This question is not answerable by yes or no, but by explanations and observations by authoritative individuals and researches on the subject.
Dr. Gary S. Brody, professor of plastic surgery at the University of Southern California advances the following observations: (a) that cellulite usually occurs on many women’s thighs and buttocks, (b) that there is no scientific proof that cellulite creams are effective in removing cellulite, and (c) that there is neither surgical nor medical solution to this women’s problem.
Dr. Lisa M. Donofrio, assistant professor of dermatology at the Yale University School of Medicine, agrees that no scientific proof has been found to show that cellulite creams indeed work. She says that there is neither a way to measure cellulite being likely the product of genetics and hormones. She further states that even liposuction, a cellulite reduction technique, does not remove cellulite. She cites a 1999 study that shows no improvement in cellulite for 56 women who had tried anti-cellulite creams during that period. She doubts claims that topical creams can get into the fat through the multiple layers of the skin. She further says that caffeine and aminophylline, which are ingredients, found in creams, are only dehydrating chemicals and therefore only tend to dehydrate the skin.
Dr. Roy M. Shelton of the New York Aesthetic Center states that there is no medical data that can show that the cellulite fat can well absorb anti-cellulite creams applied onto the skin. On the contrary, he says, if creams have effects at all, these effects are not long-lasting, and creams with fluid retention reduction chemicals can even make cellulite worse.
Dr. Ava Shamban, assistant professor of dermatology at the University of California, says that she has not found any proven effective method that can get rid of cellulite and that anti-cellulite creams do not completely remove the cellulite appearance but that they are only a temporary technique for reducing the problem.
Dr. Shamban observes that there are products and treatments that can only visibly reduce the appearance and feel of cellulite. She advises, however, that users of creams, if these cannot be avoided, should select anti-cellulite products that contain anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory and other ingredients that help stimulate blood flow, for better results.
Despite the posture of many doctors against anti-cellulite creams, some researches show that caffeine is in almost every cellulite-reducing product to help blood flow to the skin, and that other creams contain the ingredient dimethylaminoethanol or DMAE, which is said to be an anti-oxidant derived from fish that supposedly stimulates the muscles to become firmer when combined with amino acids. Other research say that anti-cellulite creams work excellent even when the damage to the skin is old, and the results take a long time, and that one needs to ensure that the creams used contain the highest concentration of active ingredients like caffeine or hydroxyl acids. Still other researches attest to the effectiveness of therapeutic methods and drugs that are supposed to act on fatty tissues, to remove cellulites. They also suggest cellulite home treatments involving the use of certain ingredients, including bromelain, coconut oil and green tea.
Some experts warn of expensive treatment using anti-cellulite creams, and that there can be no total guarantee for success in the treatment at any given time. They maintain that cellulite can be prevented and that prevention is always the best way out although it would be “as difficult as the cure itself”. They suggest another way, and that is to consult a dermatologist who has a special training to diagnose and treat skin problems and who is able to advise the patient on what to do about the problem.
