25 Best Creams and Oils to Fade Stretch Marks

Have you noticed those long, narrow, indented streaks and stripes on your body, that usually show up on the abdomen, tummy, and thigh area? If you don’t have those tiger stripes yet, thank your lucky stars! These stretch marks show up when your skin gets stretched too much or shrinks too quickly, during pregnancy, or when you have lost or gained a considerable amount of weight. Actually, pregnancy, puberty, weight loss, weight gain all can cause stretch marks. If you are losing your sleep over these stripes, read on further because we have everything you need to know to get rid of them. This post also has some of the best creams and oils to fade stretch marks, here you go.


Why Stretch Marks Show up During Pregnancy?

During pregnancy, a woman’s belly expands to a certain level and then contracts after giving birth. The expansion and contraction of the skin can cause stretch marks and scars on the skin. Stretch marks are not only observed on the belly area, but it may be also be seen on the hips, breasts, thighs and other parts as well. Using stretch marks creams, oils, and home remedies all can help to fade away stretch marks, you will have to just figure out what would work best for you.

strech mark creams list

What are the Causes of Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks, in medical terms, are called striae distensae and tiger stripes too. They do not have any connection with any underlying disorder. These ripple-like indented are common during or after pregnancy. The most common areas where you can develop them are – arms, breasts, back, butt, hips, shoulders, stomach area.

Can You Prevent Stretch Marks?
A stretch mark appears when the collagen and elastin content in the dermis, under the skin cell layer, breaks and ruptures. Keeping your skin well moisturized and hydrated can improve skin’s elasticity and prevent stretch marks from showing up.

Do Stretch Marks Go Away Permanently?

They do not go away completely, you can minimize their appearance by using creams, lotions, and oils. Microneedling, laser treatment like Fraxel, and surgery are some ways to make them disappear almost completely.

How Do You Get Rid of Stretch Marks?

It’s not possible to get rid of them permanently with creams or lotions or with home remedies. The only way to get rid of them completely is through surgery. Though laser treatments are available, they only help in minimizing their appearance. Also, using a good sunscreen protects the skin from further damage, so that’s a good tip from us.

Natural Ways To Get Rid of Stretch Marks:

1. Drink more water: We cannot stress enough the importance of water in maintaining good health. Since our body is made of 70% of water, it’s but clearly obvious how the correct amount of water and hydration can benefit our skin. With proper hydration, skin cells are able to renew and repair themselves. So, hydration is definitely the first step to help your body repair stretch marks.

2. Moisture your skin thoroughly: Use a rich moisturiser or body butter to create a moisture barrier on your skin so that skin would not lose its hydration and would not stretch any further

3. Exfoliate skin once a week: Use a good body scrub to thoroughly exfoliate dead skin cells from the top layer of stretch marks and any stretch mark cream or oil would be able to work better. Exfoliation also stimulates collagen and elastin production and firms up the skin.

4. Cut down soft drinks, sugar, salt.

5. Eat healthy, nutrient-rich food, including fruits and vegetables.

6. Include vitamin E rich food items in your diet which helps to prevent stretch marks.

7. Take food items rich in zinc because it is a mineral which helps with the repair of skin. Some examples are eggs, whole grains, seeds, legumes, etc.

Ingredients to Look for in Stretch Mark Creams:
These are some of the amazing ingredients that you should be looking for in a stretch mark cream/ointment:

1. Hyaluronic acid (a powerhouse humectant).
2. Vitamin C supplements help the body to make collagen that prevents stretch marks from showing up.
3. Vitamin E helps to heal and fade stretch marks. Protects skin and helps increase its elasticity and stop the itch of stretching the skin.
4. Retinol/tretinoin – Helps to rebuild collagen, improves the appearance of stretch marks.
5. Centella asiatica or gotu kola is used in skin treatments to treat a lot of skin conditions including stretch marks.
6. Copper tripeptide – Helps with wound healing. Works on wrinkles too.
7. Rosehip – helps to improve the appearance of scars.
8. Jasmine and lavender oils.
9. Shea butter.
10. Coconut oil.
11. Jojoba, sweet almond, peppermint, and patchouli oils.
12. Avocado oil.
13. Omega 3-rich.
14. Organic Sacha Inchi oil.
15. Collagen, elastin.

Four Homemade Stretch Mark Methods that You Can Try:

1. Egg White Stretch Mark Cream: If you are a person who likes everything natural, here’s a cream that you can whip up quickly, quite literally. To make this cream – take two egg whites (you can take more egg whites depending on the area you have to apply). Whip these egg whites till they turn into a white foam. Apply this whipped-up white foamy cream. Let it sit for 30 minutes and rinse off. Apply this twice or thrice a week. This natural cream with egg whites will help tighten your skin and the nutrients in the eggs will quicken up the healing process.

2.  Castor Oil: Castor oil is rich in ricinoleic acid which penetrates deep into the skin tissue to repair stretch marks. Apply castor oil regularly over the affected area for at least 3 months to see visible results.

3. Vicks Vaporub Treatment: Vicks VapoRub is an effective remedy to get rid of stretch marks. Apply a thick layer of Vicks VapoRub and cover the area with cling wrap and leave it overnight. Use this pack regularly to see visible results.

4. Vitamin E and Almond Oil Gel Cream: In a mixing bowl, take 2 tbsp of aloe vera gel. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add 1 tbsp of almond oil. Take 4 vitamin E capsules, cut them open and add the oil to the mixing bowl. Take 5 Vitamin A capsules, cut open and add the oil to the mixing bowl. Mix all the ingredients nicely with the help of a spoon or you can use a clean finger to mix nicely. Store it in an airtight box and you can store it in the refrigerator for cooling effect in summers. This gel would last for 8 days in the fridge. Apply this gel twice daily on stretch marks.

Best Creams and Oils to Fade Stretch Marks:

These creams and lotions can help you in reducing stretch marks to a great extent. Apply them over the affected area regularly (at least twice a day) and though these work slowly, you would surely see good results with regular use. These products can tighten the skin and reduce inflammation to help improve skin texture and help fade stretch marks over time.

1. Forest Essentials Stretch Mark Oil Mothers Nalpamarathy Keram: This is an Ayurvedic oil that specifically targets stretch marks and patches that appear on the skin during pregnancy. This oil has Green Turmeric and Kachura in coconut oil. Apply this oil, leave on for 30 minutes and wipe off with a hot towel.

2. Stretch Nil Cream: This cream is effective in preventing stretch marks during pregnancy and after. This herbal lotion needs to be regularly applied from the fourth month of pregnancy until delivery.

3. Palmer’s Butter Formula Massage Cream for Stretch Marks: This cream is enriched with vitamin E, collagen, elastin, and shea butter and it helps to prevent and reduce stretch marks.

4. Mustela Stretch Marks Recovery Cream: This cream helps prevent stretch marks by keeping skin supple and comfortable. It also keeps skin elastic to help it withstand from stretching. It also has beeswax and shea butter that keep the skin soft and supple.

5. Bio oil: Bio Oil is specially formulated to prevent and improve the appearance of stretch marks. It contains purcellin oil which treats dehydrated skin. It gets absorbed into the skin really well. You can also use Bio Oil as a body oil, to treat cracked feet, on burn marks, and also as a cuticle oil.

6. Kama Ayurveda Muscle Tone Firming Treatment Oil: This is a rich oil that is helpful in toning and firming. It also firms and lifts sagging skin, repairs stretch marks and dimpled skin. The main ingredients of this oil are sesame oil, clarified butter, turmeric and lavender.

7. Guinot Stretch Mark Cream: Guinot Stretch mark Cream has ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids, vitamin C, antioxidants, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid that strengthen the skin and minimize the appearance of marks. It also improves the elasticity in the skin.

8. Mederma Stretch Therapy Cream: Mederma Stretch Therapy Cream contains ingredients like cepalin, hyaluronic acid and centella. It should be applied during pregnancy to prevent the appearance of stretch marks. It locks in moisture to help prevent them.

9. Clarins Stretch Mark Minimizer: This stretch mark cream has a formula that decreases the appearance of stretch marks and smooths skin. This cream should be applied in circular movements on the stretch-mark affected area.

11. Biotique Bio Coco Butter Tissue Firming Body Balm: This body firming cream gets absorbed into the skin quickly and reduces the appearance of stretch marks considerably.

12. The Body Shop Amazonian Saviour Multi-Purpose Balm: This multi-purpose body balm is rich in natural oils and waxes. It helps to improve the appearance of stretch marks and events out the texture.

15. Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil: This treatment oil has rosemary, geranium and mint and it helps firm, tone and improves elasticity, improving the appearance stretch marks resulting from pregnancy.

16. Isdin Woman Anti-Stretch Cream: Anti-stretch marks body cream that enhances the elasticity and hydration of the skin.

17. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Massage Lotion: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion helps visibly improve skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Has cocoa butter, shea butter, natural oils, collagen, elastin, and lutein to keep skin moisturized.

18. Belli Elasticity Belly Oil: Has cocoa butter, grape seed oil, vitamin E, gotu kola, and lavender oil which nourish and moisturize skin so that it stretches without damage.

20. Weleda Stretch Mark Oil: Diminishes the visible appearance of stretch marks, visibly increases skin elasticity and smoothness.

21. Paula’s Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment: Claims to have a blend of antioxidants and specialized retinol complex, the silky lotion penetrates deep to hydrate, firm and repair damage. The result, healthy, radiant skin with a non-greasy finish.

22. StriVectin SD Advanced Plus Intensive Moisturizing Concentrate: Claims to target 10 types of skin collagen and is clinically shown to boost elasticity and visibly reduce wrinkles and stretch marks for youthful-looking skin.

23. Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter: Has Shea Butter and Vitamin E that conditions growing belly. The fragrance-free formula can keep your skin smooth and supple as your belly stretches throughout pregnancy and even after baby arrives

24. Earth Mama Belly Butter: Rich and emollient Belly Butter, it’s a moisturizing pregnancy lotion that contains organic herbs and oils traditionally used to help ease the appearance of emerging stretch marks.

25. Marklyte Cream from Glenmark: Marklyte Cream is a stretch marks removal cream during pregnancy.

An Effective Dermarolling Method to Reduce the Appearance of Stretch Marks:

A micro derma roller technique, when combined with hyaluronic acid, helps to fade away stretch marks. It also reduces scarring by making collagen, filling in the broken dermal layer. As the dermal layer of the skin expands, stretch marks appear faded because the tiny blood vessels that give early stretch marks their pink/purple color diminish. Dermarolling is a collagen-induction technique. A 1.5 mm derma roller is apt for home use. First, you need to disinfect the roller with a rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol solution. A numbing cream such as lidocaine in 5% percentage. Use the derma roller vertically and horizontally 6 to 8 times.  Do this once every three weeks to see effective results.

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