How to Tell if You Have Cellulite or Skin Laxity

When ripples and dimples appear on our thighs or butt, it’s easy to quickly assume it’s cellulite. However, experts warn that what may look like cellulite could actually just be skin laxity. Both are common conditions that can appear similar on the surface, but the way you treat them varies a bit. To help us understand the difference between cellulite and skin laxity, experts broke down the cause of each condition and how to tell them apart.

What is the difference between cellulite and skin laxity?

Deciphering whether you have skin laxity or cellulite “can be tricky at first sight on the buttocks and thighs,” admits Campbell, CA dermatologist Amelia K. Hausauer, MD. However, the two conditions come from different causes.

“Skin laxity is something most women experience, especially as the skin thins with age, if the skin has sun damage, or after significant weight loss,” says Chicago, Illinois plastic surgeon and Avéli provider Laurie Casas, MD. Dr. Hausauer explains that skin laxity results from a “breakdown in collagen and elastin which causes the skin to fold or crepe often appearing like indentations or lines.” The loss of elasticity is what causes the thin ripples or linear banding, and it’s commonly found on the side of the butt, on the thighs and above the knees, says Dr. Casas.

On the other hand, cellulite has “true tiny tethering bands that create the pincushion effect of dimples,” says Dr. Hausauer. According to Dr. Casas, “One of the primary causes of cellulite is the tethering of the connective tissue under the skin, called fibrous septa.”

Pull your skin

“To differentiate between skin laxity and true dimples caused by septae, one can pull up the skin,” above the indentation, says Houston, TX plastic surgeon Olga Bachilo, MD. “If dimpling completely disappears, it’s most likely due to skin laxity. If some dimpling remains,” it’s likely cellulite.

Consider your history

“It’s not all that easy to distinguish the difference between cellulite and skin laxity,” says Delray Beach, FL dermatologist Dr. Janet Allenby. “The history of the patient, like advanced age, previous surgery (such as liposuction), sun exposure history will definitely help as these are usually more commonly seen in skin laxity patients.”

Examine skin’s appearance

According to Dr. Allenby, “Skin laxity is more dry appearing while the skin seems fuller although dimpled with true cellulite.” However, she notes that “there is probably a combination of both in a fair number of patients.”

Look at the edges

Dr. Casas says looking at the edges of the dimples can help decipher which condition is causing them. “Cellulite depressions caused by shortened or stiffened septa, whether they are circular, linear, or irregular, can be identified by their defined edges,” she explains.

It's Personal

At NewBeauty, we get the most trusted information from the beauty authority delivered right to your inbox

hbspt.forms.create({ portalId: "8806970", formId: "a8aef9b2-6178-4dad-9e2a-98b7661febc2" }); Find a Doctor

Find a NewBeauty "Top Beauty Doctor" Near you

Select a state State AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC FL GA HI IA IL IN KY LA MA MD MI MN MO NC NE NJ NV NY OH OR PA SC TN TX UT VA WA WI Select a state Specialty Cosmetic Dentist Dermatologist Facial Plastic Surgeon Hair Restoration Specialist Oculoplastic Surgeon Periodontist Plastic Surgeon Prosthodontist Vein Specialist Select a state Treatment Abdominal thread lifts Accent your Body Acne Treatments Alexandrite Laser Arm Lift Asclera Bellafill Belotero Blue Light Body Body Lift Botox Botox Browlift Brachioplasty Brazilian Butt Lift Breast Augmentation Breast Augmentation with Fat Grafting Breast Implants Breast Implants with Saline Breast Implants with Silicone Breast Lift Breast Lift with Implants Breast Reconstruction Breast Reduction Browlift Butt Enhancement Carboxytherapy Cellulite Treatment Cheek Augmentation Cheek Augmentation with Fat Grafting Cheek Implants Cheek Lift Chemical Peels Chin Augmentation CO2 lasers Cool Lipo CoolSculpting CoolTone Crowns Dental Bonding Dental Implants Dimpleplasty Diode Laser Dysport embrace Active Scar Defense Emsculpt Endermologie Endoscopic Browlift Endoscopic Facelift Endoscopic Tummy Tuck Erbium Lasers Exilis Ultra 360 Eyelift Eyelift with Fat Grafting Face Facelift Facelift with Fat Grafting FaceTite Fat Melters and Fat Reducers Fat Transfer Forma Fractional CO2 lasers Fractional Resurfacing Lasers Fractora Glycolic Peels Glytone Enhanced Brightening Cream Gum Dermabrasion Gum Lift Hair Hair Removal Hair Transplant Hair-Loss Treatment Injectables & Fillers for Cheek Augmentation Injectables & Fillers for Eyelift Injectables & Fillers for Lip Enhancement Injectables And Fillers Injectables and Fillers with Fat Grafting Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Invisalign Isolaz Juvéderm Juvéderm Volbella Juvéderm Voluma Kybella Lactic Acid Peels Laser Liposuction Lasers Lateral Tension Tummy Tuck Limited Incision Facelift Lip Enhancement Lip Enhancement with Fat Grafting Lip Implant Lip Lift Liposculpture Liposuction Liquid Facelift Long Pulsed N: Yag laser Lower Blepharoplasty Lower Body Lift Lower eyelid surgery Lower Facelift MACS Lift Mandelic Peels Microdermabrasion Microinjection Microneedling Microwave Laser Treatment Mini Tummy Tuck Mini-Facelift Mommy Makeover Nd: Yag Neck Liposuction Necklift Nonsurgical Facelift Nonsurgical Rhinoplasty Obagi Blue Peel Otoplasty Perlane Phenol Peels Photobiomodulation Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) Photofacial PiQo4 Plasma Resurfacing Lasers Power Assisted Liposuction Prevelle Pulsed Dye Radiesse Radio Frequency with Microneedling Radio Frequency-Assisted Lipolysis Red Light Restylane Restylane Defyne Restylane Lyft Restylane Refyne Restylane Silk Revision Rhinoplasty Rhinoplasty Salicylic Peels SculpSure Sculptra Aesthetic Selphyl Silhouette Instalift Skin Skin Tighteners Skin Treatments Slim Lipo Smart Lipo SMAS facelift Smile Smile Makeover Smoothshapes Straightening Stretch Mark Treatments TCA Chemical Peels Teeth Whitening Thermage ThermiTight Thigh Lift Titan Tooth Contouring Traditional Facelift Tumescent Liposuction Tummy Tuck Ulthera Ultherapy Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction Umbilicoplasty Upper Blepharoplasty Upper eyelid surgery Vanquish ME VASER Lipo Vein Treatments Velashape Velasmooth Veneers Xeomin Search