my friend is going to have her first baby probably this week. I was wondering if anyone knows of anything raw or unconventional that will help with making her stretch marks go away. i know she'd appreciate it. they are purple right now, and she is not happy about the weight she gained. sad i know because its part of being pregnant but no matter what anyone says she thinks she fat blah blah blah. i wish she was more health concious but i try in my own ways to help her. I was thinking coconut oil- i use it myself. ive already given her undead shea butter and she said it isint helping. i know she wont incorporate the kinds of exercise that would really do the job. she'll probably stick to sit ups if i know her well. any suggestions would be lovely. thanks!

Well what rips, rips. I don't think there is any way to mend them. I have some from pregnancy and some from growing up as a kid. High raw and 100% raw for many years has not cured them or prevented them for me. Now I know that MSM is supposed to do a lot in that section (tissue, scar, hair...) but I'm not sure if it can "fix" it.

stretch marks are like a run in your pantyhose, there really isn't any way, short of surgery, to get rid of them. the red will fade to flesh colour eventually though.
they are a badge of honour for mamas everywhere. like the lines on your face or drooping boobage, you earn those things IMHO. the trick is to find a way to appreciate and love yourself as you are. sounds like your friend is having a hard time with that bit. i guess all you can do is be supportive and love her.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2007 11:32PM by coco.

Try Rose Hips seed oil, Euro Organic Oil, Hemp Oil, Avocado Oil, and my personal favorite, Sea Buckthorn oil. My personal experience is that all of them are much better than Shea, Coconut, Cocao Butter, because they are much higher in fat soluble nutrients, like vitamins A, C, E, anti-oxidants, and all the rest. Like with foods, the richer the color, the richer the food is with nutrients; the same is a good rule of thumb for oils and fats. The Sea Buckthorn oil, in particular, is amazing, but you have to dilute it heavily, in a ratio of at 1:20 (try 1/8 oz in 8 oz carrier oil to start), and even then, it it makes your skin look temporarily somewhat orange (and it stains fabric). But if you can get some of the Sea Buckthorn Oils in one of the above oils, its amazing and you can totally notice the difference. You can get various oils above at:

mountainroseherbs.com (All the rest of the oils)
morroccomethod.com (Euro Organic Oil)
sunfood.com (Avocado Oil)

By the way, the Euro Organic Oil is BY FAR and WITHOUT QUESTION the best product that I have ever used that reduces acne--it's wonderful!! Who've thought that an oil (with essential oils and herbs) could fight pimples so well ?!

And while I haven't try it yet, Tonya Zavasta has a facial cream formula out that looks really good and has Sea Buckhorn oil in it at 1%. If you're friend isn't willing to try your homemade oil, she may like the more glamorous packaging (though much more expensive on a per ounce basis). Check out: www.beautifulonraw.com

Best Wishes

P.S. Honestly, diluted Sea Buckthorn oil (diluted in probably rose hip seed oil, or any of the other oils) is your best bet--I can't recommend it highly enough.

Mountain Rose Herbs used to have a long section on it, but it's now much shorter (probably because of FDA requirements or something similar). Here's what it says now:


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This marvelous oil has copious amounts of Phytosterol, Vitamin E, Beta-Carotene, Anti-Oxidants, and Carotenoid which helps to substantiate its relatively high success rate as a skin repairing and conditioning oil.

Sea Buckthorn has been traditionally used for a wide range of skin ailments for its revered nourishing, regenerative, and restorative actions. Sea Buckthorn oil is used superficially to assist in healing skin injuries, burns, wounds, eczema, lesions, sun damaged skin, and abrasions. Current studies are being performed on its ability to combat wrinkles, acute dryness and other symptoms of prematurely aged skin.

This deep colored oil is obtained from the whole berries of the scrubby brush Hippophae Rhamnoides which is a native to Russia, and northern parts of China and Mongolia, and produces a thick, red/orange oil with the consistency and viscosity of syrup.

Medicinal Use
Because of its overwhelming popularity as a skin treatment, recent findings and further studies have substantiated its success rate when used internally.
As an internal dietary supplement It has shown to help promote healthy blood circulation, the rudimentary treatment of colitis, stomach ulcers, and as soothing agent for the gastro-intestinal tract.
The general consensus in the alternative health care industry agrees upon using 1 tablespoon or four to five 500 mg capsules daily.

Constituents
Vitamin C, Vitamins A, B1, B2, E, and other mixed Tocopherols and Phytosterols, Flavonoids and numerous other essential fatty acids.

I wonder if that works for old stretch marks...
I got them on my thighs when I was about 13 and starting growing a lot (I'm 24 now and still pretty small for all that growing).

measure twice, cut once.

"In Watermelon Sugar the deeds were done and done again as my life is done in watermelon sugar." ~r.brautigan

I make paintings

I have them on my lower back, in the area where most people get tattoos, I've always been VERY self conscious about them, got them when I was 13 and became a bean pole who had a butt lol.

Anywho, I'm there with Shaine, is there any way to get rid of these old ones, I have to stay white as a ghost normally because the second sun hits them they stand out as bright white lines across a tan lower back!