Cellulite creams that actually work

Do cellulite creams work?

Some creams can reduce visible dimpling, but improvements are often short lived and treatment results are unpredictable. The realistic goal is less visible dimpling, not permanent removal, despite the ambitious job description on a 'slimming' cream. Cellulite involves the structure of the skin and tissue beneath it, including connective bands that pull inward while fat pushes outward. Changing the surface appearance is not the same as correcting that underlying structure.3

Cellulite is the dimpling and lumpiness commonly seen on the thighs, buttocks and abdomen. It causes no physical harm. Weight loss can improve or worsen its appearance, so losing weight is not a reliable substitute for a cellulite treatment.4

What is the best cream for cellulite?

Choose by the active ingredient and the commitment you are willing to make, rather than looking for one winning brand. Caffeine is an option for continued daily use; 0.3% retinol is an option for a longer trial. Shop for a modest improvement in appearance rather than a promise to dissolve fat, which is a lot of ambition to fit inside a jar.15

How much difference can a caffeine cream make?

One tested formula, ZONE·5 Slimming Zone Smart Silhouette Cream, contained 3.5% water soluble caffeine and xanthenes, along with other ingredients. Fourteen women completed six weeks of treatment. Their average cellulite score improved by 0.49 points on a scale from 0 to 9, a 19.8% reduction from the starting score. That percentage describes a change in a visual score, not the percentage of cellulite removed.6

The women applied that particular cream to their thighs and inner upper arms twice daily. Average thigh circumference decreased by 0.7 cm and upper arm circumference by 0.8 cm, while average body weight did not change significantly. These were measurements of the treated areas, not evidence of weight loss. Slight itching and temporary flushing were commonly reported.6

Treat those results as specific to that formula, not as an expected result from every caffeine lotion. The cream combined caffeine with other ingredients, including niacinamide, plant extracts, jojoba esters and soybean oil. A matching caffeine percentage alone does not make another cream the same product.6

How to try a cellulite cream

1. 1Read the ingredient list and follow the product's directions.
2. 2Test a small area first. Wait 48 hours before using more, and do not expand use if a skin reaction develops.
3. 3For caffeine, continue daily application if you want to maintain any improvement.
4. 4For 0.3% retinol, allow six months or longer before judging the result.

Retinol's potential benefit comes from changes in the skin rather than immediate slimming. Longer use can improve skin thickness and the contour of elastic fibres, the structures that help skin stretch and return to shape. A quick change in how moisturized the skin feels is not the same outcome as reduced cellulite.4

Who should be careful?

Aminophylline deserves particular caution. It contains ethylenediamine, which can cause allergic reactions, and is also a prescription medicine used for asthma. People with asthma should avoid aminophylline cellulite creams because of the risk of becoming allergic to the ingredient.5

If you use an asthma inhaler, avoid products containing aminophylline. Reports include anxiety, a racing heart and breathing problems, even with a cream.12

What if a cream does not give enough improvement?

A dermatologist who treats cellulite can discuss procedures that target the bands beneath the skin, including subcision, which releases those bands with a needle. Fat removal is a different treatment goal: liposuction can make dimpling more obvious, and fat freezing does not remove cellulite.12