Cellulite on your buttocks: what the largest trials show

Why does cellulite show on the buttocks?

Cleveland Clinic lists the thighs, stomach and buttocks as the places cellulite most often appears. Under the skin there, fibrous bands, called septae, tie the skin to the deeper tissue. When those bands pull down unevenly while fat presses up between them, the surface dimples.

A 2023 roundtable review in Dermatologic Surgery puts the bands at the center: it says the cause of cellulite mainly involves changes in the fibrous septae, and that treatments aimed at those bands have shown the most consistent results. Treatments aimed at other parts of the picture, such as skin thickness, blood vessels or inflammation, gave inconsistent or short-lived results. The same review names three factors that add to it: being female, older age and a higher body mass index.

That is why squats alone do not erase it, and why lean, fit women can still have it.

What 843 women taught us about cellulite claims

In two identical phase 3 trials called RELEASE-1 and RELEASE-2, adult women with moderate or severe cellulite on the buttocks received up to three sessions of an injected enzyme, collagenase, or a placebo injection, three weeks apart. The enzyme was designed to loosen the fibrous bands. Results were judged at day 71 by both the women and clinicians, using photo scales built for buttock cellulite.

The pooled analysis, published in 2022, found that 39.4% of treated women improved by at least one level on both scales, against 14.6% of the placebo group. For a bigger change, two levels, the numbers were small in both trials: 7.6% versus 1.9%, and 5.6% versus 0.5%. The most common side effects were bruising and pain at the injection site.

Two findings matter for anyone with darker skin or past 40. The pooled analysis saw no clear effect of Fitzpatrick skin type on how well the injection worked. And among women with a BMI under 32, older women responded less well than younger ones.

Buttock cellulite options compared

What is behind each option. Rows marked "not offered" are not available at Karisma Esthetics.

Trial figures from PubMed abstracts read October 29, 2026. QWO date from Endo's December 6, 2022 release.

What you can do for buttock cellulite at home

• Train the glutes. Squats, hip thrusts, lunges and step-ups build the muscle under the fat. The AAD says more muscle can make cellulite less noticeable.
• Keep your weight steady. The 2023 review lists a higher body mass index among the factors behind cellulite, and Cleveland Clinic says weight gain can make it more visible.
• Check yourself in the same light. Mirrors and bathroom lighting change everything. If you want to track it, take photos in the same spot, light and pose each time.
• Skip the scrub-and-brush promises. Brushing only puffs the skin for a short while. See does dry brushing help cellulite?

Endermologie on the buttocks at Karisma

At Karisma Esthetics in Melbourne, LPG Endermologie can treat the buttocks, and they can share a 60-minute session with the thighs. The first visit is $160 with the consultation, later sessions are $150, and the Endermowear body suit is $45. Its FDA wording is a temporary reduction in how cellulite looks. It does not release the fibrous bands or remove fat, and results vary.

Kay plans the buttocks the way she plans the thighs: from your current stage. A common start is one booster week with 2 sessions, then weekly visits. If you have a trip or a wedding, give it 3 months or more. Water intake, exercise, age and showing up regularly all change the pace.

If you want a change measured in years, ask a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon about the band-release procedures. If a temporary, needle-free option fits your life better, the Endermologie page explains a session step by step.