Cellulite on the buttocks: what to know

Dimpling can be visible while standing, sitting or tightening the gluteal muscles. It may vary with posture, lighting and changes in skin tension. Cellulite is not the same as a bruise, an abscess, a pilonidal problem or a single deep mass.

A new painful spot, warmth, redness, drainage or a hard one-sided lump needs an examination. Those findings should be identified before any aesthetic procedure is planned.

Tell the clinician whether you want less dimpling, firmer skin or a change in shape; the most appropriate discussion depends on that goal. Possible options include [Carboxytherapy](/treatments/aesthetic-procedures/carboxytherapy/), [Radiofrequency Skin Tightening](/treatments/laser-and-energy/radiofrequency-skin-tightening/), [RF Microneedling](/treatments/laser-and-energy/rf-microneedling/) and [Subcision](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/subcision/).

Ask how the treatment works in the buttock area, whether sitting or exercise must be limited, and how healing will be monitored. Wear the recommended clothing and keep any treated punctures clean according to the clinic's instructions.

Contact a clinician for increasing pain, spreading redness, heat, discharge, skin breakdown, a growing lump or swelling that is not settling. Emergency care is needed for breathing difficulty, facial swelling, faintness or rapidly worsening symptoms after treatment.

Is the texture typical cellulite? Which layer are you treating? What result can my skin reasonably show? How should I sit, exercise and sleep afterward? Who do I contact if recovery changes?