Can Liposuction Remove Cellulite? What Helps and What Does Not

• Liposuction reduces volume; it does not smooth the surface of the skin.
• In some people cellulite looks slightly less noticeable when the area becomes smaller; in others it looks the same or more visible.
• If your main concern is the texture of the skin rather than the shape of the area, liposuction is usually not the right answer.

Cellulite is extremely common. It is found in most adult women and is considered a normal feature of the skin rather than a disease.

• Hormones: female hormones influence fat storage and connective tissue, and cellulite often appears or becomes more visible during puberty, pregnancy or menopause.
• Genetics: the tendency to cellulite often runs in families.
• Skin and age: as skin becomes thinner and less elastic with age, dimples become more visible.
• Lifestyle: weight gain, low activity, smoking and a diet high in salt and sugar can make cellulite more noticeable.

This is why slim and active people can also have cellulite: it is not simply a sign of excess weight.

• Exercise: strength training for the legs and buttocks improves muscle tone under the skin and can make the surface look smoother.
• Stable weight: avoiding large swings in weight helps, although weight loss alone does not remove cellulite and can even make loose skin more visible.
• Massage and lymphatic drainage: may give a short-term improvement through reduced swelling, but the effect fades when the sessions stop.
• Devices: radiofrequency, laser, acoustic wave and similar treatments are offered in many places; results are usually modest, need repeated sessions and vary from person to person.
• Procedures on the fibrous bands: some clinics offer methods that release the bands under the dimples; they are specialised treatments with their own risks.

City Medical Centre does not offer cellulite treatments, cellulite devices or laser, radiofrequency or water-jet liposuction. If cellulite is your main concern, discuss suitable options with a dermatologist or a specialist in this field.

• The risk is higher with poor skin elasticity, after large weight loss and in older skin.
• Careful technique, leaving a smooth layer of fat under the skin, and realistic planning reduce the risk.
• The compression garment, worn for 30–45 days after surgery at City Medical Centre, helps the skin adapt evenly to the new contour.

This is why the surgeon examines not only the fat deposits but also the quality of the skin before recommending liposuction.

• Expect a change in shape and volume, not in skin texture.
• First results are usually visible after 3–4 weeks, when the swelling subsides; the final result is assessed at about 3 months.
• Removed fat cells do not grow back, so the new contour lasts as long as your weight stays stable.
• Cellulite may continue to change over the years under the influence of hormones, age and lifestyle.

The first consultation is free and can be held online: send photos of the areas you want to change in good light, including close-ups of the skin, and describe your main concern. If cellulite rather than excess fat is the main problem, the surgeon will tell you so directly. The doctor names the cost after the assessment, and it is then fixed in the contract. A personal coordinator stays with you from the first message to the end of recovery. More about the operation is on the liposuction page.