Slimming cream claim doubted

Experts have cast doubt over a study which claims slimming creams may actually work.

A survey carried out by a French consumer magazine showed two slimming creams were able to reduce women's thighs by 2cm in just two weeks.

But consultant dermatologist at North Middlesex Hospital, Dr Nick Mann, said the claims are dubious.

"It's impossible to see how a cream like that could affect body tissue," he said.

The French equivalent of Which? magazine, 60 million de Consommateurs, conducted a slimming cream study on 220 women.

Ten groups comprising 20 women each tested a different cream, while a further 20 were given a placebo moisturiser.

Dubious claims

Women were told to rub the cream into one thigh twice a day, and were followed up every two weeks.

They found two creams - L'Oreal's PerfectSlim and Elancyl's Chrono-Actif were able to reduce the circumference of women's thighs by 2cm in just two weeks.

However it is not clear whether the study looked at other influencing factors such as lifestyle or diet.

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