amanda castleman - myths about cellulite cream

Oxford Mail

Cellulite sidebars: Don't worry, be happy; Expert advice; Shame and secrets

Don't worry
Be happy

There is no solution to cellulite," says Dr Cindy Carlson, a senior lecturer in public health at Oxford Brookes University. "It's just a form of fat deposit caused by a high fat intake."

Thirty per cent of our diet should be fat, but the average woman in the UK consumes 50 per cent. "Cutting back will help, but there is very little you can do once cellulite develops," Cindy says.

"All cellulite cures are ineffective and feed on an image of what we should look like but cannot aspire to or achieve. It's interesting that 20 years ago cellulite was not discussed. Why is it now such an issue?"

Why indeed? More than four out of five women believe they suffer from cellulite. Dr Ann McPherson, an Oxford GP who writes about women's health, says that beauty advertisements are making us more self-conscious and dissatisfied.

"It's awful that women are conned into spending a lot of money. Claims are made without good evidence, then women expect an impossible result. There are no quick fixes. You need to learn to live with your own body.
"We all have areas fatter than others. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Eynsham resident Tei Williams is also disgusted with the world of powders and paints. "I'm an arts publicist, so I know bull when I see it," she grumbles. "Making money off other people's insecurities is unforgivable. I'm not in favour of the beauty industry making us unhappy with who we are."

For almost 30 years, Tei faithfully applied an anti-wrinkling face moisturiser with her right hand. One morning she compared it to the left – and found them equally lined. "Now my right hand is probably more wrinkled," she laughs. "I was completely ripped off."

This incident cemented her distrust, and the 45-year-old has only grown more adamant. "I want to age gracefully with no boob tucks or face lifts or cellulite cures.

"Let it be the force of our personalities that carries us through life, not the money to buy expensive creams."

Expert
advice

No one is certain what causes or cures cellulite, but most experts agree that drinking plenty of water – two or three litres per day – can help.

"Changing your whole body and diet might make you look better. I wouldn't recommend a detox diet, as its benefits haven't been proven scientifically. Few things are really toxic. I have heard of insecticide, DDT, being stored in fat and released but tea and caffeine are probably OK. I think a healthy diet and fluid balance does play a small part in cellulite control, and massage may help for a while." – Dr David Sharpe, consultant plastic surgeon on the cellulite study

"Don't worry so much about your diet. A normal body is capable of sorting out toxins in its digestive system, and there is no evidence that caffeine and tea are bad. Concentrate on not overeating. Gentle exercise and moderate massage will help and stop smoking!" – Dr Terence Ryan, professor emeritus of dermatology at Green College, Oxford and the Churchill Hospital

"Try high protein diets and exercise, plus avoid toxins like caffeine. Cellulite creams will make the skin softer and improve its texture." – France Boden, owner of Cannelle Beaute

"Vigorous massage improves the circulation and toxins are flushed. It is important to treat the whole body too, not just the problem spots. Avoid tea, coffee and hot baths, which damage the skins elasticity. You need lots of fresh vegetables, fruit and lots of water – two or three litres a day." – Julie Talbot, owner of Junction Hair and Beauty Salons

"A massage with oil can improve the texture of your skin, but cellulite is linked more to diet and stress. I would recommend people exercise more. Walk, don't just jump on a bus or in a car. I would avoid most creams because they are often tested on animals and I don't believe in that. " – Jane Harris, manager of the Body Shop in Oxford

"Cutting back on fat will help, but there is very little you can do once cellulite develops." – Cindy Carlson, a senior lecturer in public health at Oxford Brookes University

"It's a holistic thing. You can't get health out a bottle. The only thing that works for me is the toughest massage plus a high-protein organic diet. I also avoid chemicals, wheat and too much dairy. Yoga is supposed to stretch the muscles and limbs as well. I'm told that irons out cellulite. You have to be careful with exercise though. It can make the situation worse because fat clings harder to muscle." – Kate Shapland, GMTV beauty expert

"Keep fit as much as possible, but learn to live with your own body. There are no quick fixes. " – Dr Ann McPherson, an Oxford GP who writes about women's health.

Shame
and secrets

Four out of five women believe they suffer from cellulite, but no one wants to admit it. We spoke to four Oxfordshire women, all of whom asked to remain anonymous.

As one woman points out, "You look all right, but when your trousers are off you're revealed as imperfect. Cellulite is also a reflection of bad health, which is a further embarrassment.

"It makes you want to have sex with the lights off."

"I have tried cellulite cream. It's true. I was desperate," says a 27-year-old woman from Oxford. "It was from Lancome and made my thighs sticky and unpleasant to touch. You wouldn't want to apply it before a date.

"The £30 cream just didn't work. It didn't even moisturise – a lotion would have been better for that."
She acknowledges that massage, diet and clean living are needed, but is unwilling to go to such lengths. "I'm learning to love it," she jokes. "Men don't care. They just want to see a bit of flesh and don't care if it's dimpled or not."

"You are better off spending your money on a good exfoliant and a fake tan than a cellulite cream. They're useless. I do find that Boots Natural Collection Firming Cream alters my skins appearance if I use a body scrub first, though," says a 24-year-old woman from Didcot.

"I tried a Body Shop massage oil and loofah MIT, which improved my skin's texture, but didn't shift the cellulite. Only surgery or cutting out toxins would do that, or maybe lymphatic drainage," says a 27-year-old woman from Cowley

"I tried a body contouring gel for 30 days and saw no difference. I found it quite sticky and useless. The gel cost about £18 from Yves Rocher," says a 30-year-old woman from Kidlington.

Back to the portfolio

*Oxford Mail*		Cellulite sidebars: Don't worry, be happy; Expert advice; Shame and secrets
Don't worry Be happy		There is no solution to cellulite," says Dr Cindy Carlson, a senior lecturer in public health at Oxford Brookes University. "It's just a form of fat deposit caused by a high fat intake." Thirty per cent of our diet should be fat, but the average woman in the UK consumes 50 per cent. "Cutting back will help, but there is very little you can do once cellulite develops," Cindy says. "All cellulite cures are ineffective and feed on an image of what we should look like but cannot aspire to or achieve. It's interesting that 20 years ago cellulite was not discussed. Why is it now such an issue?" Why indeed? More than four out of five women believe they suffer from cellulite. Dr Ann McPherson, an Oxford GP who writes about women's health, says that beauty advertisements are making us more self-conscious and dissatisfied. "It's awful that women are conned into spending a lot of money. Claims are made without good evidence, then women expect an impossible result. There are no quick fixes. You need to learn to live with your own body. "We all have areas fatter than others. It's nothing to be ashamed of." Eynsham resident Tei Williams is also disgusted with the world of powders and paints. "I'm an arts publicist, so I know bull when I see it," she grumbles. "Making money off other people's insecurities is unforgivable. I'm not in favour of the beauty industry making us unhappy with who we are." For almost 30 years, Tei faithfully applied an anti-wrinkling face moisturiser with her right hand. One morning she compared it to the left – and found them equally lined. "Now my right hand is probably more wrinkled," she laughs. "I was completely ripped off." This incident cemented her distrust, and the 45-year-old has only grown more adamant. "I want to age gracefully with no boob tucks or face lifts or cellulite cures. "Let it be the force of our personalities that carries us through life, not the money to buy expensive creams."
Expert advice		No one is certain what causes or cures cellulite, but most experts agree that drinking plenty of water – two or three litres per day – can help. "Changing your whole body and diet might make you look better. I wouldn't recommend a detox diet, as its benefits haven't been proven scientifically. Few things are really toxic. I have heard of insecticide, DDT, being stored in fat and released but tea and caffeine are probably OK. I think a healthy diet and fluid balance does play a small part in cellulite control, and massage may help for a while." – Dr David Sharpe, consultant plastic surgeon on the cellulite study "Don't worry so much about your diet. A normal body is capable of sorting out toxins in its digestive system, and there is no evidence that caffeine and tea are bad. Concentrate on not overeating. Gentle exercise and moderate massage will help and stop smoking!" – Dr Terence Ryan, professor emeritus of dermatology at Green College, Oxford and the Churchill Hospital "Try high protein diets and exercise, plus avoid toxins like caffeine. Cellulite creams will make the skin softer and improve its texture." – France Boden, owner of Cannelle Beaute "Vigorous massage improves the circulation and toxins are flushed. It is important to treat the whole body too, not just the problem spots. Avoid tea, coffee and hot baths, which damage the skins elasticity. You need lots of fresh vegetables, fruit and lots of water – two or three litres a day." – Julie Talbot, owner of Junction Hair and Beauty Salons "A massage with oil can improve the texture of your skin, but cellulite is linked more to diet and stress. I would recommend people exercise more. Walk, don't just jump on a bus or in a car. I would avoid most creams because they are often tested on animals and I don't believe in that. " – Jane Harris, manager of the Body Shop in Oxford "Cutting back on fat will help, but there is very little you can do once cellulite develops." – Cindy Carlson, a senior lecturer in public health at Oxford Brookes University "It's a holistic thing. You can't get health out a bottle. The only thing that works for me is the toughest massage plus a high-protein organic diet. I also avoid chemicals, wheat and too much dairy. Yoga is supposed to stretch the muscles and limbs as well. I'm told that irons out cellulite. You have to be careful with exercise though. It can make the situation worse because fat clings harder to muscle." – Kate Shapland, GMTV beauty expert "Keep fit as much as possible, but learn to live with your own body. There are no quick fixes. " – Dr Ann McPherson, an Oxford GP who writes about women's health.
Shame and secrets		Four out of five women believe they suffer from cellulite, but no one wants to admit it. We spoke to four Oxfordshire women, all of whom asked to remain anonymous. As one woman points out, "You look all right, but when your trousers are off you're revealed as imperfect. Cellulite is also a reflection of bad health, which is a further embarrassment. "It makes you want to have sex with the lights off." "I have tried cellulite cream. It's true. I was desperate," says a 27-year-old woman from Oxford. "It was from Lancome and made my thighs sticky and unpleasant to touch. You wouldn't want to apply it before a date. "The £30 cream just didn't work. It didn't even moisturise – a lotion would have been better for that." She acknowledges that massage, diet and clean living are needed, but is unwilling to go to such lengths. "I'm learning to love it," she jokes. "Men don't care. They just want to see a bit of flesh and don't care if it's dimpled or not." "You are better off spending your money on a good exfoliant and a fake tan than a cellulite cream. They're useless. I do find that Boots Natural Collection Firming Cream alters my skins appearance if I use a body scrub first, though," says a 24-year-old woman from Didcot. "I tried a Body Shop massage oil and loofah MIT, which improved my skin's texture, but didn't shift the cellulite. Only surgery or cutting out toxins would do that, or maybe lymphatic drainage," says a 27-year-old woman from Cowley "I tried a body contouring gel for 30 days and saw no difference. I found it quite sticky and useless. The gel cost about £18 from Yves Rocher," says a 30-year-old woman from Kidlington.
		*Back to the portfolio*