Stretch marks are often related to the post-pregnancy phase. During pregnancy, the baby inside the womb stretches the skin beyond its regular capacity along with several other hormonal changes that brings about a change in the shape of breasts, hips and the overall shape of the body. Immediate loss of weight after the pregnancy can lead the skin to contract and the loose skin develops stretch marks.
However, it is not just pregnancy that leads to stretch marks. Rigorous workouts or sudden loss of weight or gain develop stretch marks. There are several product commercials for stretch marks – creams or gels or lotions, the variety is never ending, which claim to remove stretch marks completely and make the skin look as it was before any of the marks. This is absolutely untrue. I have not known any doctor who claimed the fool proof results of a stretch marks removing cream. Here’s a list of few of the best stretch marks creams available in India which I have found useful, few I have tried, others I have researched and read user reviews on, while the others are picked from conversations with people around me having stretch marks and have used stretch marks creams at some point in their lives.
Bio Oil
You must have probably seen plenty of advertisements of this product on the internet, newspapers and magazines. This contains Retin A which is a strict no during the time of pregnancy as few of my friends say, and that they have used the product only after pregnancy. However, if you are into a rigorous workout regime, there is no harm in applying this oil based product on a regular basis. I used it throughout my pregnancy and touchwood I had no stretch marks.
Luciara Cream
Plenty of users have claimed the most positive results with this cream. The instructions indicate that the cream should continue to be used even after pregnancy and coupled with a maternity belt, the results have been extremely positive with very few stretch marks.
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula with Vitamin E
The cream claims to soften rough dry skin and smoothen the marks and scars. Cocoa butter is used in various other cosmetics and body lotions and the smell of the cream is thus very pleasant! The claims on effectiveness have been varied with people received positive results suggesting it to be used from early stages to lighten the stretch marks.
Palmer’s Firming Butter
This product is specifically formulated for stretch marks and comes with a benefit of being paraben and phthalate free. The packaging is pretty convenient and the lotion base keeps your skin feel hydrated.
Vichy Complete Action Anti Stretch Marks Cream
This product is one the very few in the list which have been prescribed by gynecologists, with a disclaimer that it reduces the marks to a great extent and may not completely eliminate it.
Mederma skin care cream for scars
Perhaps the most commercialized, yet ‘easy on the pocket’ product in the list. The commercials show visuals of reduced stretch marks, the product description on the packaging indicates a cream for scars. Though it may effectively reduce scars with 100% results since scars are external marks, the reviews on reduction on stretch marks were mixed.
You can definitely follow a healthy and balanced diet while you plan to shed some weight or take up yoga sessions during your pregnancy to reduce the effect of stretch marks but there have been no ‘magic potion’ ever known that can remove stretch marks completely. Moreover, I personally feel stretch marks are in no way hampering your beauty! Rather it is a living memoir that you have lived a phase of your life which demanded great strength and commitment, with grace and poise!
