There is virtually no knowledge of the ingredients of cellulite creams in t
he dermatological literature. in the present study, the ingredients of cell
ulite creams, the frequency of their use and whether the ingredients have b
een reported to cause allergy were investigated. In the 32 products tested,
263 ingredients were used. On average each product contained 22 ingredient
s (range 4 to 31), Botanicals and emollients predominated; altogether 44 di
fferent botanicals and 39 different emollients were used in the 32 products
. Caffeine, present in 14 products was the most common additive, apparently
representing an "active" ingredient. In other respects the compositions of
the products were similar to those of skin creams. All products contained
fragrance. The creams were microbiologically pure. Concentrations of preser
vatives did not exceed limit values in the regulations. No formaldehyde was
present (detection limit 10 ppm). The well-known allergens isothiazolinone
s or dibromoglutaronitril were declared only in a few products. In spite of
the large number of substances used in cellulite creams, their safety seem
s acceptable for most users. Because, however, one fourth of the substances
used have been shown to cause allergy, the risk of adverse effects should
be taken into account when using cellulite creams.