Using Special Creams to Clear Stretch Marks

Also called striae, stretch marks are scar tissue caused by the skin’s inability to stretch as the body expands. An ideal example of this is pregnancy, when a child grows rapidly and the mother’s skin has to stretch quickly. Choosing a special cream to get rid of stretch marks can be very confusing with all the products on the market today. If you are pregnant or expect to gain weight rapidly through a physical conditioning program it is important to start treating stretch marks before they can even occur.

The ingredients in these creams will help your skin adjust to rapid changes, give it more elasticity and minimize the stretch marks that will inevitably appear. If you are planning to use stretch mark creams throughout your pregnancy to prevent stretch marks, be sure to consult your obstetrician. Peptides, siegesbeckia orientalis, Aloe Vera and cocoa butter moisturize and help collagen producing cells to add needed mass to your skin.

The more elasticity your skin has, the fewer stretch marks you will get. Cocoa butter, an emollient that women have used for centuries to moisturize and protect their skin, is one very popular ingredient in stretch mark creams. It has antioxidants that help prevent cell destruction and help the skin’s elasticity. Shea butter, made from the Karite Nut tree contains fatty acids that work with the body to help heal damaged skin and is a natural, mostly harmless substance. These two ingredients are very common in stretch mark creams. Palmitoyal Oligopeptide is an ingredient that helps the body produce collagen and increases elasticity. Your skin stretches more easily and when it is restored to its original shape your stretch marks will be minimal. Oligopeptides also prevent free radicals from breaking down the skin’s collagen, a major reason for the appearance of aging. Palmitoyl Pentapetide-3 is made up of a collagen molecule combined with palmic acid and fibroplasts that stimulates collagen and elastin production. It makes your skin younger looking, firmer and reduces stretch marks.

Seigesbeckia Orientalis is an ages-old treatment that restores damages tissues by regenerating collagen production. It’s an herbal extract that soothes inflammation and encourages healing. Creams with this ingredient can help prevent the worst stretch marks and make the ones you do get go away quickly. DMAE is a cell stabilizer with antioxidants that have shown some ability to reduce inflammation and the appearance of wrinkles as well as improving skin tone. It has also been shown to have side effects such as insomnia and headaches because it shares some properties with amphetamines. You definitely should not use a stretch mark cream with this ingredient if you are pregnant or sensitive to stimulants.

Grapefruit seed extract is a misleading name; it’s grapefruit pulp that has been mixed with various chemicals like ammonium chloride and subjected to high heat or a vacuum process. It’s often touted as a miracle treatment for stretch marks but studies on the subject are inconclusive. It’s about as natural as a piece of plastic and many people prefer to avoid the chemicals it contains. Most stretch marks will fade eventually but can look pretty awful in the meantime. Laser treatment can remove them permanently but for most people is prohibitively costly. Microdermabrasion is less expensive but can be painful and is intrusive. Stretch mark creams are an inexpensive, natural alternative that can be quite effective if used correctly. Remember, if you are pregnant or nursing your child you should never use stretch mark cream that contains steroids. Consult your doctor before using any type medication, even if it claims to be all natural.