The hope of warmer weather on the way and the opportunity to bare some skin—hello, shorts and swimsuits—has a lot of us thinking about how to make sure our skin is looking its best. Lumpy or dimply looking skin that’s a result of cellulite is incredibly common. Some sources say more than 90 percent of women have cellulite somewhere on their bodies, from thighs to stomach to arms. For how common cellulite is, there’s a lot of misinformation out there about what it is and what you can do about it. We’re looking to board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger to help answer questions such as:

• What is cellulite?
• What are cellulite treatments?
• Do cellulite creams really work?

What is cellulite?

Cellulite forms as the result of fat pushing against the connective tissue under the skin, creating a rippling or dimpling effect that looks uneven along the skin’s surface. It’s most commonly found on the thighs, buttocks, stomach and upper arms.

What are cellulite treatments?

“Cellulite is a vexing problem for so many women. It is nearly impossible to stop it from happening and there is no known preventative, though creams and procedures can forestall it,” Dr. Schlessinger says.

There are an array of cellulite treatments on the market—from topical creams to in-office procedures—with various degrees of invasiveness and effectiveness. “While topical anti-cellulite creams don’t change the underlying structure beneath your skin that is causing cellulite, many patients find that cellulite treatment creams and other at-home products do improve the appearance of the skin and provide a lifeline if they are not ready for professional procedures just yet.”

In-office treatments include Cellfina, which uses a microblade to sever the fibrous tissue that causes cellulite dimples.

You can listen to Dr. Schlessinger himself dive into detail about Cellfina and cellulite in his appearance on the local news segment, “Moms Everyday.”

There’s also Cellulaze, which is a laser treatment, as well as a new in-office treatment called Qwo that debuted in 2021 with Dr. Schlessinger participating in its clinical trials. Qwo is an injectable cellulite treatment that is approved for use on the buttocks.

Do cellulite creams really work?

As Dr. Schlessinger says above, topical anti-cellulite creams may provide some temporary improvement in the appearance of cellulite. Some of the most common active ingredients in anti-cellulite creams include caffeine, which makes cellulite look temporarily less prominent by pulling water content out of fat cells and retinol, which can diminish dimpling by thickening skin. “Using body scrubs can also temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite by boosting blood circulation, which can give skin a firmer look that makes cellulite less noticeable for a short amount of time,” Dr. Schlessinger says.

What cellulite remedies can I try at home?

Smoothing body creams are an option if you’re not ready to venture into in-office cellulite treatments just yet. “I have a few go-to cellulite creams that are battle-tested,” he says. Here are a few cellulite creams—and one innovative skin-toning device—that Dr. Schlessinger recommends to provide subtle improvements in cellulite trouble areas.

NuFace NuBody Skin Toning Device

From the makers of the popular NuFACE facial device, this skin-toning device for the body is the first FDA-cleared at-home microcurrent body toning device that’s designed to help visibly firm skin and reduce the look of dimpling. For best results, use this device with the provided hydrating gel activator, which allows the microcurrent from the device to conduct into your muscles for an effective cellulite-fighting treatment that also hydrates skin for up to 24 hours. If you want to know what customers think of this device, you can read these NuBody reviews.

Want to see this advanced device in action? Here’s how to use the NuBody Skin Toning Device by NuFACE—plus, some real results!

Jan Marini CelluliTx Cellulite Cream

This cellulite treatment cream is formulated with a litany of active ingredients that work together to help improve the appearance of dimpled skin caused by cellulite. It contains peptides to help firm skin as well as caffeine and retinol to help reduce the pitted, textured look of cellulite. In clinical trials, users saw a visible reduction in the appearance of cellulite with just one month of daily use.

Asap Cellulite + Skin Firming Treatment

This skin-firming treatment helps improve the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks with a blend of caffeine and plant-derived ingredients, like jojoba oil and vitamin E, that come together to help skin look and feel softer and smoother.

Phytomer Celluli Night Coach Intensive Cellulite Sleeping Mask

Help smooth skin while you sleep with this overnight cellulite treatment. It contains red algae and caffeine to help promote microcirculation, which can reduce the look of dimpling, as well as taurine, pink pepper oil and brown algae extract, all which can help you shed stored fat that contributes to the look of cellulite.

Cela Black Gold Supreme Coffee Scrub

If you love the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning, this body scrub made with finely ground coffee beans and coarse raw sugar will provide a pleasant wake-up call and a soothing shower experience. Caffeine helps reduce the appearance of cellulite while coconut oil, Abyssinian seed oil, jojoba oil and shea butter help condition the skin to leave it looking and feeling smooth and soft.

ELEMIS Targeted Toning Body Moisturizer

With a cream formula that melts into an oil when applied to warm skin, this body moisturizer is not only pleasant to apply but also helps firm skin to reduce the look of cellulite with red algae and plankton extract. In clinical trials, 100 percent of users said their cellulite was visibly reduced with eight weeks of twice-daily use when combined with Elemis’ recommended massage sequence, which stimulates circulation and drainage with a combination of circular massage, knuckling and pinching techniques.

StriVectin Crepe Control Tightening Body Cream

This tightening body cream supports collagen and elastin production in the skin to help reduce the appearance of crepey, aging skin. Peptides help firm skin while jojoba oil and shea butter act as emollients to nourish and soften skin. It also contains antioxidant-rich plant extracts, cranberry seed oil and apple extract to help fight against free radical damage that can contribute to sagging skin.

Eminence Organics Stone Crop Contouring Body Cream

Looking for an all-organic body cream that can also help reduce the appearance of cellulite? We’ve got your answer right here! This formula targets cellulite with caffeine from coffee extract and also improves the condition of dry skin with the help of aloe, stone crop juice, glycerin and jojoba oil.

Want more information on how to get your skin summer-ready? Learn how to exfoliate legs for soft, smooth skin that glows and more on the LovelySkin Blog.