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1167 Burke Road, Kew VIC 3101

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Body assessment in Kew, Melbourne

Hip dips, cellulite & body shape, explained.

Hip dips, cellulite, prominent shoulders: body contour concerns are mostly structural rather than fat-driven. The right non-surgical treatment depends on what's actually causing the contour you don't like, and clear framing of what these treatments can achieve.

Reviewed by Dr Rakib Uddin AHPRA MED0001936872

Book a consultation What treats it
  • The cause identified before any treatment
  • Assessed by Dr Rakib and his team
  • Alternatives explained, including not treating
  • A clear pathway to the right option
Commissioned editorial study for this concern
Assessment with Dr Rakib

What's happening

Hip dips, cellulite & body shape: what is actually happening?

Body contour concerns (hip dips, buttock cellulite, prominent trapezius bulk) are mostly anatomical or structural, not fat-driven. Non-surgical treatments can refine the silhouette in suitable cases, but cannot replicate the scale of change surgery achieves.

Careful assessment identifies which concerns are realistically addressable non-surgically, which need surgical referral, and which (like generalised skin laxity from major weight loss) don't fit either category neatly.

  • Not fat

    Mostly structural

    Hip dips, cellulite: anatomical not weight-related.

  • Not transformation

    Refinement

    Non-surgical work refines silhouette; doesn't reshape body.

  • When appropriate

    Surgical referral

    Significant change usually means surgery.

The causes

Why does it happen?

Most cases come down to anatomical hip dips (trochanteric depression), fibrous-band cellulite, postural shoulder bulk, asymmetry. More than one is usually contributing at once, which is why the cause gets named before any treatment is suggested.

  1. Anatomical hip dips

    Bony relationship between iliac crest and trochanter creates the depression. Genetic; not changeable by exercise or weight loss.

  2. Cellulite from fibrous bands

    Structural tethers between skin and fascia create dimples. Not a fat or skin problem at root.

  3. Trapezius muscle bulk

    Chronic postural activation, stress and (for some) genetics produce prominent shoulders and short-looking neckline.

  4. Asymmetry

    Genetic or post-pregnancy asymmetric contours sometimes amenable to non-surgical correction.

The types

What are the different types?

There are 4 patterns worth telling apart, and the right plan depends on which one is yours.

  1. Hip-dip / trochanteric depression

    Depression at the lateral hip-thigh junction.

    Hip dip volume enhancement

  2. Buttock cellulite (band-tethered)

    Discrete dimples from fibrous bands.

    Subcision for cellulite

  3. Prominent trapezius bulk

    Wide shoulders, short neckline, chronic tension.

    Trapezius slimming

  4. Generalised body shape concerns

    Outside non-surgical scope.

    Surgical referral

Which one is yours

Which one are you seeing?

Match what you notice in the mirror to a likely cause and the pathway worth discussing. It is a starting point, not a diagnosis: the assessment confirms it.

  1. If you notice

    “I have noticeable hip dips when I look at my profile”

    Possible cause

    Trochanteric depression

    Pathway

    Biostimulator volume enhancement to smooth the silhouette

    Hip dip treatment

  2. If you notice

    “I have discrete dimples on my buttocks”

    Possible cause

    Fibrous-band cellulite

    Pathway

    Subcision plus biostimulator

    Subcision for cellulite

  3. If you notice

    “My shoulders look prominent and my neck looks short”

    Possible cause

    Trapezius bulk

    Pathway

    Trapezius slimming over months

    Trapezius treatment

  4. If you notice

    “I want significant body shape change”

    Possible cause

    Outside non-surgical scope

    Pathway

    Surgical referral

    Discuss surgical options

What treats it

Which treatment actually addresses it?

The one that matches your cause. Each pathway below pairs a driver with the plan Dr Rakib Uddin would discuss for it: same concern, different cause, different treatment.

  1. When hip-dip / trochanteric depression

    Biostimulator placement smooths the lateral hip-thigh line.

  2. When tethered buttock cellulite

    Releases the band mechanically; supports with collagen-stimulator. The only mechanism-based treatment for genuine cellulite.

  3. When trapezius bulk and tension

    Muscle relaxation slims and relieves tension over months.

  4. When significant body shape concerns

    Non-surgical refinement isn't the answer for major body shape change.

Where to go next

The treatment guides worth reading.

Each guide explains how the treatment works, who it suits, recovery and cost. The right one for your case is confirmed at assessment, not assumed online.

Dr Rakib Uddin performing an ultrasound-guided treatment

Collagen biostimulator

For gradual structural volume: jaw, chin, hands, neck and décolletage.

Read the guide
Editorial study of natural body shapes from the practice's own imagery

Hip dip treatment

For hip dips and the side-profile contour between waist and thigh.

Read the guide
Cellulite dimpling through the buttock and upper thigh before and after subcision with a collagen biostimulator

Subcision for cellulite

For cellulite dimpling on the buttocks and thighs, treated at the structural cause.

Read the guide
Editorial study of a neck and the slope of a shoulder from behind, the line across the trapezius described in raking light

Trapezius slimming

For prominent trapezius bulk and chronic upper-shoulder tension.

Read the guide

Prevention

What slows it down?

The habits below protect the result of any treatment, and slow the concern when it is still early. None of them replace assessment; all of them help.

  • Don't chase trends

    Cellulite-cream marketing, RF microneedling for cellulite, and many body-contouring devices lack mechanism-based evidence. Stick with what works.

  • Posture for trapezius

    Screen-and-phone postural patterns drive chronic trap activation. Addressing the cause complements treatment.

  • Don't over-train problem areas

    Heavy training a 'problem area' frequently makes it look more prominent (muscle hypertrophy). Be careful what you're training and why.

  • Manage expectations

    Non-surgical body work refines. It doesn't transform body shape. Realistic expectation produces satisfaction.

Common beliefs

What do people get wrong about it?

The beliefs patients most often arrive with, next to what is actually true.

  • Commonly believed

    “You can spot-reduce fat with exercise”

    In practice

    Spot reduction isn't supported by evidence. Where you lose fat is genetically determined; targeted exercise builds underlying muscle but doesn't remove overlying fat.

  • Commonly believed

    “Cellulite creams work”

    In practice

    Cellulite is fibrous-band structural. Topical creams can't release bands. They temporarily soften surface texture; they don't address the cause.

  • Commonly believed

    “Trapezius slimming damages your back”

    In practice

    Conservative dosing reduces excessive activity, not normal function. Most patients function normally; serious lifters discuss specific training considerations.

In consultation

“Refine the silhouette without going to theatre, when the assessment supports it.”

Cause before treatment: how Dr Rakib Uddin approaches hip dips, cellulite & body shape.

Dr Rakib Uddin, cosmetic doctor and founder of Aesthetic Doctors Australia

Your doctor

Dr Rakib Uddin

Cosmetic Doctor & Founder

  • MBBS (Qld)
  • BMedSci (Hons)
  • Dip. Surgical Anatomy
  • Fellow ACCSM

AHPRA MED0001936872

Every consultation for hip dips, cellulite & body shape is performed by Dr Rakib and his team: never delegated to a non-medical injector.

Dr Rakib Uddin is a Melbourne-based cosmetic doctor with formal surgical-anatomy training and over a decade in medicine. He performs every consultation, treatment and review at Aesthetic Doctors Australia personally, and trains other doctors in advanced injectable technique at Derma Medical Academy.

“If a treatment isn't right for you, I'll tell you. Every plan is built around your anatomy, not a template, and the goal is always a refreshed version of you, not a new face.”
  • Listen to your concern in full
  • Comprehensive medical and aesthetic assessment
  • Step-by-step treatment plan: single session or staged
  • Full discussion of risks, limitations and alternatives
  • Decline to treat when a procedure would do more harm than good
About the practice

Expert questions

The questions worth asking about hip dips, cellulite & body shape.

The questions that come up in the room, answered the way Dr Rakib answers them.

Do you use fat dissolving injections on body areas?

Fat dissolving has a role in small, discrete areas such as under the chin. Across larger body zones the volumes required make it impractical, so body contouring here relies on biostimulator work, subcision for cellulite, and surgical referral where genuine fat excess is the driver.

Will body filler look like a BBL?

No, and not designed to. Non-surgical body work refines specific contours subtly. BBL adds significant volume and changes silhouette dramatically. Different goals.

How much downtime for body treatments?

Variable. Cellulite subcision: 2 weeks of bruising. Hip dip filler: 3–5 days of swelling. Trapezius: minimal.

Are results permanent?

Biostimulator: 12–18+ months. Trapezius slimming: 6–9 months. Released cellulite bands stay released, but biostimulator support eventually softens. Maintenance is part of the plan.

What about the device-based body treatments advertised elsewhere?

Evidence for genuine contour change varies widely between devices. The body work offered here is injectable and subcision based, alongside XERF radiofrequency skin tightening; anything outside that scope is discussed at consultation and referred where a better tool exists.

Consultation first

Understand the cause. Then choose the pathway.

A consultation with Dr Rakib Uddin works out what's driving hip dips, cellulite & body shape in your case, then matches the right treatment, an alternative, or no treatment at all.

Book a consultation Ask a question first

1167 Burke Road, Kew VIC 3101

Important treatment information

All information on this page is general in nature and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Any before-and-after images shown are for illustrative purposes only and do not guarantee individual outcomes. Treatments performed by Dr Rakib Uddin (AHPRA MED0001936872) vary based on each patient's unique anatomy, medical history and needs. All cosmetic injectable treatments carry risks; a consultation is required prior to any treatment to assess suitability, discuss risks and alternatives, and establish realistic expectations.

Consultation Hip dips, cellulite & body shape
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