La Jolla, Calif. - Cellulite cannot be cured. It can, however, be successfully controlled by a variety of products according to dermatologist Mitchel P. Goldman, M.D., medical director of the Laser and Skin Surgery Center of La Jolla, Calif.

Dr. Goldman recently completed a study using one of the creams available for the treatment of cellulite combined with the wearing of one side of a pair of neoprene shorts. He found a decrease in size and an improvement in appearance of the treated skin.

Dr. Goldman

"There are many things that do work," Dr. Goldman said. "People use a caffeine cream and that works. People use suction massage and that works. Many things will work to help dissolve the fat and improve the lymphatic flow and the blood flow, which basically causes the fat to involute."

"Cellulite is natural. Unfortunately, it is what every woman has. Women are supposed to have it because it allows them to store fat so they can have babies. It's natural and it's not a horrible, bad thing."

The issue, according to a paper Dr. Goldman recently wrote, is that the image of beauty in women has changed within the past three decades.

For centuries, artists portrayed beautiful women as having few muscles and a thick layer of subcutaneous fat. Today, the definition of beauty has more defined muscles without the thick layer of fat.

That definition change, he said, has led to the prevailing view of cellulite as a disease. So, people look for ways to control the appearance of cellulite, which Dr. Goldman said can be done. "What we, and so many others have found, is that if you improve the blood flow in the area of the cellulite, the fat tends to disintegrate a little bit."

"The design of the shorts act almost like a piece of Saran Wrap that help the creams penetrate and stimulate the blood flow." When you add the factor of infrared body heat created by the special bio-ceramic properties of the material you have an increased spa like effect.

Twelve women initially agreed to take part in the study for reducing cellulite. The circumference of their thighs was measured 15 cm and 20 cm distal to the waist before treatment began, then three weeks after treatment started. Photographs were also taken at the same intervals.

First, the women applied an herbal gel to one thigh - randomly chosen. The gel contained oxyl complex, rosemary oil, asparagus extract, aloe vera, ivy extract, aspartic acid, and imidasolidinyl urea. "Basically all the ingredients in the cream help stimulate lymphatic flow and blood flow. That's all these creams do and whether it's aminophylline or caffeine cream, that's what they tend to do."

To facilitate the effectiveness of the cream, the bio-ceramic coating of the neoprene shorts adds to the equation like a body wrap. He then cut out one leg of the shorts for the untreated leg and left the material intact, to cover where the gel was applied.

The cream was rubbed in nightly, then the garment donned and worn for about six hours. Following each treatment, patients were told to apply an herbal contour cream containing: Austrian moor water and peat, avocado oil, shea butter, omega 3 & 6 linolic acid, evening primrose oil, black pepper extracts, while yam, capsicum, cinnamon, mandarin, ginger, and green tea.

• Eight women enjoyed wearing the product and said they would recommend the system.
• Eight women noticed a change in thigh diameter with only one woman seeing an increase in size of the treated thigh.
• One of 10 saw an improvement only in the buttocks area.
• Seven of 10 women had smoother skin on thighs and buttocks areas, which were covered by the cream and shorts.
• Two of 10 saw no change in skin texture.
• Two women were uncomfortably warm and said they would only use the system in winter.
• Two women withdrew from the study because of skin irritation.

Because the sizes of the thighs were similar and the study was small, Dr. Goldman did not break down the change in size by percentage or do a statistical analysis of the results, but he said, "The observable results were that the side that had the shorts came down a half-inch, a quarter-inch. That was impressive."

Since 1987, a number of companies have marketed creams designed to reduce the cellulite that occurs in thighs, and Dr. Goldman said it's accepted that topical products can stimulate blood flow; the problem is getting the active ingredients into the fat. "What the shorts do, is drive the cream into the skin a little better."

To continue to be effective, Dr. Goldman reported the treatments need to be done on a continuing basis, and is a good supplemental treatment to reinforce Endermologie or ionotherapy massage.

"By undergoing those procedures once or twice a week for a few weeks, the cellulite goes away, but you need to continue treatment every week or two to keep the cellulite from returning," he said.

He added that the shorts and the creams maintain the loss so patients do not have to return to the clinic and spend a hundred dollars on an Endermologie-type therapy. "They can run around the house doing all the normal things in these shorts, and that will continue the process."

Dr. Goldman said while Endermologie treatments run about $100 each, the shorts and cream cost about 100-dollars altogether. For that price, the shorts will last forever, and additional tubes of cellulite cream can be bought for perhaps $30."

Dr. Goldman reiterates that a number of treatments are effective on cellulite, but says the shorts are so comfortable and easy to wear; it's a convenient alternative.

Dr. Goldman says he has no financial interest in either the creams or the wraps.

For more information

• Goldman MP. Cellulite: A Review of Current Treatments. Cosmetic Dermatology Feb 2002;15:17-20.

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