Dr. Howard Murad on Cellulite Treatments That Work

If you are going to read one chapter in The Cellulite Solution, this month’s Cellulite BOTM by Dr. Howard Murad, it should be chapter eight. It’s called “Cellulite Minimizers: Ingredients That Can Really Make a Difference.”  Need I say more?

Maybe not, but I’ll say more anyway

Cellulite Treatments that Don’t Work

I’m impressed with the way Dr. Murad treats this chapter. He begins with an upfront list of the treatments that don’t work.  Detox diets, liposuction, and anti-cellulite knickers all make this list. This is information we’ve already discovered at The Cellulite Investigation so it was good to see our research backed up by this experienced pro.

Before moving on to the treatments that do work, Dr. Murad identifies nine distinct ways of treating cellulite. These aren’t specific treatments or products.  They are general improvements that can be made in the body, such as increasing blood flow, exfoliating, or repairing cell membranes. A treatment that affects any one of these nine areas could help to reduce cellulite.  This is one of the reasons why there are so many different natural treatment options for cellulite and why most of them offer limited results when used individually.

I also think this is why certain treatments are effective for some women and not for others. Perhaps one woman’s cellulite is caused primarily by poor blood flow, but another woman’s is caused mostly by damaged cell membranes.  Each woman needs a treatment plan tailored to her particular case of the blight.

Cellulite Treatments that Do Work

The last part of the chapter provides detailed descriptions of the treatments Dr. Murad believes are effective in helping to treat cellulite. This list contains everything from essential oils, vitamins, and herbs (he mentions a few), to electronic devices and massage techniques.  I can’t give away all the details (I’m sure Dr. Murad doesn’t want his whole book on the Internet), but here are a few highlights.

Since reading Dr. Murad’s book, I started adding pomegranate juice to my daily water bottle (I like the Lakewood brand, Pure Pomegranate). I alternate with cranberry for a change of pace. According to Dr. Murad, pomegranate is one of the most potent sources of polyphenols, a family of antioxidants that work primarily in the skin. He even proved in an independent study that taking pomegranate extract can increase the SPF of sunscreen by 25 percent.

He calls goji berries “virtually every method of fighting cellulite rolled into one delicious nugget.”

Dr. Murad singles out Manual Lymphatic Drainage as an effective cellulite treatment, although he claims the results are only temporary. This assessment concurs with my experience. Lymphatic drainage will improve lymphatic flow, but you must eliminate the cause of the lymphatic congestion if you want to see long term results.

He includes mesotherapy in the “treatments that work” section, but warns there is no standardization and the ingredients change with each practitioner.  This is one treatment I would stay away from at this time.

Dr. Murad also includes dry skin brushing as a treatment that works since it improves circulation. It also helps with exfoliation.  This is why I recommend dry brushing as a starting point for a holistic cellulite treatment plan.  It doesn’t address all nine methods of cellulite recovery, but it’s a cheap and easy place to start.

*This post is part of Works For Me Wednesday hosted at We Are THAT Family.

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