Microcirculatory and clinical parameters in patients with gynoid lipodystrophy treated with topical garlic (15PPM)

Introdução: Gynoid lipodystrophy, popularly known as cellulite, is regarded as an issue of cosmetic concern to millions of women. Recent studies have shown that garlic extract can be useful to enhance lipolysis and decrease lipogenesis. Objective: The primary objective was to determine if topical application of a lotion containing garlic (15 ppm) would improve cellulite parameters. Material and Methods: 50 women were treated topically with a lotion containing 15 ppm of garlic. All patients treated one leg, did not treat the other one and were valuated (measurement of thigh diameter) before and in biweekly intervals up to 8 weeks after the onset of treatment. On eight of these subjects, microcirculatory parameters [red blood cell velocity in arterioles and venules (mm/s), functional capillary density (FCD), diameter of the dermal papilla (µm) and capillary diameter (µm)] were measured using the Cytoscan®. The exact thigh local for these measurements was marked in a transparent sheet, to assure that all of them were performed on the same place. Six women that performed the Cytoscan® exam group were also evaluated by ultrasound to determine the thickness of subcutaneous tissue. Results: after garlic treatment, there was a reduction of 1.62 cm on the diameter of the treated thigh (p < 0.001) without significant changes on papilla and capillary diameters, but FCD improved significantly (p < 0.03) and epidermis and dermis thickness decreased after topical garlic treatment. b>Conclusions: Garlic extract at a concentration of 0.0015% showed significant clinical, microcirculatory and ultrasonographic improvement of cellulite.

Keywords: GARLIC EXTRACT, CELLULITIS, MICROCIRCULATORY PARAMETERS