Cellulite & Coffee Can Coffee Really Help With Cellulite?
Want to know the easiest way to make start-of-summer bikini shopping a whole lot less painful? Coffee! But it’s not just to give you the stamina to fight your way through racks and racks of swim wear - coffee can also help you battle the cellulite that becomes hyper-visible in change room mirrors.
How does caffeine aid in the fight against cellulite?
It does sound far-fetched, but there is a good scientific rationale for caffeine assisting in cellulite control. Cellulite is the body’s natural way of storing fat in women. The reason that even thin women who exercise frequently still have patches of cellulite is that, as a form of fat, cellulite has a poor blood supply. This makes it much harder to shift.
The reason that caffeine is helpful for cellulite is because it increases blood flow. Caffeine is related to aminophylline, which is a prescription medication used to open the airways and increase blood flow. Application of caffeine-based products to cellulite-affected areas can therefore improve the vascularization of these areas, allowing easier cellulite breakdown and removal.
What types of caffeine-based products are available?
One thing is for certain, there are almost as many types of cellulite-removal products as there are women with cellulite! Many of these products contain caffeine or a derivative of it. A common first resort for women aiming to reduce cellulite is topical cream.
According to research published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 76% of women who completed a course of treatment which required daily application of cellulite cream containing caffeine lost an average of half an inch of thigh circumference. Cellulite creams can range from budget-priced to exceptionally expensive, and will typically require you to apply the cream for several months.
Stockings might not be the most obvious solution to cellulite, but a Swiss company is now marketing tights that are impregnated with caffeine. Similar to stockings that contain moisturizers, these tights release caffeine when your body heat causes the temperature to rise. The caffeine causes the metabolic rate of the affected areas to increase, resulting in more fat being burnt. Palmers, the company producing the stockings, have reported phenomenal sales of the coffee-containing stockings. The dose of caffeine contained in the stockings lasts for approximately four washes – which could be a lot longer than the stockings, if you have long fingernails, small children or a cat!
Twice-weekly application of a coffee body wrap has been shown to reduce the appearance of cellulite. Simply combine warm coffee grounds with olive oil, and apply the mixture to affected areas using your hands. Wrap the area in plastic wrap and leave for several minutes, then shower yourself clean.
In combination with a healthy diet, lots of water and exercise, there are lots of caffeine-based products on the market that can help you survive yet another season’s swim wear shopping!
