Over the past few years, a wide array of products and equipment has been launched that claims to firm the skin.

Equipment includes laser and radio frequency devices that physicians use to stimulate collagen production and increase firmness on the face and body. While clinical studies have shown these treatments to be highly effective, however, the high equipment prices of $30,000 and more have resulted in procedure fees of at least $300 to $800; doctors charge over $1,500 for treatment with some devices, such as the Thermage ThermaCool.

Topical products offer firming for considerably lower cost. Many different products have long been available, formulated from both synthetic and natural ingredients.

Synthetic products are many include preparations formulated from proprietary blends of ingredients such as Avon’s Bust Sculpt. This product contains a combination of both petroleum-based and other ingredients that Avon calls Virtual Bra Technology.

Natural firming lotions are similar, but only use ingredients derived from organic plant materials. For example, Paul Penders’ Kigelia Lipo and Phyto – Tocotrienol Firmer Curves contains extract prepared from the Kigelia Africana tree. The bark, leaves and the fruit pulp of this tree contain several flavonoids and glycosides that have been shown in clinical studies to help regenerate collagen and elasin in the skin, thereby increasing firmness and in fact, African women have traditionally made preparations from the kigelia tree to increase bust firmness.

In tests conducted by France-based Laboratoires Prod'Hyg, hydroglycolic extract of Kigelia Africana improved one measure of bust firmness by more than 70% when applied once daily over a 3-week period. Dr. Gatot, a senior chemist at Paul Penders, notes that the company’s Kigelia Lipo and Phyto – Tocotrienol Firmer Curves works so well, that some customers, both male and female, use it to firm the skin on the face.

Because kigelia is only available in relatively small quantities, however, it is not widely used in firming creams. Other natural bust firming agents include pueraria mirifica, which comes from the White Kwao Krua herb in Thailand, silybum marianum, alchemilla vulgaris, equisetum arvense, glycine soja, wheat germ oil, alfa alfa and radish.

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