Examining Topical Weight Loss Drugs and Devices: Principles, Claims, and Scientific Truth

These foods like bread, yogurt, beer, and cola are merely carriers; the weight-loss effects are primarily achieved through the weight-loss ingredients themselves. These ingredients are often misleading, and some companies, driven by short-term profits, even add prohibited substances to their products. There are numerous precedents of weight-loss foods being banned by regulatory authorities.

Topical weight loss pills

Most topical weight loss medications are creams, but some are oils or liquids. Currently, the market offers a wide variety of slimming creams, weight loss lotions, and slimming serums. Topical weight loss medications are only suitable for patients with simple obesity; therefore, the cause should be determined first. If obesity is mainly concentrated in the abdomen, buttocks, and thighs, then topical weight loss medications are suitable.

Topical weight loss works by accelerating fat breakdown during the dynamic process of fat storage and decomposition in the human body. Continuous and regular treatment is necessary to ensure that fat breakdown exceeds fat storage, thereby reducing adipose tissue.

Many supposedly effective topical weight loss drugs claim to be extracted and formulated using scientific methods, which can promote the body's fat metabolism and accelerate the digestion and absorption of fat.

However, how many women who actually use them actually experience significant results? Nevertheless, topical weight loss pills are still recommended by many beauticians and favored by women because they can indeed play a positive auxiliary role.

Weight loss equipment

There's a wide variety of weight loss devices on the market, including many like slimming machines. The slimming principles of these machines mainly involve two aspects: first, controlling hunger through acupressure; and second, accelerating blood circulation through heat massage. The former primarily uses laser needles or pressure contact needles to stimulate acupoints such as Zusanli, Sanyinjiao, Quchi, Zhongwan, Hegu, and Zhangmen. After pain or other sensations are felt, the pressure is released, and this process is repeated multiple times. By stimulating acupoints, appetite is reduced, thus achieving a weight loss effect. The latter is more commonly used in China and is often a modified version of a mechanical massager, such as a computer-controlled intermediate-frequency electrotherapy device. It has some effect on abdominal obesity, but the effect is not lasting and tends to recur. Below are some examples of slimming devices.

1. Far-infrared space capsule

Far-infrared space capsules, also known as far-infrared thermal slimming capsules, are one of the most common types of weight loss devices. They utilize high temperatures (infrared irradiation) to promote sweating, thereby eliminating body fat and promoting skin metabolism.

Claimed functions:

(1) It can accelerate metabolism and promote the rapid decomposition of fat cells; regulate the endocrine system and reduce the causes of obesity; when used with body massage cream or other methods, it can quickly complete the three-step body shaping process: loosening fat, burning fat, and releasing fat.

(2) It helps the skin fully absorb moisture and nutrients, and eliminates heavy metal ions and toxins. When far-infrared rays are irradiated on skin with pigmentation and acne, they can promote the atrophy and shedding of cells in the affected area, thus playing an anti-inflammatory role.

(3) It is used to treat lumbar muscle strain, frozen shoulder, and relieve symptoms of rheumatism, arthritis, chronic tracheitis, bronchitis and other diseases.

Principle: Infrared rays are used to heat the body, causing blood vessels and lymphatic vessels to dilate, which can calm the nerve endings in the skin, increase the activity of sweat glands, and ultimately allow the body to eliminate a large amount of waste and toxins.

Many people believe that the function of a pore capsule is similar to that of a sauna, primarily for sweating, but this is not the case. Its most fundamental function is to open the pores so that the absorption of ointments and massages can be better facilitated later; it also has the functions of unblocking meridians and detoxification, that is, first "cleaning" the pores of dirt, and then better expelling fat and oil.

2. Alternating current muscle contraction and fat dissolving therapy device

An alternating current muscle contraction and fat dissolving therapy device, also known as a fat-vibration device, is a type of electronic weight loss instrument. Generally, these devices are used to deeply "break down" fat, helping to relax muscles, soften thick, hard fat tissue, and improve the breakdown of deep fat, reducing fat storage. This is particularly effective for women with lower body obesity. The adjustable vibration massage also promotes local blood circulation. Combined with various adjustable rollers, it replaces manual massage and acupressure, quickly relieving tense muscles in the legs, buttocks, and other areas, promoting local blood circulation, and relaxing muscle fibers.

However, scientists tell those eager to lose weight that research data shows no scientific evidence proving the effectiveness of weight-loss machines. Most advertising materials for weight-loss machines are based on individual cases and lack any scientific proof. The so-called evidence presented by manufacturers is largely exaggerated.

Why do doctors not recommend weight loss drugs?

Excessive advertising

"Lose XX-XX kilograms per week" is a common tactic in most weight-loss food advertisements, enticing many consumers. However, experts point out that many manufacturers are using deceptive tactics, substituting weight loss for actual weight loss; in reality, the rapid weight loss is mostly water weight, not fat.

"Scientifically proven, not prone to rebound" is a common phrase in many manufacturers' advertisements. But is this conclusion supported by rigorous scientific evidence? According to experts from the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science of the Ministry of Health, the institute's functional experiments on weight-loss effects are conducted based on the course of treatment with the food, generally one to two weeks. Regarding long-term effect testing, the experts admitted that this is not within their testing scope, and they cannot provide scientific data. Furthermore, it is understood that many manufacturers offer virtually no after-sales service (follow-up investigations).

Current advertisements for weight-loss products generally exaggerate their effects. Scientifically speaking, weight loss requires a balanced diet and exercise; weight-loss products only play a supplementary role. Experts point out that "these short-sighted, profit-driven claims about weight-loss products not only fail to enhance people's scientific understanding of weight loss but also lead to some misconceptions."

"Natural" does not mean safe.

People's understanding and research on the pharmacological and toxicological effects of many components in natural products are a complete mess, and very few people know what's going on. If people are clueless about pharmacological and toxicological effects, then weight-loss drugs and health products made with such natural formulas are unlikely to have any weight-loss effect.

Many consumers are unaware of this, assuming that natural is always good. They are unaware that many natural products also contain ingredients that can cause serious side effects on the human body, and they don't bother to investigate whether manufacturers have understood the pharmacological and toxicological effects of natural products. This is especially true if the product is not presented as a prescription drug but is marketed as a health supplement or weight loss tea, which can easily mislead consumers.

Quick weight loss is unreliable

According to the regulations governing market circulation issued by the National Medical Products Administration, there are three major problems with current advertisements for weight-loss drugs: First, exaggerated claims, with advertisements making wildly exaggerated promises such as "cures all diseases," "complete cure," "effective after one box," "money-back guarantee if ineffective," "insured by insurance companies," "guaranteed weight loss success," and "no rebound." Second, the starting point is wrong; the focus of weight loss is not on health but on fashion and beauty, so some fashionable people who do not actually need to lose weight also join the ranks of slimming people. Third, false promises.

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