What do you use for stretch marks?

[shell_belle]

Hi everyone, just wanted to find out what you use to help stretch marks? I have been using cocoa butter but the smell is horrid (m/s) and I cant handle it anymore. What do you use, and does it work?

[Roudysmum]

Bio Oil it has very little smell and IMO the best thing you could ever use. you justget it at the chemist and use at least once a day its great.

[julesr]

I hate cocoa butter. I used a cream called Happy Event, costs about $5.50. You can get it at chemists, or from an online pharmacy. Very little smell to it.

My mum recommended it - she used it with all 3 of her pregnancies and never got stretch marks. Neither did I. I know some people say the tendency to stretch marks is hereditary but I got stretchmarks as a teenager when I put on a lot of weight quickly, so I am prone to them...but not one stretch mark from pregnancy.

I guess I'll never know if it was good luck or good management but I will be using Happy Event next time around, most definitely.

[Liz]

Some people have success just using olive oil. Avocado oil is actually very good for preventing & healing scars.

I don't like Bio oil coz of the mineral oil in it. I used a natural belly balm.. still got a few stretchmarks, but they seemed to fade quite quickly. I think the general understanding is that if you're gonna get them, you're gonna get them. But if you nourish your skin, I think it could only do it good, and perhaps help it heal faster

[Nicambhar]

I never bothered using anything while I was pg with my 3 and got loads of them, but have now had a tummy tuck and had most of them cut out. I have a few left and have been using bio oil. It is sooo great, and for an oil, it just absorbs really quickly and has a nice refreshing smell to it. It has really improved the appearance of them.
The cocoa butter is just too heavy and I agree, it does stink.

[Janie]

Bio oil is meant to be good, but I'd heard it was best avoided during pg because of it's vitamin A content? Not sure though.

I personally think, if you're going to get them, you will, and there's not much you can do about it! But if it makes you feel better then keep using some sort of butter/oil. It made me feel better LOL, but I still got stretch marks anyway!

[Olive]

i used coca butter but the fragarence free one, i too hate the smell of the original one!! by the way i still got stretch marks on my boobs

[MamaPan]

I have been using an oil by clarins, it is lovely and also makes a good massage oil... be careful which one you buy, they make a few so ask for the stretch mark one as the other one is not good in preg...
have also been recommended bio oil, which i will try too!

[Nicambhar]

Sezjm - OMG, I will have to check that out. That is concerning, because all the ads for the product show pg women and new mothers. yikes.... I never really thought about what those lotions and potions contain...

[Ngala]

I think I have tried everything under the sun and have got stretch marks everywhere!! There has been a lot of threads in regards to stretch mark prevention and you either get it or you dont cause its a heriditory (sp?) thing! It is great keeping the body soft and well moisterised but I think the best way to avoid the stretch mark is make sure you dont gain weight too quickly. Gaining weight real quickly was my prob, also I am prone to stretch marks.

Also, Bio oil is fine to be used during pregnancy even tho they say to avoid vitamin A. Pretty much, the body doesnt absorb enough to cause any harm!!

[paradise lost]

I tried all manner of lotions and potions and in the end i used sunglasses and a really tiny mirror i could only see my face in.

DD is 1, the stretchies have faded to nothing. DP loves to stroke across them though because he says he can "feel it's me" from the invisible patterns...

[Feathertop]

I've used nothing special apart from whatever moisturiser is sitting around, and have no stretch marks - my understanding from the research is that it is a genetic thing predominantly. What you can do though is keep yourself well hydrated (drink water), eat a healthy diet and not gain too much weight too fast, and keep your skin mobile and moist - which means using some sort of moisturiser and making sure you're not just rubbing it in , but moving the skin around as well.

Whatever works for you and makes you feel like you are doing something!