The first big question to answer is what is cellulite? Who know! Okay but here's what we do know and some hypotheses that explain what happens during lipo.
Cellulite occurs much more frequently in women than in men. And in males with disorders that result in lack of male hormones and thus a relative increase in female hormones (we all have both kinds) it is more common. So we assume it has some thing to due with female hormones. Next it is more common in the more obese. Thus it is a fat issue. Finally, it's not uniform and this is due to fibrous septa.
There are many fibrous septa or tissues that connect the skin with the deeper tissues such as muscle. Between these septa is fat. As the fat cells get larger they push on the skin but the septa don't allow the skin to move where they are attached. Thus the lumpy bumpy appearance.
Liposuction may make the cellulite better by removing the fat. But at the same time you're passing the cannulas through the septa and thus scarring them down which shortens them. Therefore fat is removed but the septa are shortened and therefore minimal change in the appearance of cellulite is typical.
