Cellulite (/sɛljuːlaɪt/ ⓘ) or gynoid lipodystrophy (GLD) is the herniation of subcutaneous fat within fibrous connective tissue that manifests as skin dimpling and nodularity, often on the pelvic region (specifically the buttocks), lower limbs, and abdomen.

It can result from a complex combination of factors, including diet, sedentary lifestyle, hormonal imbalance or heredity, among others.

[8] Other hormones—including insulin, the catecholamines adrenaline, cortisol and noradrenaline, thyroid hormones, and prolactin—are believed to participate in the development of cellulite.

[1] Researchers have traced the genetic component of cellulite to particular polymorphisms in the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1A (HIF1a) genes.

Sex, ethnicity, biotype, distribution of subcutaneous fat, and predisposition to lymphatic and circulatory insufficiency have all been shown to contribute to cellulite.

[15][16] More invasive 'subcision' techniques utilize a needle-sized microscalpel to cut through the causative fibrous bands of connective tissue.

"[20] According to Italian researcher Martina Grimaldi, cellulite has often been pathologized as a "disease" in Western European news media, and it has been shown that French magazines promoting this misinformation are often funded by pharmaceutical companies that manufacture anti-cellulite skincare products.