the causes of cellulite, whether diet plays a role and what you can do to remove it.

What is Cellulite?

Cellulite, medically known as gynoid lipodystrophy, is when the skin looks lumpy and "orange peel-like." It is caused by changes in the structure of fat cells and connective tissue that lie beneath the skin's surface.

These changes allow the fat cells to grow and exert pressure against the connective tissue beneath the skin.

In addition, changes in blood flow to the areas affected by cellulite can lead to further fluid accumulation in the tissue.

This causes the uneven appearance of the skin associated with cellulite.

Interestingly, cellulite occurs almost exclusively in women and is usually found on the thighs, abdomen, and buttocks.

These are the different cellulite grades: 

1. Grade 0: No cellulite.
2. Grade 1: Skin that appears smooth when standing but looks like an orange peel when sitting.
3. Grade 2: Skin looks like an orange peel when standing and sitting.
4. Grade 3: Skin looks like orange peel with deep ripples due to the cellulite.

This scale is somewhat subjective, and there is currently no standard method to assess and categorize this condition.

What Causes Cellulite?

What casuses cellulite? The cause of cellulite in humans is not yet apparent, but it is likely due to a combination of factors.

The most common theories are hormones, gender, lifestyle, and inflammation. However, age, genetic predisposition, and physique may also play a role.

Hormones

Cellulite is caused by changes in the size and structure of fat cells.

Therefore, it is thought that hormones such as insulin and catecholamines, involved in the breakdown and storage of fat, may play an essential role in the formation of fat.

Thus, any hormonal imbalance that promotes fat growth at the expense of fat loss, such as high insulin levels, is thought to increase the risk of developing cellulite.

Furthermore, since this condition occurs almost exclusively in women, it is believed that the female sex hormone estrogen may play a role.

This theory may have some validity, as cellulite does not appear in women until after puberty. It also worsens during periods when women's estrogen levels change, such as during pregnancy and menopause.

However, despite these speculations, the role of hormones in the development of cellulite is not well-understood.

Gender

Women are genetically inclined to develop more cellulite than men due to differences in how connective tissue and fat cells are located under the skin in women. 

Women have more fat cells located vertically under the skin, with the tops of the cells forming a right angle to the connective tissue.

Conversely, men tend to have fewer fat cells that lie horizontally, so they lie flat against each other.

As a result, fat cells in women are much more likely to "invade" the connective tissue and become visible under the skin.

These structural differences are one reason why cellulite occurs almost exclusively in women.

Lifestyle

The appearance of cellulite can be exacerbated by fluid accumulation in the surrounding tissue.

This may be due in part to changes in blood circulation in the areas affected by cellulite.

Some researchers also suggest it may be due to an inactive lifestyle.

It is thought that prolonged sedentary work reduces blood flow and causes these changes in areas prone to cellulite.

How Can Cellulite Be Effectively Treated? 

Elite Body Sculpture now offers an effective procedure to treat your cellulite. While patented AirSculpt® technology is best known as celebrities' go-to solution for stubborn fat, they now provide instant cellulite reduction with minimal downtime. 

Patients can remove fat and cellulite simultaneously with the help of AirSculpt® Smooth, a minimally invasive procedure designed to provide fast results without many of the risks associated with invasive surgery.

The tool used during this treatment unhooks the fibrous bands that form cellulite dimples without using scalpels, needles, stitches, and general anesthesia. Patients can receive it alone, combine fat removal on the thighs or buttocks with cellulite reduction, or combine AirSculpt® Smooth with any other AirSculpt® procedure.

Call any of our body contouring offices nearest you to schedule your complimentary consultation.