Natural Help for Stretch Marks

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posted by Mel, selected from Delicious Living Oct 3, 2009 11:00 am

filed under: Healthy Beauty Basics, Pregnancy, Skin Care, True Beauty, cocoa butter, fish oil, stretch marks

Rapid stretching of the skin through growth spurts, weight gain, or pregnancy causes these red or purple marks that are most commonly found on the abdomen, hips, and chest. More than 90 percent of women develop stretch marks during the sixth or seventh months of pregnancy.

Prevention:
“Keeping up good oils in your body, like fish oils, helps keep the skin lubricated and gives those cells that are stretching the integrity to stay healthy,” says Jennifer Johnson, a naturopathic physician in Connecticut who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology. She recommends pharmaceutical-grade fish oils uncontaminated by heavy metals, such as those made by Nordic Naturals and Carlson. Johnson also suggests rigorously rubbing a moisturizer containing cocoa butter, like Jason Cocoa Butter Hand and Body Lotion, on the afflicted area at least once a day, both to intensively moisturize and to improve circulation.

Treatment:
Stretch marks won’t disappear overnight, but they can fade over time. To temporarily hide them, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends a sunless tanning product. You can also rub vitamin E directly on the stretch marks to help them heal faster and reduce the scars.

Delicious Living is the go-to resource for the natural and organic lifestyle, helping readers eat well, live green, and stay healthy. Visit deliciouslivingmag.com for more articles and free recipes.

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6 comments

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6 comments add your comment

Adam R. says
Nov 16, 2009 3:16 AM

Lemon juice lightens the rest of your skin, helping blend in the stretch marks. It works in a similar fashion to salicylic acids but is gentler to your skin.

dsi r4

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Vikki Geldenhuys says
Oct 4, 2009 10:50 PM

Very good advice and nothing wrong with looking after ourselves, but people should see the beauty within us first.

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Mary B. says
Oct 4, 2009 9:43 AM

Years ago when I was pregnant, I used coco butter or olive oil on my expanding belly. I have never had a stretch mark. I was also drinking high butter fat content unpasturized milk from those cute little brown gurnsey cows. I'm a small woman but my lovely daughter was over 8 pounds at birth, came out yelling with a full head of black hair and perfect in every way. She is 30 today, never had a cavity in her teeth till well into her teens, has always had beautiful skin and no weight problem.

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cherie h. says
Oct 4, 2009 9:39 AM

cold laser works to get rid of them...

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Morgaine G. says
Oct 4, 2009 6:53 AM

I wish someone would come up with something to mend the tears in your flesh, not just something to fade them.

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Uri Adar says
Oct 4, 2009 6:04 AM

Good to know & practice.
Hugs.

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Disclaimer: Care2.com does not warrant and shall have no liability for information provided in this newsletter or on Care2.com. Each individual person, fabric, or material may react differently to a particular suggested use. It is recommended that before you begin to use any formula, you read the directions carefully and test it first. Should you have any health care-related questions or concerns, please call or see your physician or other health care provider.

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