While the current crop of products claiming to reduce
or eliminate cellulite is rapidly increasing, research
regarding their efficacy remains at a bare minimum. Overall,
the research states loud and clear these products don't
work but sadly, the lure of these potions is hard to fend
off. None of us wants cellulite, and combating it is an
uphill battle not necessarily affected by weight loss.
In fact, according to the American Academy of Dermatology,
cellulite is the body’s natural way of storing fat in
adult women. You may be shocked to learn that most women
who are not extremely malnourished have some amount of
cellulite. For some women, especially very thin women,
cellulite may only be visible by pinching skin, while
for the vast majority of women, some amount of cellulite
is always visible.
Cellulite is assumed to be caused by the accumulation
of fat cells that protrude or are interlaced with possibly
weakened layers of skin. Many companies selling anti-cellulite
products have referred to this as "imprisoned fat,"
which is actually a decent analogy. What is definitely
true is that women are far more prone to cellulite than
men, most likely because they have more subcutaneous fat
cells in their hips and thighs (Source: Journal of Applied
Physiology , April 2002, pages 1611–1618).
There is a lengthy list of products claiming they can
be rubbed on the skin and then somehow free your fat and
improve skin tone to eliminate or reduce the appearance
of cellulite. Despite the popularity of these lotions
and potions, two questions remain unresolved: (1) the
lack of any formulary cohesiveness between products, and
(2) any support that these products work (Source: Skin
Research and Technology, May 2002, pages 118-124). The
European Journal of Dermatology (December 2000, pages
596–603) reviewed 32 cellulite products containing between
4 and 31 ingredients that had few similarities. "Forty-four
different botanicals and 39 different emollients were
used in the 32 products. Caffeine, present in 14 products,
was the most common additive, apparently representing
an 'active' ingredient. In other respects the compositions
of the products were similar to those of skin creams."
Cosmetics companies are throwing in random plants without
any proof they can help, and yet the suggestive claims
are there to entice consumers to try yet another miracle
anti-cellulite potion.
Aminophylline, a prescription bronchodilator (opens lung
passageways), gained notoriety as an ingredient in cellulite
creams as a result of a study published in Obesity Research
(November 1995, Supplemental pages 561S–568S). However,
the validity of this now dated research was called into
question because one of the authors was marketing an aminophylline
cream being sold at the time, and thus was not what you
would call an objective investigator. Also, the number
of participants in the study was small and most were also
dieting and exercising at the same time they were applying
the aminophylline cream (Source: Annals of Pharmacotherapy
, March 1996, pages 292–293).
Doubt about aminophylline's value was also revealed by
a study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
(September 1999, pages 1110–1114), which described a double-blind
study that compared the effectiveness of three different
treatments for cellulite on three different groups of
women. One investigated the twice-daily application of
aminophylline cream compared with a placebo; another the
twice-weekly treatment using endermologie (a machine rolled
over the surface of skin claiming to get rid of cellulite)
on one leg and nothing on the other; and a third used
endermologie on both sides along with the same cream regimen
as the first group. "No statistical difference existed
in measurements between legs for any of the treatment
groups... . [Even] The best subjective assessment, by
the patients themselves, revealed that only 3 of 35 aminophylline-treated
legs and 10 of 35 [e]ndermologie-treated legs [felt] their
cellulite appearance improved." So, aminophylline
appears not to be the answer for cellulite, though it
still shows up in some cellulite creams.
Caffeine is used as an ingredient in cellulite creams
because of its distant relationship to aminophylline.
Aminophylline is a modified form of theophylline, and
both are bronchodilators (Source: Yale New Haven Health
Library, Alternative/Complimentary Medicine, www.yalenewhavenhealth.org);
caffeine contains theophylline (Source: Progress in Neurobiology,
December 2002, pages 377–392). There is no research to
prove or disprove that theophylline can affect cellulite.
Only its association with aminophylline and subsequently
its relation to caffeine makes it a good, natural-sounding
candidate for a cellulite cream. There are two studies
showing caffeine to have benefit for cellulite, but one
was conducted by Johnson & Johnson, which owns RoC
and Neutrogena, both companies that sell cellulite creams
that contain caffeine, and the other was conducted by
cosmetic ingredient manufacturers that sell anti-cellulite
compounds (Source: Journal of Cosmetic Science , July-August
2002, pages 209–218). There is no other independent research
showing that caffeine provides any benefit for treating
cellulite, nor research pointing to how much caffeine
is needed to produce results. Besides, if caffeine were
the answer, wouldn't consuming tea and coffee (without
cream and sugar, of course) daily have an internal effect
on cellulite? Couldn’t you just rub coffee on your legs
or make a coffee ground scrub and get results? Wouldn't
Starbucks have a whole new marketing angle to entice customers?
Other cellulite creams have gone about trying to improve
skin texture on the thigh by using ingredients like retinol
or AHAs (Source: American Journal of Clinical Dermatology,
November-December 2000m pages 369-374). Theoretically,
these come the closest to having the potential for improving
the appearance of cellulite. If cellulite is a problem
with the structure of skin, applying ingredients that
help improve skin structure should make a difference.
A small amount of research shows that to be the case,
though the number of participants in these studies was
also extremely small (Source: American Journal of Clinical
Dermatology , November-December 2000, pages 369–374).
What is important to point out is that if retinol or AHAs
can help, you don't need something labeled "cellulite
cream" to give them a try.
In the end, it makes the most sense to not obsess over
cellulite (I know, easier said than done!) and instead
concentrate on getting enough daily exercise and eating
a healthy, well-balanced diet that emphasizes whole rather
than processed foods. Searching for a quick fix when it
comes to weight issues doesn't work.