How to Get Rid of Cellulite on Your Bum

Cellulite often shows up uninvited, refuses to leave, and somehow gets a bad rep despite it being completely normal. Around 80–90% of women will develop cellulite at some point after puberty, most of it on the buttocks and thighs.

That said, having cellulite concerns is also normal. If you’re looking at how to get rid of cellulite on the bum fast, you’re likely part of the majority.

It’s not about chasing a “perfect” body or fixing something broken, but about understanding what cellulite actually is, why it shows up on the bum specifically, and changes you can make (from lifestyle to clinical treatments) if this is a shift you’re after. Let’s break it down.

Key Insights

• Cellulite affects up to 90% of women, and it’s biological, not a sign of being unfit or unhealthy
• The bum is one of the most common areas because of fat cell size and connective tissue structure
• Creams and scrubs can temporarily smooth things, but they don’t change the underlying structure
• Glute-focused strength training is one of the more effective tools in reducing its visibility
• Clinical treatments, like fat cavitation, radiofrequency (RF) skin tightening, and the TeslaFormer, offer the most consistent, visible results for how to reduce cellulite on the bum
• No treatment permanently eliminates cellulite, but visible improvement is absolutely achievable

Why Does Cellulite Appear on the Bum?

To know how to lose cellulite on the bum, you need to understand what you’re actually dealing with.

Cellulite isn’t excess fat nor toxin build-up. It’s also not a sign that you need to eat cleaner or increase your gym time. Cellulite is subcutaneous fat, the fat sitting just under your skin, pushing upwards through a web of fibrous connective tissue bands called fibrous septae. When that fat presses through, you get the dimpled, uneven texture on the surface.

So, Why the Bum Specifically?

The glutes naturally store larger fat lobules than most other areas of the body (more volume, more upward pressure on the skin above). But the bigger factor is actually structural. In women, those connective tissue bands run perpendicularly: straight up and down, like fence posts. In men, they run diagonally in a criss-cross pattern, distributing pressure more evenly. Women’s arrangement allows fat to push straight through, which is the primary reason cellulite is far more common in women than men.

Add in the role of oestrogen, which influences fat distribution, collagen production, and circulation, and it starts making a lot of sense why cellulite tends to appear or worsen during hormonal shifts like pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause.

A less developed gluteal muscle also plays a role. When there’s less firm muscle underneath that fat layer, there’s less support for the skin above, making dimpling more visible.

The Cellulite Grade Scale

Cellulite is commonly graded on the Nürnberger-Müller scale from 0–3:

• Grade 0: No visible cellulite
• Grade 1: Visible only when skin is pinched
• Grade 2: Visible standing, but not lying down
• Grade 3: Visible in all positions

Most adult women fall somewhere between Grade 1 and 2. Grade 3 typically benefits most from a combination of lifestyle changes and clinical treatment.

Exercises That Actually Help

Exercise won’t get rid of cellulite, but targeted glute strength training can be effective at reducing its visibility.

When you build muscle in the glutes, you create a firmer, more supported layer underneath the skin. This physically reduces the depth and visibility of dimpling. Over time, increasing lean muscle mass raises your resting metabolic rate, which can gradually reduce overall subcutaneous fat.

Hip Thrusts/Barbell Hip Thrusts

The single best exercise for gluteus maximus development, according to a systematic review by Frontiers in Physiology. Start with bodyweight, work up to a barbell or dumbbell across your hips.

Bulgarian Split Squats

Single-leg work that builds serious glute strength and challenges balance. Excellent for targeting the glute-hamstring junction where cellulite commonly sits.

Romanian Deadlifts

Great for the lower glutes and hamstrings together. Keep a soft bend in the knee, hinge at the hips, and feel the stretch through the back of the legs.

Cable Kickbacks/Kneeling Kickbacks

Isolates the glute at the top of its range of motion. Great as a finisher of your workout.

Step-Ups

Functional and low-impact, yet effective. Drive through the heel of your working leg and squeeze the glute at the top of each rep. You can add dumbbells once bodyweight feels easy.

The key principle in exercises to help with cellulite is progressive overload. Gradually increase the weight, reps, or difficulty over time to challenge your muscles to grow.

High-rep, low-weight “toning” routines aren’t nearly as effective for reducing the visibility of cellulite. Pair strength work with regular cardio (20–30 minutes, 3–4 times per week) and the right lifestyle for the best outcomes.

Diet and Lifestyle: The Supporting Cast

No single food causes or cures cellulite, but how you eat and live absolutely affects how visible it is.

What Helps

• Adequate Protein: Supports muscle repair and growth from your training. Aim for roughly 1.2–1.6g per kg of bodyweight daily.
• Hydration: Well-hydrated skin is more elastic and can appear plumper, reducing the visual depth of dimples. Two litres of water a day is a solid starting point.
• Gradual, Sustainable Fat Loss: If reducing overall body fat is part of your goal, slow and steady wins over crash dieting any day. Losing weight too fast can reduce skin elasticity, making cellulite more visible.
• Anti-Inflammatory Foods: Whole foods, vegetables, oily fish, and foods rich in antioxidants support skin health and collagen production over time.

What Doesn’t

• Smoking: Damages skin collagen and circulation, can worsen skin laxity and the appearance of cellulite
• Excessive Alcohol: Contributes to inflammation and fluid retention
• High Sodium Intake: Causes fluid retention, which can emphasise dimpling
• Prolonged Sitting: Reduces circulation to the glutes and thighs; even short breaks to move make a difference

Topical and At-Home Approaches

Let’s be clear from the start: no cream eliminates cellulite. The skin is a barrier, and most active ingredients can’t penetrate deep enough to affect the fat or connective tissue layers responsible for dimpling.

However, some products do offer temporary or supportive benefits.

• Caffeine Creams: Caffeine has a mild vasoconstrictive effect, temporarily tightening the skin’s surface and reducing the appearance of dimples. But the effect is short-lived. Think of them as a light filter for your skin. Useful situationally, not transformative long-term.
• Dry Brushing and Massage: Regular massage improves local circulation and lymphatic drainage, temporarily reducing fluid retention and puffiness in the area. It won’t change the underlying structure, but it does offer broader skin benefits, such as exfoliation.
• Retinol-based creams: Retinol (vitamin A) stimulates collagen production and can gradually thicken the dermis (the layer of skin above the fat). Over time, a thicker dermis means the underlying fat structure is less visible. A 2025 review found that retinoid-based formulations can improve the orange-peel appearance of cellulite in controlled trials. However, adding retinol to your routine needs gradual introduction and careful selection.

What to skip: anything claiming to “melt,” “dissolve,” or “permanently remove” cellulite with a topical product.

Clinical Treatments for Cellulite on the Bum

Done the work (exercise, hydration, diet), but want more visible, lasting results? For cellulite grades 2-3, non-invasive clinical treatments are the most effective option without going under the knife.

At Body Catalyst, we don’t rely on one technology. We use a strategic three-stage treatment approach that targets the root causes of cellulite, breaking down fat, tightening skin, and accelerating lymphatic drainage.

Stage 1: Fat Cavitation

Fat cavitation uses low-frequency ultrasound to disrupt and rupture stubborn fat cells just beneath the skin. Those fat cells are converted into free fatty acids, which your body then naturally metabolises through the lymphatic system. This results in a visible reduction in the volume of fat pushing up through the skin.

Stage 2: Radiofrequency (RF) Skin Tightening

Once those fat cells are disrupted, RF treatment delivers controlled heat energy into the deeper layers of the dermis, stimulating collagen and elastin production while disrupting fat cells that contribute to dimpling.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology found that 86% of patients reported satisfaction with improved cellulite appearance after RF treatment, and 82% reported firmer skin in the treated area.

RF is one of the most consistently backed technologies for how to reduce cellulite on the bum. It works across all grades and is comfortable for most, who describe it as a warm, deep massage sensation.

Stage 3: TeslaFormer Muscle Definer

Here’s where we go deeper. The TeslaFormer uses Functional Magnetic Stimulation (FMS) to stimulate up to 52,000 muscle contractions per session.

Building a firmer, stronger muscle layer underneath the fat creates natural support for the skin above, reducing the visibility of dimpling from the inside out.

But TeslaFormer does something else that’s crucial to the cellulite treatment process: it accelerates lymphatic drainage. This helps the body flush out the broken-down fat cells from cavitation more efficiently, maximising your results and speeding up your transformation.

HIFU Body Contouring

We also offer High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), which targets the deeper fat layer, permanently disrupting fat cells while also stimulating collagen in the overlying skin. It’s particularly effective when both fat volume and skin laxity contribute to the appearance, targeting both root causes simultaneously. Body contouring with HIFU works alongside skin tightening to reshape and smooth the area more comprehensively.

Treatment Stacking

The reason clinical cellulite reduction treatment tends to produce the most consistent results is that the best clinics don’t rely on one technology. Combining modalities addresses both the structural and aesthetic components of cellulite. This approach also allows a more tailored treatment, using a formula that works specifically for your body and your goals.

What Good Results Actually Look Like

Cellulite cannot be permanently eliminated. It’s a structural characteristic of skin, influenced by genetics, hormones, and anatomy. No single procedure has been proven fully successful long-term, but you have your fair share of options to improve your skin’s appearance, whether that’s reducing fat or boosting firmness.

When someone searches for how to lose cellulite on the bum, here are results that are attainable:

• Smoother, firmer skin texture – not airbrushed or perfectly smooth
• Dimples that are noticeably shallower, especially with body movement
• Better skin tone and elasticity
• Confidence that isn’t dependent on the lighting in your bathroom or the camera angle

The people who see the best outcomes typically combine consistent glute training or the TeslaFormer, a supportive diet, and 1–2 clinical treatment modalities, then maintain results with occasional top-up sessions and ongoing exercise.

Ready to Feel Good in Your Skin Again?

You’ve got the information. You know what cellulite actually is, why it’s more visible in some areas, and how to reduce cellulite on your bum. Now it’s about taking the next step, whatever that looks like for you.

If you’re curious about what clinical treatment could do for your body specifically, the best place to start is a free consultation. Book yours at Body Catalyst and let’s figure out what’s possible for you.