Lots of mothers swear by the benefits of slathering their growing bellies and boobs with cocoa butter. The ingredient is mixed into affordable balms and creams that women often purchase as a preventative measure upon finding out they are pregnant. But, new research suggests that cocoa butter lotions and potions have little to no benefit. One report said:
The largest study on the subject was published in 2008 by a team of dermatologists and obstetricians. It followed 175 women in their first pregnancies, some randomly assigned to apply a cocoa butter lotion each day and others assigned to use a placebo. Neither the subjects nor the researchers knew who was using which treatment. After many months, the researchers found no difference in the development or severity of marks, known medically as striae, over the abdomen, breasts or thighs.
The piece suggests Vitamin E as an effective alternative. What's your opinion?
Star by Julien Macdonald
I don't think this stuff (or any products really) makes a difference in terms of stretch marks, but it is AWESOME for the itchy belly. Honestly, I never know how anyone can tell if something helps with stretch marks. How do you know? If you used it, then you don't know how bad it would have been without it... maybe it would have been the same. Comparing pregnancies wouldn't work either, since every one is different and after the first one your belly isn't going to react the same anyway....
1I used cocoa butter through out my pregnacy on my belly, I'm not sure it made a difference but I have also been an avid Skin So Soft user for the past 7 years and I think that made a huge difference, I didn't get any stretch marks on my belly and it was HUGE!
2I have never been pregnant, but I have gotten stretch marks -- THANKS, teenage years and weight gain! Anyway, my marks were always beat red, ya know, freshly accumulated stretch marks, and had them for years. As of recently I started using coca butter, and it started to fade them. The stretch marks on my boobs are nearly completely gone. I use it everywhere on my body, stretch marks or not, and it has improved the look of my skin -- it's all glowing, an even skintone, I think it's awesome.
3i used Shea Butter and have no stretch marks...i was sure i would get them because i already have them on my legs and bum from my teenage years...but did not get one and I had a HUGE belly, so i credit the Shea butter.
4We were told by our doctors and health nurses that stretch marks are mostly genetic. That if your mom, sister and grandparents got them, it's likely that you will too. I don't really mind my stretch marks. I have them all over my lower half-belly button and down and a few even came as much as 3" higher than my belly button. My sister had some really bad ones that were dark purple and twice as wide as the elastics you get on broccoli!
5used it everyday with my first. the nurse said, oh my did you have a car wreck? I said no, she said in 20 years those are the worst stretch marks I have ever seen. If you use "ultravate" a med. for skin contact allergies, do not get it anywhere near your stomach! It thins the skin, I was told not to use it more than once in any one place. I never did, but IMO that is why my stretch marks are so much worse than others.
6Cocoa Butter helped my belly and marks out.
7Not for stretch marks, but it's great for itching and rashes, including diaper rash.
Stretch marks are not on the surface. No cream can touch how deep they go. If yours go away, they would have with or without cream. If they don't, they won't no matter what you use.
8I didn't use a thing - maybe regular lotion once a week at most - and I didn't get a single stretch mark.
Sorry folks - it's all genetics.
At the very most, it's the massaging motion that makes a difference, not any lotion
9My mom and grandmother didn't get a single stretch mark. I got too many to count. Big, bad, ugly ones. Then again, they didn't have 10 pounds babies.
10***Actually, ladies, I have GREAT NEWS! I worked as a cosmetic surgery consultant for a few years, and what WILL work is Strivectin. It is expensive, however. But it has just recently come down in price. It used to be $150 for about 1.5 oz. Now you can get it for about $50-60 depending on where you go. Ulta carries it and any major department store cosmetic department carries it.
It was designed first and foremost for stretch marks and then they found it works great for wrinkles too! So double the duty for the cost. Seriously, you HAVE to use it twice a day a.m. and p.m. and not miss ANY application times. And, you have to spend a little while rubbing it all in, but it is worth it..... So, don't forget the name - Strivectin. It comes in a white tube with a salmon pink label across the front with the name.
11Where do you buy Dr. Max Powers Stretch mark cream?????
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