What is the main cause of cellulite?

What is the main cause of cellulite?

It’s not known what exactly causes cellulite. Cellulite forms when fibrous bands connecting your skin to the underlying muscle tighten irregularly. This tightening pulls down on your skin, and the normal layer of fat beneath the skin pushes upward. The result is a puckering appearance to the skin.

It’s also not known why cellulite is more common in women than men. One theory involves the bands connecting your skin, your hypodermis (subcutaneous tissue) and deep muscle layers. In men, the fibers that make up the connective bands crisscross together. In women, the fibers that make up the connective bands run the same direction and are an equal distance apart (parallel). Parallel bands may show puckering better than crisscross bands.

Another theory is that higher amounts of the hormone estrogen may cause cellulite. Cellulite often develops when women produce more estrogen, usually during adolescence or pregnancy.