How to Use Argan Oil for Stretch Marks during Pregnancy | Best Argan Oil for Skin

How to Use Argan Oil for Stretch Marks during Pregnancy | Best Argan Oil for Skin

If you’re reading this then you’re probably worried about stretch marks and dread the sight of them. Although not medically dangerous, they are disfiguring and can be a source of psychological stress.

Unfortunately, stretch mark scars (like any other scar) are difficult to remove without resorting to more invasive procedures including laser and ultrasound ablation, chemical peels and microdermabrasion techniques.

So is there a way to get rid of them safely and effectively at home? How effective is argan oil and argan-based stretch mark creams at reducing stretch marks or preventing them from forming entirely? Does it work or are stretch marks permanent?

The answer: Yes, it does work, and many of the same benefits that argan oil has that heals and rejuvenates skin in general also helps prevent and reduce stretch marks. And (as the science shows), when compared to other natural treatments argan oil is the best oil for stretch mark creams.

What are Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks form as a result of skin getting stretched too far, causing the collagen fibres and elastin within to warp and tear, which then prompts the skin to repair the damage. However, the repairs are often imperfect at best, resulting in

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irregularly structured skin and lack of space in between the collagen fibres which we see as scarring.

Symptoms The first symptoms start to show as skin irritations that noticeably pink and thin, which are sometimes also sensitive to the touch and itchy. As it progresses, the first marks start to appear which, depending on the colour of the skin, are either red, purple, pink, reddish-brown or dark brown.

Causes and Affected Areas Stretch are most likely to develop during:      

Pregnancy (about 50 to 90 percent of women are at risk of developing stretch marks during or after pregnancy) Excessive, improper exercise Rapid weight gain and obesity (stretch marks tend to appear underneath fatty areas) Rapid growth during puberty Cushing’s syndrome Use of Corticosteroids (which lowers the amount of healthy collagen in skin)

Stretch marks, also known as striae distensae, or distension of the skin, most commonly appear on:     

Breasts Tummy Hips Buttocks Thighs

How Argan Oil Helps Prevent or Heal Stretch Marks 1. Improving Skin Elasticity (Scar Prevention treatment) Scientific studies have demonstrated that argan oil is one of the best oils for stretch marks.

Argan-based stretch mark creams are particularly effective as a preventive treatment for stretch marks caused by pregnancies, with topical applications of the cream demonstrably improving the elasticity of skin due to its high fatty acid content (i.e. oleic and linoleic acid) which acts as a moisturizer, locking locking moisture into the skin (not too much and not too little) and rehydrating and

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thus protectinig it from dehydration and dry skin (dry skin is less elastic and thus is more easily damaged when overstretched).

Argan oil’s other effects including its high anti-oxidant content and vitamin E that help promote the overall health of your skin (e.g. improved immune system, cell function), which can also contribute to its resilience to stretching.

For optimum results, rub some argan stretch mark cream onto your belly every day about two times a day especially when you're pregnant. Don’t worry about about your baby – the oil is non-toxic and is safe for babies in the womb as it as it does not contain retinol.

Proper exercise can also help prevent stretch marks by reducing fatty tissue which are more susceptible to stretching. However, excessive or improper exercise can aggravate stretch marks so consult a medical professional or coach for advice.

Stretch marks can still be treated in early stages However, if stretch marks do appear, don’t panic - the best time to use argan oil is during the early stages of the stretching – that is, it is the stage when the stretch marks are still visibly red with live blood vessels running underneath.

This is when the tissue is most responsive to treatment.

Remember that you should treat stretch marks as soon as possible because as the condition progresses the blood vessels underneath the skin will start to narrow and lose its supply of blood before turning white (a.k.a. striae alba). At alba). At this stage, stretch marks are difficult to treat.

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Image via Medical News Today

Perfect for Post-Menopausal Women The rehydrating effects of argan oil stretch mark cream treatments are especially helpful for post-menopausal women as they have decreased estrogenic secretions which reduces the elasticity of the skin. This makes them more susceptible to overstretching the skin as a result of weight gain and excessive exercise.

Other studies have shown other traditional topical treatments to be ineffective, including olive oil, coconut oil.

2. Argan Oil with Skin Exfoliator to Restabilize Skin’s Lipid Layer (Scar Removal Treatment) Stimulates growth of new skin Skin exfoliators are also effective at reducing stretch marks by gently and gradually removing the layer of dead skin on the surface and allowing and stimulating new skin to grow. At the very least, exfoliating the skin should reduce some of discolouration caused by stretch mark scars.

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Re-stabilizes the Lipid Layer and Reactivates Anti-Microbial Activity However, skin exfoliators have a nasty tendency of scrubbing every bit of natural oil (sebum) from the skin, which can aggravate blemishes and cause skin to become oilier.

Adding argan oil into your skin exfoliator helps re-stabilize your skin’s lipid layer by replacing natural sebum that gets washed off in the process while also restoring anti-microbial activity.

Helps to Clear Clogged Pores and Blackheads In addition, argan oil’s high fatty acid content can also help dissolve and clear clogged pores, thus removing blackheads and other bits of gunk that may have gotten stuck inside them.

Source: How to Use Argan Oil for Stretch Marks during Pregnancy | Best Argan Oil for Skin References: 1. NCBI, PMC5019162 (Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol, Sep 2016): Preliminary study on the development of an antistretch marks water-in-oil cream: ultrasound assessment, texture analysis, and sensory analysis 2. NCBI, PMC4321565 (Clin Interv Aging, 2015): The effect of dietary and/or cosmetic argan oil on postmenopausal skin elasticity 3. NCBI, PMC5057295 (J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol, Feb 2016): Topical management of striae distensae (stretch marks): prevention and therapy of striae rubrae and albae 4. Healthline, (Cynthia Cobb, Mar 2018): Getting rid of white stretch marks 5. Medical News Today (Hannah Nichols, Jan 2018): How do I get rid of stretch marks?

Further reading: Using argan oil as a hair loss treatment and how it could make you happier Argan oil is effective as a sunscreen and sunburn treatment How to use pure argan oil after a shave

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