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Lotions and Creams
  • Creams and Lotions for Stretch Marks
  • Study Showed No Improvement
  • Effective Topical Creams
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    Creams and Lotions for Stretch Marks

    Topical products for stretch marks are always a hot topic. Many of my patients come to me with products containing cocoa butter or shea butter which they hope will ‘cure’ their stretch marks. Other products may contain aloe vera, grapefruit seed extract or ‘bio oil’. I have not seen any published studies that confirm any of these ingredients do anything to improve, prevent, or treat stretch marks in any meaningful way.

    Study Showed No Improvement

    In fact, there was a study published in the August 2008 issue of BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, which reached the conclusion that rubbing cocoa butter lotion over the abdomen, breasts and thighs during pregnancy does not prevent stretch marks. The study, performed by a team of dermatologists and obstetricians, followed 175 women in their first pregnancies to see if cocoa butter lotion did anything to prevent stretch marks.

    Some of the pregnant women were randomly assigned to apply a cocoa butter lotion each day and others assigned to use a placebo. No one, the patients or the study researchers, knew who was using which treatment (known as a ‘double blind study’). After many months, the researchers found no difference in the development or severity of marks, over the abdomen, breasts or thighs.

    Effective Topical Creams

    Most topical stretch mark creams are a great way to make money for the product’s sellers, however it’s doubtful they do anything to improve stretch marks. The only ones I would recommend are topical creams such as alpha-hydroxy acids and Retin-A medicines. In my opinion these products combined with topical steroid creams seem to be able to reduce inflammation in the skin and stave off the negative effects of the hormones in the skin causing the stretch marks. I have seen these products also help remodel the collagen and elastin in our skin and improve their appearance.
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    Houston Dermatologist Dr. Paul Friedman discusses topical treatments for stretch marks
    How Did Treatment
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    75% Life?
    of reviews werePositive
       (28 reviews)

     Best Treatment For Stretch Marks

    I went in for 2 sessions of laser treatment to get rid of th...[more]
    Orlando, FL Oct 22, 2009

     Stretch Marks Are Not Gone, But Much Less Noticeable

    I was desperate by the time I had a consultation with a plas...[more]
    Boston, MA Sep 27, 2009

     Stretchmarks: Gone But Not Forgotten

    I had really bad stretch marks on my stomach after my first ...[more]
    La Jolla, CA Sep 02, 2009
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    Ask The Doctor
    Q: What is a stretch mark?
    They are a type of scar caused by hormones impacting the... [Read More]
    Q: Is weight gain the cause?
    No, weight gain is not to blame. Weight gain can affect the... [Read More]
    Q: What Causes Stretch Marks?
    Hormone changes in our skin are the cause. These hormone... [Read More]
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