Q & A Library

Many treatments have been proposed to eliminate cellulite, the displaced adipose tissue that is the cause of dimpled-looking skin on some women's thighs and buttocks. Cellulite is fat that is arranged in large chambers separated from each other by columns of connective tissue. If fat overflows these chambers as a result of being overweight, or if the connective tissue has slackened with age (as it invariably does), the result is the classic pitting and bulging we have come to know as cellulite. Men don't usually develop it, because male skin is thicker and the fat cell chambers are divided into smaller, more tightly arranged areas.

I have never seen any treatment, natural or not, that can effectively eliminate cellulite, although many are available, from creams to dietary supplements to massage, laser therapy, wraps, injections, and special diets. Forget creams - they can't break down enough fat to make a difference in the appearance of cellulite. No dietary supplement that I know of is capable of burning fat. One, Cellasene, contains Ginkgo biloba, sweet clover extract, grape seed bioflavanoids, kelp extract, evening primrose and fish oils, and soya lecithin, none of which have any "natural action" against fatty deposits or cellulite. Claims that this combination can improve circulation in the thighs and buttocks and increase your metabolic rate so that your body burns fat faster and eliminates more waste and toxins are totally unfounded.

The FDA has approved one type of massage, actually a machine called Endermologie, for treatment of cellulite. Reportedly, this method can make a temporary difference, but it is expensive, and you must continue treatment indefinitely to maintain any perceived improvement. The FDA has also approved some laser treatments for cellulite, but here, too, if you actually see a change for the better, you'll need continued treatment to maintain results.

I've warned in the past about mesotherapy and lipo-dissolve, two so-called fat-burning injections for spot reduction of fat and cellulite. In April 2010 the FDA warned consumers against lipo-dissolve. In addition to the fact that there's no evidence to show that this treatment works or is safe, the FDA said that it has received reports of permanent scarring, skin deformation and deep, painful knots at injection sites.

The fact is that apart from weight loss done the old-fashioned way - via eating less and/or exercising more - there is no effective way to reduce cellulite. Unfortunately, as you get older and connective tissue becomes less taut, some of this dimpled fat is likely to be visible whether you're in good shape or not.

Andrew Weil, M.D.