After 5 weeks, the treated thighs had
shrunk in circumference an average of one half inch. One woman withdrew from
the trial because of skin irritation. In the second study, a less potent
cream produced even more promising results: a 1.5- inch reduction in the
treated thighs. The cream reportedly reduced thigh size even in women who
didn't lose weight. The researchers speculated that the reduction in thigh
size is due to loss of fat. Greenway said the cream probably wouldn't work
on fat elsewhere on the body, because it appears effective only for the type
of tissue found in the thighs. The aminophylline cream is currently licensed
to an entrepreneur, and "could be marketed as a cosmetic fairly soon."
(Annual scientific meeting of the North American Association for the Study
of Obesity, Milwaukee, WI, October 1993.).