Caffeine Is Latest Anti-Cellulite Weapon

(CBS) Creams containing caffeine are the newest weapon in women's arsenal of cellulite-fighters.

They were the topic as The Early Show began a weekly series Thursday, "Weapons of Mass Reduction," in which weight-loss and firm-up products and techniques are explored.

"Dermatologist to the stars" Dr. Ava Shamban, an assistant professor of dermatology at UCLA, explained to co-anchor Julie Chen that cellulite "is a term used to describe the lumpy, bumpy appearance of the skin, almost like a mattress. You can almost see where those little buttons would go right in. It can appear on even the thinnest women."

Cellulite, she says, appears on all women at some point, regardless of age or size.

Shamban, who owns the Laser Institute for Dermatology and European Skin Care in Santa Monica, Calif., adds that cellulite "is a structural problem. It's not only the fat, but it has to do with the connective tissue. The connective tissue acts as a mesh to keep the fat close to the legs, which happens for men, but not so well for women. So, in women, sometimes this connective mesh opens up and the fat bulges out. That gives you the cellulite."

There's no proven, effective method that gets rid of cellulite, Shamban observes, but there are products and treatments that can visibly reduce its look and feel.

"Part of is genetic," Shamban responded, "and exercising may or may not help. Being slender does help because, if you can imagine, if the fat cells themselves are expanding, you're going to get more bulging through that mesh work."

Another possible avenue: caffeine-based creams.

Shamban says she sees them as "one of the three great promises made to women, (namely), 'There's no MSG in your food. I'm gonna to call you in the morning. And this cream will get rid of your cellulite.' So, I'm a little bit from Missouri -- show me! I want to make sure they work.

"The theory behind caffeine is that it actually can reduce fat. It can enhance fat metabolism and also reduce some of the edema, or swelling that we get around the fat, so the skin appears smoother."

Three volunteers are going to try out various caffeine-based creams for four-to-six weeks, and report back on The Early Show on how well they did the job -- Sabina, in her 50s, Jackie, in her 40s, and Danielle, in her 30s. The areas where they have cellulite vary.

According to Shamban:

Anti-cellulite cream doesn't remove the "orange-peel" cellulite appearance completely. But it's a temporary technique for cellulite reduction. It works by plumping up the skin, creating a smoother texture when massaged on cellulite prone areas. For better results, choose anti-cellulite creams that contain antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and other ingredients that help to stimulate blood flow.

If you do purchase anti-cellulite creams, make sure to check for the availability of some key ingredients listed below:

Caffeine
Some cellulite cream used caffeine to fight cellulite. Caffeine, the active ingredient in many cellulite creams, works to tighten blood vessels. There have not been any reports showing that caffeine is successful in cellulite reduction. But we are seeing this is a very big trend in creams. So some products may list "caffeine" or "coffee" but remember that "caffeine" can be derived from black and green teas as well -- so make sure to read the label carefully.

CoffeeBerry
CoffeeBerry is the fruit of the coffee plant from which the coffee bean is derived. It's another way of stating that caffeine is an active ingredient in the product. CoffeeBerry can have a higher level of antioxidants depending on when the fruit was selected.

Aminophylline
Cellulite cream containing aminophylline is used to reduce the bumpy, dimpling effect of cellulite. Aminophylline is said to break down fat cells into fatty acids. The extent of effectiveness of aminophylline in cellulite reduction is still unknown. However, some patients reported successful reduction of cellulite after using aminophylline treatment cream. Take note that anti-cellulite cream containing aminophylline must be kept away from heat and used quickly.

Retinol
Some anti-cellulite cream use Retinols to improve skin texture and is a common ingredient in wrinkle treatment creams. Though its effectiveness of retinols in fighting cellulite is still in debate, retinol is used to improve the thickness of the epidermis and circulation to the skin. Since retinoid or Vitamin A derivatives can be destroyed when expose to light, it is best to apply retinol based cream at night.

AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids)
More and more cellulite cream make used of AHAs such as lactic acid and glycolic acid to fight cellulite. AHA helps accelerate the removal of the superficial layer of dead cells.

Herbal Cellulite Lotion
Citric, Tartaric and Phytic acids derived from fruits and plants are active ingredients used in cellulite treatment lotions. Herbal cellulite lotion helps to improve the tone and texture of skin in cellulite prone areas.

You can try these cellulite creams:




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