Aromatherapy essential oils for cellulite: do they work?

“TL;DR: For essential oils to work against cellulite they must be used in high concentrations and for a long time, which may end in irritation and therefore makes their use unsustainable.

Several non-essential oil active ingredients are far more researched, safe and effective and therefore preferable to the use of essential oils for cellulite.”

Aromatherapy for cellulite?

• Essential oils at high concentrations for cellulite

• Essential oil skin penetration and side effects of protracted use

• Non-essential oil active ingredients in anti-cellulite formulations are much more effective, safe, sustainable

• Have a skin tightening/cellulite treatment in London with the experts

• Advanced, infrared / red light therapy treatments in London at LipoTherapeia

• Discover our professional training in cellulite, skin tightening, radiofrequency and ultrasound

Essential oils at high concentrations for cellulite

Several aromatherapy oils have applications for cellulite reduction, due to their circulation boosting effects and in some cases even due their lipolytic effects (limited research exists on the latter, though).

Examples of such potentially anti-cellulite essential oils include all the pine/fir/cypress essential oils, all the citrus essential oils and menthol-containing essential oils, among others, when used in HIGH concentrations.

In low concentrations those same oils also have an agreeable smell and can form the basis of a lovely, relaxing aromatherapy swedish massage or deep tissue massage. However, in high concentrations the same oils become pungent and extreme, irritating the airways and sometimes even irritating the skin too.

Aromatherapy massage treatments are supposed to use essential oils at around 1% concentration for the whole mix of oils and definitely below 3%.

However, for essential oils to work for cellulite, they need to be used above 3% for the total mix of oils applied. This may still not be a problem for application once a week or even daily application for a few days. However, after a few applications at such concentrations the chance of skin irritation gradually increases and after several applications at high concentration the chance of such irritation increases disproportionately.

Essential oil skin penetration and side effects of protracted use

The vast majority of people and aromatherapists are unaware that essential oils are very good at penetrating the skin and continuous absorption of essential oil chemical components at high concentrations is not a good idea.

With protracted use, intolerance may follow and this happens often to aromatherapists who routinely use essential oils with the same chemical components - including the author of this article, who initially thought otherwise.

Furthermore, different people may find different oils in a typical anti-cellulite aromatherapy mix disagreeable, especially when included at high concentrations.

Given that cellulite does not get reduced in a few days - several weeks and months of treatment / skincare application are recommended - the use of essential oil application is not recommended for cellulite reduction: at low concentrations not much happens (apart from helping other active get absorbed) and at high concentrations protracted use of essential oils is irritating and unsustainable.

Non-essential oil active ingredients in anti-cellulite formulations are much more effective, safe, sustainable

This is the reason we do not use essential oils in our cellulite creams. Instead we prefer the use of polyphenols and other active ingredients, such as centella asiatica triterpenes for gotu kola, forskolin, caffeine, EGCG from green tea, cocoa flavanols, hesperidin from citrus fruits, curcumin from turmeric and hydroxyproline (the most important aminoacid of collagen) among others, which are both extensively researched (thousands of papers written on those actives) and safe / non-irritating at recommended concentrations (all are also taken internally as supplements and are components of common edible herbs and plants).

As with everything to do with cellulite, excessive force, either with treatments or active ingredients, does not make sense and long-term application is needed for good, sustainable, long-term results.

Have a skin tightening/cellulite treatment in London with the experts

At LipoTherapeia we have specialised 100% in skin tightening and cellulite reduction for more than two decades and 20,000+ sessions.

This is all we study and practise every day and have researched and tried hands-on all the important skin tightening equipment and their manufacturers.

As strong, deep acting radiofrequency and deep-acting, high-power ultrasound cavitation are the technologies of choice for skin tightening and cellulite reduction, we have invested in the best RF/ultrasound technologies in the world.

Furthermore, over the last two decades we have developed advanced RF and cavitation treatment protocols in order to make the most of our technologies, for maximum results, naturally and safely.

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We will be pleased to see you, assess your cellulite, skin laxity or fibrosis, listen to your story, discuss your case and offer you the best possible treatment.

Learn more or check prices and book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment at our London clinic (49 Marylebone High Street, W1).

Advanced, infrared / red light therapy treatments in London at LipoTherapeia

At LipoTherapeia we are passionate about phototherapy (also known as photobiomodulation/PBM, red light therapy, infrared light therapy, blue light therapy, LED light therapy etc) and we use the most powerful equipment available today (up to 240mW/cm2), for best results and treatment of large body areas.

We use specialised therapy protocols for skin rejuvenation / anti-ageing, pigmentation / post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), moderate/severe acne, skin redness, sensitive/inflamed/irritated skin, wound healing, sports injuries / musculoskeletal pain and overall wellness / well-being.

Our LED phototherapy sessions are comfortable, deeply relaxing and super-safe and are great to enhance our radiofrequency/ultrasound treatments for skin tightening / cellulite reduction.

On our booking page you can book stand-alone phototherapy sessions or combine them with our other treatments, as an add-on.

Learn more or check prices and book an expert LED phototherapy treatment at our London clinic (49 Marylebone High Street, W1).

Discover our professional training in cellulite, skin tightening, radiofrequency and ultrasound

Do you want to deeply understand radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, cellulite and skin tightening?

Attend a half-day, 1-day or 2-day or 3-day professional consultancy / one-to-one masterclass and confidently offer your clients the safest, strongest and most effective treatment possible.

Service available via Zoom or at our central London practice.

Learn more or check prices and book an expert treatment at our London clinic (49 Marylebone High Street, W1)