The cosmetics industry offers numerous anti-cellulite products in a wide variety of forms. There are gels, creams, lotions and oils. The type of product says little about the effect of the drug. Another thing is that each active substance requires its own carrier substance in order to develop an optimal effect. In addition, manufacturers are trying to offer a “convenient” product that does not require a lot of time and effort to use. The recipe also develops accordingly. What type of product should you choose? Best of all, the one that you like in terms of smell, consistency and the promised effect, as well as whose method of application does not cause you any questions.
The gel gives a feeling of freshness and has the advantage that it only needs to be applied without rubbing into the skin. It is absorbed immediately, leaving no sticky or greasy residue, but only a delicate scent. The non-alcoholic cellulite gel is also suitable for sensitive body skin.
Creams most often require massaging so that the active substances are absorbed into the skin. Therefore, creams are often offered in combination with a small mechanical massage device. The advantage of the massage: the tissues are slightly kneaded and pleasantly saturated with blood.
Thermal creams warm and redden the skin due to the expansion of blood vessels. This makes it easier to remove water and slags from fabrics. The redness can last for quite some time. Therefore, if you have a tendency to red streaks and varicose veins, you should use it carefully.
It is enough to spray the skin with lotions. They dry quickly and do not make the skin shiny.
Oils are an integral part of some types of electric massage, creating a protective slippery film on the skin.
What is the effect of cellulite products?
Their purpose is always the same. Various cellulite preparations should:
activate lymph currents so that toxins and harmful substances, as well as excess accumulations of water and fat, dissolve faster, be removed from the tissues and excreted from the body. (Lymph is a kind of garbage chute of the body. A colorless liquid flows very slowly along the branched system of capillaries, taking away decay products from everywhere);
to accelerate cellular metabolism, including the formation of collagen supporting substance, which makes it possible to strengthen the connective tissue;
first of all, during the diet, support the metabolism so that the swollen fat cells of cellulite tissues are emptied as soon as possible;
stimulate blood circulation, since the tissues nourished with blood are better nourished and cleaned of toxins, the skin looks tighter and smoother.
What active substances are included in anti-cellulite preparations?
Extracts from ivy, horse chestnut, arnica, fennel, birch bark , cypress, wild vineyard and seaweed are classic among herbal substances .
The substances that have recently made a career as a cellulite killer are as follows:
Caffeine: in combination with kola nut extract, it breaks down fat chains in tissues and helps to eliminate stagnant lymph and accelerate its flow. Due kola- extract this effect force INDICATES by improving microcirculation in the tissues.
Theophylline : The active ingredient obtained from tea leaves increases the blood supply to the thin vessels and flushes excess water out of the tissues.
Ruscus (mouse rose hips) strengthens the walls of blood vessels and has a beneficial effect on lymph flow and removal of toxins.
Guarana is extracted from the seeds of the Brazilian guarana shrub . It increases the basal cell metabolism and promotes the production of catecholamines. This hormonal group accelerates the breakdown of fats in cells (especially during diet).
Ginkgo is an active ingredient derived from the Asian ginkgobi loba tree . It is used most often in combination with caffeine. Supports metabolism and fat breakdown.
Centella Asiatica , a tropical creeping plant – Supplier of Asiaticum Acidum extract , which promotes blood flow .
Silicon, a mineral that plays an important role in strengthening connective tissues, as well as hair and nails, improves the elasticity of connective tissue fibers. (But first of all, it must enter the body from the inside).
Hydroxy acid is an alpha hydroacid (AHA) and is a fruit acid that accelerates the natural flaking process of the skin, thereby activating new cell formation and at the same time making the skin more susceptible to cellulite preparations.
Nicotinic acid creates a warming effect in so-called thermal creams .
How to find out what active ingredient is in a particular product?
Until now, in most cases, active substances (but not carriers) have been declared on the packaging box and / or on the product itself in descending order of quantity. That is, the highest concentration of the active ingredient was designated in the first place. In 1977, a European cosmetic regulation came into force, which requires manufacturers to indicate the total composition of the substances contained in the preparation.
Have these products been proven to be effective?
No good cosmetic product is distributed without preliminary testing. The same can be said for cellulite preparations. They are tested not only in vitro , that is, for reactivity in chemical flasks, but also in vivo , that is, on the skin of voluntary testers. Testing tests in collaboration between manufacturers and doctors (for example, gynecologists) are the simplest “proof” of the action of a new drug, but also the most inaccurate. The result of application is influenced by many subjective preferences of consumers regarding the properties of the product (cream, gel or oil), its aroma, its sensation on the skin, etc., therefore, it is almost impossible to make an objective judgment on the effect of the drug. Much more objective and accurate measurements with specially designed devices for skin testing. These tests are usually performed before using the product and within four weeks of using it. This takes into account:
Sonography with ultrasound to prove detoxification. Highly sensitive ultrasonic waves provide a two-dimensional image of the skin, which clearly distinguishes between fat and muscle tissue. This allows you to fix a decrease in fat volume during the application of the product. Similarly, the fat volume is measured using infrared rays.
To control cellulite, it is better to measure yourself once a week than weigh yourself every day.
Kernspintomography is a medical diagnostic method also used for measuring adipose tissue. In this case, a three-dimensional picture is compiled and evaluated using the resonance of electric waves in various layers of tissues.
Thermography allows you to notice an improvement in blood circulation. The temperature of the skin is measured through a liquid crystal foil that changes color as the temperature changes. Areas with poor blood supply are colder and give a brown coloration to the foil, while warm, well-infused lots appear blue.
Firmometers and twistometers measure skin elasticity. Firmometers apply pressure to the skin, twistometers rotate it slightly. The more elastic the skin, the faster it returns to its original position.
What action can the consumer really expect ?
The research results presented by the manufacturer,
without any doubt, have been seriously verified. And yet, experts are unanimous in the opinion that improvements in cellulite are due not so much to a good drug as to a well-known discipline. It means:
The effect of cellulite preparations on the skin surface is undeniable, since almost all products contain both nourishing and moisturizing substances. The drugs should be used daily (preferably according to the manufacturer’s directions). Perseverance and consistency in application is a prerequisite for long-term success. Those who make passes due to forgetfulness risk losing even the achieved result.
In most cases, success is promised by a concentrated unity of nutrients and active substances + massage + sports + proper nutrition. Only if the blood supply is further stimulated by the application of water and massage, which increases the tension in the muscles, and the breakdown of fat is supported by a decrease in the intake of calories, will cellulite cosmetics contribute to the improvement of the picture.
How often should cellulite preparations be used ?
Best of all daily, at least once a day, and even better in the morning and evening. Most manufacturers recommend the use of their drugs after a shower or after a massage (for example, brush or mitt of luffa ). Gels and lotions just need to be applied to the skin, creams and oils are applied with a rubbing massage (see above). In this case, it is not so much the amount of the applied drug that is important, but the thoroughness and regularity of its use. Application from case to case will have no more effect than the famous drop on a hot stone. Constant care, on the other hand, over time becomes noticeable on the skin. This may also be due to a psychological effect. For whoever undertakes something intensively for his skin strengthens the steadfastness of will in relation to gymnastics, sports and diet.