Creams & Gels

Creams and gels have been used to treat cellulite for decades to varying degrees of success. They can be an effective, though quite temporary solution to the appearance of cellulite. Today, the field of topical treatments has fleshed itself out into three primary types that have clinically tested and proven results: retinols, caffeine, and aminophylline.

Retinols first gained popularity in the 1990s for reducing crows’ feet and other facial wrinkles to give a more youthful appearance. This Vitamin A derivative succeeds in plumping the skin by promoting the growth of new skin cells. Retinols also enhance the elasticity of skin through an increase in collagen. Younger, more elastic skin is better adapted to snap back and remain tighter and firmer, which reduces wrinkles as well as the appearance of the cellulite dimples beneath the skin. Plumper skin will fill the dips, and increased elasticity will allow the skin to ride over the underlying uneven fat cells to mask the appearance of the cellulite below. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are sometimes used in combination with retinols or as a stand-alone treatment that works very similarly.

Caffeine based lotions and gels have proven results that are more than skin deep. A study by Vanderbilt University indicated that caffeine treatments actually initiated the process of lipolysis to metabolize fat in the layer directly under the skin (where cellulite occurs) and pulled out trapped fluids between cells as well. The result is less fat and a softer, smother surface to the fat cells, lessening both the appearance of cellulite and the cellulite itself. Caffeine also reduces swelling to make the skin appear smoother.

Aminophylline is a bronchodilator most often used to open bronchial passages for asthma patients. But, as it turns out, it also makes a good active ingredient for cellulite treatment creams and gels. Aminophylline has properties that cause a chemical reaction that acts on fat cells to transform them into fatty acids. These fatty acids can then pass through cell membranes and be flushed away through the bloodstream. It also helps to reduce cellulite by ridding the cells and the area around them of excess water. The overall effect, is less fat, fewer bumps and dimples beneath the skin, and smoother, tighter skin.

Although they are effective, creams and gels offer only a temporary solution to cellulite problems, and so must be used frequently in an ongoing protocol in order to achieve and maintain good results.

- SmartLipo: The New Lipo.