Can creams eliminate cellulite?

Why can't a cream remove cellulite?

Cellulite involves the structure beneath the skin: fat pushes outward while bands of connective tissue pull inward, creating dimples. The interaction between these bands, fat and the skin above them helps explain why cellulite is more complicated than excess fat. Its exact causes are not fully understood. A cream offering complete removal is making a much bigger promise than a smoother surface, which is where the packaging gets ambitious.3

People of all body shapes have cellulite, including very lean people. Genetics, age, sex and skin thickness influence how visible it is. Cellulite is cosmetic, does not harm physical health and is not painful.4

What can caffeine and retinol actually do?

In a small trial of a cream containing 3.5% water soluble caffeine and xanthenes, 14 women completed six weeks of treatment. The average visual cellulite score improved by 19.8%, or 0.49 points. Participants applied the cream to their thighs and upper arms twice daily. That was an improvement in a score, not a count of dimples erased. The tested cream contained several ingredients, so those results are not a forecast for every caffeine lotion.5

Retinol's effect on skin properties can be more noticeable than its effect on dimples. A trial in 15 women compared retinol with a placebo on opposite sides of the body, separating the product's effect from massage. After six months, skin elasticity increased by 10.7% on the retinol side, but the lumpy appearance showed little or no response. Retinol is therefore an option for possible subtle improvement, not a way to flatten pronounced cellulite.6

How should you try a cellulite cream?

1. 1Check for aminophylline before using the product. Avoid it if you use an asthma inhaler, because even topical aminophylline can cause breathing problems.
2. 2Test the cream on a small area first. Wait 48 hours; use more only if there is no skin reaction.
3. 3For caffeine products, plan on daily use if you want to maintain any improvement. For 0.3% retinol, allow at least six months before judging the result.

Cellulite products can cause allergic reactions. Aminophylline products have also been linked to anxiety and a racing heart. Stop using a product if you develop a skin reaction, and get medical help for breathing problems or a racing heart. Slight itching and temporary flushing were commonly reported in the caffeine cream trial.25

What if you want a bigger improvement?

A dermatologist can discuss procedures that target the tight connective tissue bands beneath the skin. Laser treatment and subcision, a procedure that releases those bands, can produce longer lasting improvement than creams. Laser results can last a year or longer, while subcision results can last up to two years. These are options for reducing visible cellulite, not proven permanent removal.1

Dry brushing, massage guns and foam rollers are not established lasting solutions either. Most home and spa treatments only diminish dimples for several hours, so moving the promise from a jar to a gadget does not make it permanent.1