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Buttocks and hip dips · El Poblado, Medellín

Cellulite on the legs and buttocks: how it's treated in Medellín

Cellulite is the dimpling and uneven skin that appears mainly on the thighs and buttocks. It is very common in women, even slim and athletic women, and it is not a disease. It can be improved with medical treatments, but none of them removes it forever or overnight.

At the El Poblado practice, Dr. Olga Gómez Montoya, physician and surgeon from the University of Antioquia, checks what type of cellulite you have and what is causing it before proposing a plan. That way you don't pay for a treatment that doesn't fit your case.

Reviewed by Dr. Olga Gómez Montoya · Updated: October 2026

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Aesthetic medicine guided by medical judgment · El Poblado, Medellín

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Assessment

The grade and cause are defined first

Combined

The best results usually combine techniques

Progressive

Changes show over weeks or months

Maintenance

Cellulite can come back over time

What it is

What is cellulite?

It is a change in skin texture, with dimpling or a padded, quilted look, that appears mainly on the thighs, buttocks and hips. Its medical name is gynoid lipodystrophy or edematous fibrosclerotic panniculopathy.

It is not the same as infectious cellulitis, which is a skin infection with pain, warmth and redness that needs immediate medical attention. This page covers aesthetic cellulite only.

Why does cellulite appear on the legs and buttocks?

It appears because of the way women's skin is built. Under the skin there is fat divided into compartments by bands of fibrous tissue. In women these bands run vertically: when they pull the skin down and the fat pushes up, dimples appear.

Other factors also play a role:

Hormones. Estrogens explain why it is much more common in women and why it changes during pregnancy and menopause.
Genetics. If your mother or sisters have it, you are more likely to have it too.
Circulation and fluid retention.
Skin quality. Over the years, as collagen is lost, the skin thins and the dimples become more visible.
Weight changes. Excess weight makes it more visible, but losing weight doesn't always make it go away.

Is cellulite treatment right for me?

It's for you if…

Cellulite on your legs or buttocks bothers you and you want to improve the texture.
Your weight is more or less stable.
You understand that the change is progressive and may need maintenance.

It's not the right time if…

You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
You have redness, warmth or pain in the skin: it may be infectious cellulitis and needs medical attention first.
You have an infection or wound in the area.
You have had biopolymers or other substances injected into your buttocks or legs. These are assessed first.
You are looking for an immediate or permanent result.

Grades

What types and grades of cellulite are there?

In the clinic we use a four-grade scale known as the Nürnberger-Müller scale. The grade, the area (thighs, buttocks or both) and the firmness of the skin change the treatment. Cellulite on the buttocks, for example, often comes together with loss of firmness, and sometimes it is best to treat both.

Grade 0

Smooth skin when standing and lying down.

Grade I

Smooth when standing; dimples appear when the skin is pinched.

Grade II

Dimples visible when standing that disappear when lying down.

Grade III

Dimples visible both standing and lying down.

Treatment

How do you get rid of cellulite on the legs?

There is no way to eliminate cellulite on the legs forever, but there are ways to improve it visibly. What works depends on what is causing it in your case:

If deep dimples predominate: techniques that release the fibrous bands pulling on the skin.
If thin or less firm skin predominates: collagen biostimulators that improve the quality and support of the skin.
If fluid retention predominates: technologies and habits that improve circulation.

There is almost always more than one cause. That is why the plan usually combines techniques.

What really works for cellulite?

Here is an honest summary: it includes what has solid evidence and what has little. At your assessment we tell you what applies to your case.

Collagen biostimulators

They improve skin firmness and texture. Moderate evidence, especially for skin quality. At the practice we use products with INVIMA registration for body use (INVIMA is Colombia's health products regulator).

Subcision

Releases the fibrous bands that create the dimples. It is one of the options with the best evidence when the dimples are pronounced.

Radiofrequency or other technologies

Heat that improves the skin and circulation. Moderate evidence; requires several sessions.

Mesotherapy or enzymes

Substances applied into the fat. Limited and variable evidence.

Creams (caffeine, retinol)

A modest, temporary effect on the surface. Useful as a complement.

Strength training and a stable weight

They improve muscle and fat. They help, but they don't remove it on their own. Always recommended.

Medical honesty

What can and can't be achieved?

What's possible

Improving texture and softening dimples.
Improving skin firmness.
A progressive, natural change.
Combining it with your training.

What's not possible

Eliminating cellulite forever.
A result in a single session.
Keeping it from ever coming back without maintenance.
Replacing healthy habits.

Contorno de glúteos de una mujer, imagen ilustrativa del tratamiento de armonización de glúteos en Medellín

“Cellulite doesn't go away with a cream or in one session, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you something. What I can do is understand what causes it in your body and improve it with what has evidence behind it.” — Dr. Olga Gómez Montoya, physician and surgeon, University of Antioquia

Differences

Cellulite, loss of firmness or hip dips?

They are sometimes confused, and they have different treatments:

Cellulite: dimpling and uneven texture. That's this page.
Loss of firmness in the buttocks: skin with less support. Learn about buttock harmonization.
Hip dips: the curve between the hip and the thigh. Learn about hip dips treatment.
Stretch marks: lines caused by the skin stretching. Learn about stretch marks treatment.

All of them are reviewed at the assessment, because they often appear together.

Step by step

What does cellulite treatment look like, step by step?

Assessment

Dr. Gómez reviews the grade, the area, the firmness of your skin and your habits.

Plan

She decides which techniques to combine and how many sessions, without overselling.

Sessions

In the office. The duration depends on the chosen technique.

Follow-up and maintenance

The result is evaluated and we decide how often it makes sense to maintain it.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about cellulite

What is cellulite?

It is a change in skin texture, with dimpling or a padded look, mainly on the thighs, buttocks and hips. It is very common in women and it is not a disease. It is not the same as infectious cellulitis, which is a skin infection.

Why does cellulite appear on the legs and buttocks?

Because of the structure of women's skin: vertical fibrous bands pull the skin down while the fat pushes up. Hormones, genetics, circulation, collagen loss and weight changes all play a role.

How do you get rid of cellulite on the legs?

It can't be eliminated forever, but it can be visibly improved. Depending on the cause, we combine techniques that release the dimples, collagen biostimulators that improve the skin and technologies for circulation. The assessment determines the combination.

Can cellulite be removed quickly?

No. No treatment removes it in days. Changes show over weeks or months and usually require several sessions and maintenance. Be wary of any product or procedure that promises to eliminate it quickly.

What really works for cellulite?

What has the best evidence is combining techniques according to the cause: releasing the fibrous bands in pronounced dimples and improving skin quality with biostimulators. Creams have a modest, temporary effect, and exercise helps but doesn't remove it on its own.

Do cellulite creams work?

They have a modest, temporary effect on the surface of the skin. They can be a complement, but they don't change the fibrous bands that cause the dimples.

Does exercise get rid of cellulite?

It helps, because it improves muscle, circulation and fat in the area. But it doesn't change the structure of the skin, so many active, slim women also have cellulite.

Do biostimulators work for cellulite on the buttocks?

They can help when the skin is thin or lacks firmness, because they stimulate collagen and improve texture. They don't release deep dimples, which is why they are sometimes combined with other techniques.

Does cellulite come back after treatment?

It can come back over time, because the hormonal and genetic causes are still there. A stable weight, exercise and maintenance sessions help preserve the result.

How much does cellulite treatment cost in Medellín?

It depends on the grade, the area and the techniques that are combined. At your assessment in El Poblado we explain the plan and its investment clearly.