Have you stopped engaging in your favorite outdoor activities such as swimming because you don’t want your stretch marks showing? Are you expectant and worried of developing stretch marks due to the stretching of your skin and hormonal changes? Are you a new mother and want to get rid of the stretch marks you developed during pregnancy?
Worry no more, because the market is flooded with
wellness and personal care products to help you prevent or get rid of stretch marks on your skin. Pregnancy, weight gain or loss, and physical growth can easily cause your skin to stretch, leaving unevenly color-toned horizontal lines on your skin. Stretch marks commonly occur under arms, on breasts, bellies, thighs and/or hips, and legs.
Although stretch marks can’t pose any health risks to you, they can easily lower your self-esteem and confidence. This is even more true for teenagers. And despite appearing in hidden areas, many people are conscious about their looks. In the modern age, your physical appearance is as important as your health; you need to take care of both.
Unlike “tummy tuck” or “Abdominoplasty” surgery, stretch mark creams are more cost-effective and affordable to many. Being your body’s largest organ, you should take care of your skin properly. Clinical measures have been put in place to standardize the chemical components manufacturers can use in these creams. Mostly natural ingredients are recommended to ensure safety for both mothers and babies.
Stretch mark creams can contain ingredients such as vitamins, plant extracts, and water as these ingredients have little to no known side effects. The creams are massaged onto the affected areas of your skin twice or thrice daily to see results within the recommended period by the manufacturer. Just like
cellulite creams, stretch mark creams are rich in
moisturizers. The creams work by moisturizing, rejuvenating, and promoting natural healing of your skin.
Vitamins C and E are responsible for repairing damaged skin cells or replacing them with new, healthy cells through regeneration. As a result, the stretch marks on your skin fade away, which is a sign of your skin healing. The creams should be used early on in pregnancies to prevent the occurrence of stretch marks on your skin.
However, it’s advisable to consult your doctor before using any stretch mark cream to ensure all the ingredients in the cream are safe for you and your baby. This is a review of lotions, oils, and creams for stretch marks. We hope it can help you make an informed buying decision.
Price
Stretch mark creams are priced based on proven effectiveness, brand popularity, ingredients used, and quantity. Cheap stretch mark creams might contain harmful chemicals such as parabens, Phthalate, and mercury, among others. These can easily harm your skin and health in general, hence must be avoided.
A small tube of a good stretch mark cream brand can cost you anything from $4 to $10. A cream made from a blend of various natural ingredients, including Shea butter and pure cocoa butter, can cost you from $15 to $27. Further, creams fortified with vitamins and plant extracts can cost hundreds of dollars.
Features
Stretch mark creams can prevent, fade, or heal your skin from horizontal lines caused by drastic changes in your body. They contain vitamins, cocoa butter, Shea butter, Aloe Vera, peptides, and other plant extracts. Collagen and elastin can improve your skin elasticity to prevent it from stretching, while vitamins C and E are natural antioxidants responsible for renewing your skin cells.
Here are the important features to look for in stretch mark creams:
- Type:The right type of cream is important, and can range from prevention or diminishing cream.
- Quantity: The right quantity for you is based on what you can pay for and how much you think you’ll need.
- Uses: This determines what the given stretch mark cream can offer you.
- Key Agents or Ingredients: As mentioned earlier, this determines its price and how safe it is for you to use. Natural ingredients such as cocoa butter are the best.
- Expected Results and Duration: This tells you what you can expect and how long it’s to be used.
With the right cream, you can eradicate existing stretch marks, prevent others from developing, and keep your skin rejuvenated and hydrated.
Construction and Design
Looking for a permanent cure for your stretching skin? Consider these factors to help you choose a stretch mark cream suitable for you:
Type – Decide whether you want a healing, preventive, or moisturizing stretch mark cream. If you have existing stretch marks, go for a cream meant to eradicate them by diminishing their appearance. On the other hand, preventive creams can make your skin more elastic to prevent stretching.
Cream with Shea butter and aloe Vera can relieve itching and heal your skin from stretch marks, while peptides such as palmitoyl and DMAE are used for prevention purposes as they contain elastin and collagen to improve skin elasticity. They can also prevent skin discoloration.
Quantity - Packaged in various sizes, buy the quantity that fits into your budget and can last for awhile before you get another tube. Larger tubes are cost-effective and can last longer than smaller ones. Consider creams being sold in packs for bargain deals.
Uses – Stretch mark creams are used for varying needs. Depending on whether you have existing stretch marks or not, choose a cream meant for preventing or diminishing stretch marks.
Key Agents – Make sure the key agents in your chosen cream are natural, safe, and effective for preventing or diminishing stretch marks. Look out for vitamins, collagen, and elastin in addition to the usual Cocoa butter, Shea butter and aloe Vera.
Results – Check if the manufacturer has stated when you can expect to see results after starting to use the product. You can also read reviews from previous users for this information.
Performance and Ease of Use
Patience is of essence when it comes to healing stretch marks. It may take you a number of months to achieve your desired skin tone and texture. Apart from effectiveness, a good stretch mark cream should be safe. If undesired side effects occur, it’s advisable to stop the treatment and consult your doctor. Further, ensure your cream has a moisturizing ingredient to prevent the stretch marks from spreading atop, making your skin soft and supple.
A good cream reduces the probability of stretch marks recurring after successful treatment. Only buy from trusted shops or retailers to get a genuine cream you can be sure will give desired results. For the best results, check for expiration dates to ensure the cream is still within its effective window, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions or doctor’s advice to the letter.
Choose a stretch mark cream made from natural ingredients for safety, and make sure it’s dermatologically tested and proven to be effective. Find out if one of our recommended stretch mark creams is what you need.
Features
Mustela formulates a complete range of skincare products for expectant mothers, new mothers, newborns, children, and babies. The company has partnered with healthcare professionals to ensure mothers and babies don’t just have access to effective skincare products, but also safe ones. It uses natural formulas and invests in independent research to guarantee product safety.
The Mustela Stretch Marks Prevention Cream increases skin suppleness and comfort to prevent stretch marks in expectant mothers. It addresses skincare concerns during maternity to moisturize your skin, keeping it healthy and hydrated. Avocado peptides are rich in minerals, vitamins, and essential fatty acids to nourish your skin; as the main ingredient in the cream, the peptides contain soothing moisture to relieve your dry skin.
The peptide also eases tightness, improves skin suppleness, and increases its elasticity to prevent stretch marks from appearing on your skin during maternity and after. Rich in galactoarabinan, an extract from larch tree, the cream prevents the skin from stretching, further enhancing its suppleness and elasticity. The cream is gynecological and dermatological tested to be safe and effective for both mother and baby during pregnancy and postpartum period.
It also doesn’t contain parabens, alcohol, or caffeine, among other harmful chemicals. Further, Shea butter and beeswax nourishes the skin with lasting moisture for increased softness. Although the cream is absorbed quickly by the skin, it’s also safe for breastfeeding mothers.
Features
Mederma has been manufacturing high-quality skincare products for at least a decade. It offers innovative medical approaches to improve the lives of patients and enhance therapeutic options. The privately-owned company was founded in 1908 in Frankfurt, Germany to focus on neurotoxins and aesthetic medicine.
The Mederma Quick Dry Oil contains Cepalin to enhance the general appearance of stretch marks on your stomach, thighs, arms, legs, or any other part of your body. It’s also versatile to fade out scars, moisturize and soften dry skin, and brightens uneven skin tone.
Sweet almond oil nourishes and moisturizes the skin, whereas sunflower oil locks in the moisture to soften your skin. Further, rose hip oil is rich in vitamin C to naturally brighten and enhance your uneven skin tone. Just like sunflower oil, coconut oil is responsible for locking in moisture for soft and hydrated skin. With the ginger extracts and chamomile, your skin won’t just be soothed, but also relieved of blotchiness and redness. The oil is quickly absorbed into your skin and contains no harmful chemicals for healthier-looking skin. It’s also rich in omega 3 and vitamins A & E. This is a nutrient-packed cream, for sure!
Made for external use only, so you should neither swallow nor allow kids to have easy reach or access to the quick dry oil. If you want a larger quantity of the same oil, opt for the 5.1-ounce or 6.8-ounce packs. And above all else, the cream is safe for the skin as it’s free from parabens, fragrances, mineral oils, and dyes.
Whether you want to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy or want to diminish existing ones on your body, there’s a cream out there for you. We hope this guide was helpful and you were able to choose a suitable stretch mark cream for you. In case you need something different, feel free to see what else our featured brands have on offer.
