Formation of Cellulite

With aging, the dermis (skin) begins to deteriorate. That means the microcirculatory system (blood vessels and capillaries) that ‘feed’ the skin, slowly begins to break down. And the septa (fibrous bands) begin to weaken.

This allows the subcutaneous fat cells to retain more fat, often swelling 2-3 times their original size.

The fat cells may also clump together, isolating the blood vessels even further and therefore causing fluid to accumulate in the tissue.

This cause a pulling effect on the septa, making the fascia (or connective tissue) tighten and causes it to protrude into the dermis. That's why we see the dimpling effect, or cellulite on the surface of the skin.

Over time, as the microcirculation continues to deteriorate, the cell metabolism also deteriorates. This in turn reduces protein synthesis and slows the cellular repair process.

If left to worsen, protein deposits can begin to form around the fat cells, septa and fascia and they begin to harden. As the superficial fascia becomes more thick and fibrous, adhesions (also referred to as scar tissue or knots) can form in the fascia and emphasise the  dense and or dimpled appearance of the skin.