14 Health Products You Probably Don't Need part 3

Anti-wrinkle creams

At the first sign of wrinkles, fine lines, or age spots, many women are quick to splurge on anti-aging creams, salves, and serums that promise to stop the clock.

Still, the reality is that most have little to no evidence backing up their results. Consumer Reports tested a variety of products in 2010 and found the effects to be inconsistent and minor. Plus, many anti-aging solutions charge big bucks for their "miracle" results.

If you’ve got your beauty regimen down pat, continuing to use these products shouldn’t hurt. But don’t expect to turn back time. "Miracles do not exist," says Dr. Wolfe, "at least in the medical world."

Thermal suits

When wrestlers or boxers need to make weight, they’ll get in a quick and sweaty workout to drop a few pounds—of water weight. That weight quickly comes back once they rehydrate.

In a similar way, everyday dieters try thermal sweat suits, thinking that they will get weight-loss results.

In reality, the vinyl suits won’t help you lose body fat any faster, and they could even make you feel tired quicker from the inability to regulate your body temperature. Worse, excessive dehydration can lead to kidney failure, heat stroke, and heart attacks.

Just crank up the speed on the treadmill and break a natural sweat.

Shoes with a workout

Whether they’re Reebok’s Easytone sneakers ($100), FitFlops ($57 to $210), or Skecher’s Shape-ups ($95 to $105), some shoe brands claim to come with a built-in workout.

While a little extra walking—in any shoes—will help work your abs and legs, toning shoes won’t deliver miracle results, according to a recent study by the American Council on Exercise.

They might help motivate you to move more, however. These shoes can be a fun and comfy way to add a little boost to your daily routine. A little motivation is a good thing no matter what, but chances are you could find a more wallet-friendly one.

Fast Abs

Wouldn’t we all love a quick fix for flabby abs? Fast Abs—and its not-so-distant cousins the Ab Sonic, Ab Tronic, and Ab Energizer—claim to build muscle and reduce body fat by electrically stimulating the muscles with a massage belt worn around the middle.

As much as we’d like to sit still and jiggle away the pounds, a 2002 study failed to show that electrical muscle stimulation has these desired effects.

Even if a few calories are burned by electrical stimulation, that doesn’t result in fat melting off of one particular area.

Ear candles

Sure, earwax is kind of gross, but even cleaning it out with a Q-tip can cause problems, so why risk using a burning candle to get rid of the gunk?

There’s no proof whatsoever that these fiery contraptions will actually draw the wax out of your ears. Instead, users are likely to end up with burns, middle-ear damage, or even eardrum perforation that can lead to ear infections and hearing problems, says Dr. Raj.

Not to mention, isn’t it just common sense not to put a burning candle near your face, hair, or ears?
http://www.health.com 

Posted in: 14 Health Products You Probably Don't Need part 3