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Plastic surgeons honest take on treating cellulite with coffee scrub
Cellulite – the bumpy appearance on your skin – is perceived as “unattractive” and people who have it find themselves desperate for a “permanent” treatment.
Turns out it isn’t so easy. The Focus spoke to a plastic surgeon to get more insight into the beauty concern, that mostly affects women across different age groups. If you think coffee can do magic, that’s not entirely true either.
Plastic surgeon explains the causes of cellulite
Cellulite isn’t an issue with your skin and doesn’t imply underlying health problems. It doesn’t affect only people of a certain weight, or disappear with all the “right treatments”.
The ever-growing popularity of cosmetic products promising to “permanently treat” cellulite shows how little consumers know about their bodies.
Dr. Joel Kopelman, Facial Plastic Surgeon at Kopelman Aesthetic Surgery, tells The Focus that cellulite is a “completely natural and common condition that many people, especially women, experience.”
It occurs when the fat deposits under your skin push through the fibrous connective tissue, causing the “dimpled appearance.” It’s mostly visible in the thigh, hip, and buttocks regions and can appear anywhere in the body. “It’s simply a cosmetic concern,” Dr. Hannah says.
So when patients approach her to “treat’ their cellulite, Dr. Hannah sets realistic expectations and briefs them about methods that actually work, as opposed to the products with misleading claims on social media.
“From my experience and understanding of the current research, cellulite can be improved, but not entirely erased. Treatments can reduce its appearance but dont typically offer a permanent fix,” the doctor notes.
The role of coffee in ‘improving’ it
First, let’s talk about the practical solutions for cellulite, which are only temporary. The plastic surgeon says:
“Procedures like laser treatments, subcision (which involves breaking up the fibrous bands under the skin), and even some minimally invasive surgical options that can help improve the appearance of cellulite by smoothing out the skin.”
While weight loss doesn’t make cellulite disappear, the reduced size of fat cells can make it less noticeable, but the underlying structure of the tissue stays the same.
When asked if coffee-based products can effectively improve the appearance of cellulite, Dr. Hannah said, they can, but the result is short-lived like all other methods.
“Caffeine, as an ingredient, can temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite by dehydrating the fat cells, making the skin look smoother.”
“However, this effect is temporary, and once you stop using the product, the cellulite is likely to become visible again,” she continued.
Dr. Hannah Kopelman is a Facial Plastic Surgeon at Kopelman Aesthetic Surgery with two clinical fellowships in dermatology hair loss from Columbia University and skin cancer from Boston University. Shes also the host of the weekly podcast Derm Club, featuring interviews with leading dermatologists and skincare experts from all corners of the globe.
