Many products promise to be the Holy Grail in cellulite creams, but do they actually work in the long run?

Many of us ladies have that problem, whether we are skinny, pleasantly plump or somewhere in between, the yucky orange peel skin clings to our thighs, bottoms, tummies and even our upper arms. Women experience the problem more than men, especially as we age, because our skin is thinner. The thinner your skin, the more obvious the uneven, dimply effect will be.

Many products promise to be the Holy Grail in cellulite creams, and I have fallen victim to more than one ad campaign in my lifetime. What we don’t always realise is that these creams don’t actually promise to eliminate the problem completely, but more likely, they promise to improve the look or appearance of cellulite or dimpled skin. But, do they actually work in the long run?

Most products promising to improve the look of cellulite contain one or more of the following ingredients:

Retinol: this is an ingredient which is often included in these types of formulations as it promotes collagen production, which causes thickening of the skin thereby disguising the look of your dimples. Unfortunately, the verdict is still out on whether these formulations can contain enough Retinol to actually be effective in this manner, and if there was actually enough,  it could cause reddening and peeling of the skin. EW!

Caffeine: this is an excellent ingredient, as it increases blood flow to the skin and aids in the flushing out of toxins.

DMAE: this is an antioxidant that helps to stimulate muscle contractions, causing the skin to look firmer and more toned.

All these goodies in a topical cream would merely temporarily improve skin tone and texture. There is no scientific evidence to date that supports a permanent improvement in cellulite with the use of a cream or gel. The creams are applied to the skin, so couldn’t feasibly penetrate deep enough into skin tissue to treat the fat cells in that area. As soon as you stopped using the cream, that temporary tightening effect would disappear and your butt would probably go back to the way it looked before.

Sorry ladies, it looks like there is no permanent solution in a tube or jar to the orange peel problem, without resorting to expensive spa treatments. To be honest though, I do find that cellulite creams are helpful in that the massage you use to apply the cream helps to break down the fatty deposits in the troublesome areas slightly. The best course of action in the war against orange peel is to use the creams on a twice daily basis AND add to that a regime of dry body brushing and exercise. Change your diet to exclude toxins such as alcohol and junk food, and include lots of water and healthy fruit and veggies. If you follow healthy habits, you should be well on your way to looking great, even if you do still have one or two little dimples on your butt or thighs. But, those give us character, and we should love the skin we are in xxx

Article by: Maryanne Young