Still, we ignore those facts and obsess with our bodies. Take stretch marks for example. Raise your hand if you don't have one single stretch mark on your body ... yeah, I don't believe you. I'm lucky that I don't have many stretch marks -- I think slathering myself with moisturizer helps, or maybe it's genetic. Who knows? Either way, I can't complain.People go out of their way to prevent and get rid of stretch marks. The least expensive way is using stretch mark creams, although some creams cost over $100 for a 6-ounce bottle. Some also try laser treatments, dermabrasion and chemical peel. I've read that drinking a lot of water helps you develop fewer stretch marks since it makes your skin soft, therefore more elastic. It may also help if you eat foods high in zinc, like nuts and fish, and rich in vitamins A and C, like carrots and citrus. However, if stretch marks run in your family, then you'll probably still get them anyway.
I guess no one knows for sure if any of the stretch mark treatments really work, but people just love to try! Check out the top searched stretch mark creams on AOL Search below. Have you tried any of them? If so, did they work for you?
For more information on stretch marks, go to AOL Body and search for stretch marks on AOL Search.
This month's top searched stretch mark creams on AOL Search:
1. Hydroderm
2. Strivectin-SD
3. Mederma
4. Revitol Stretch Mark
5. Zenmed
6. Trilastin-SR
7. StriPeptin
8. Palmer's Cocoa Butter
9. Tummy Honey
10. Vita-k Solution
See sponsored links for: stretch marks treatment, stretch marks creams, laser treatments.
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 7)
81. Hello people. I am a young adult who has stretch mark on almost my entire body. I have them on my stomach, arms, back, etc.I have tried cocoa butter but it did not work for me and I tried Trilastin SD but that didn't work also for me. So what do yall suggest I should try now. But I asked a doctor and they told me they will never go away say what do you think.
Posted at 1:09PM on Aug 21st 2007 by danatte
82. i am thirteen and i guess im developing too fast and have stretch marks on my breast and hips ,not to much but i have them. they aren't that visible because i'm very fair-skinned but you can see them if you look close enough and i'm very body consious because of this. my mom doesn't do anything about them because she says that there is nothing to take it away. she has them to because she got them after she got pregnant with me. i want to know if there is something to help it. in very little words, i just want help. ( i really don't want to get anymore of them o rmake the ones that i have more visible and longer and want to know if the really is something to get rid of them?) PLEASE HELP!!!!
Posted at 1:10PM on Aug 21st 2007 by Thalia
83. Hi I'm Rachael and I have Stretch marks around my stomach and back under my arms on the inner and outer part of my thighs under my butt as well as on my breasts. No one in my family have stretch marks but me and I'm only on my first baby. I've used cocoa butter, avon, lucruderm, etc, even scar creams But I've been using vasline cocoa butter lotion from walmart and it has reduced the dark color of my stretch marks and made them smoother. I will tell that like my grandmother told me it may not take a while for scars and stretch marks to appear, but you have to let your body to have time to heal. And I've that switching creams over and over will not help you only make you more flusterated and no resolutes.
Posted at 1:11PM on Aug 21st 2007 by Rachael
84. They say that stretch marks are genetic, but I have faught to not get the "road map" look like my mother and grandmother got while pregnant. I have been using Palmers Cocoa Butter with Shea Butter EVERY day since I found out I was pregnant, lately twice a day. I am 32 weeks pregnant and don't have a single stretch mark!!! I'm truelly amazed at how well the lotion has done and I honestly think that had I not been so consistant with it, then it probably wouldn't have helped. In talking to friends, while the same lotion doesn't make them go away it has helped theirs fade considerably. You can get it at CVS, Target, Walgreens, Babies R Us, just about anywhere. Make sure it is the Palmers with a GREEN stipe that says SHEA BUTTER though, because I've heard from other people that they didn't have any luck with regular Palmers.
Posted at 1:15PM on Aug 21st 2007 by Sha
85. My Grandmother had 5 kids, my Mother had 3, and they both have hardly any stretch marks. I had one and acquired road maps on my belly, hips, butt, breasts, and inner thighs. I drank tons of water and rubbed oil and cocoa butter all over every day while I was preggo, and didn't get the stretchies till the baby dropped. I didn't gain over the required amount, and I'm pretty thin now.
I swear, I received all of my mother's and her mother's marks that they never had. Eh, I'd do it all over again for my beautiful baby boy.
Posted at 1:22PM on Aug 21st 2007 by Jessica
86. I saw some of the comments people put on here. As for me i used Cocoa butter during pregnancy. Before i was pregnant i used jergens all over my body and i believe that it works because all the women in my family have BAD stretch marks thats just our bodys makeup. I didnt get one stretch mark on my body not one. But i put it on twice daily after i took a bath. Carry the lotion with u cause when your belly starts 2 feel itchy rub it on there.
Posted at 1:29PM on Aug 21st 2007 by Tamra Mcfarland
87. i had verey bad stretch marks . i tried everything out there . No not a thing worked . Till i found "QUEEN HELENE" Cocoa butter creme at walmart . $4.00 a big jar . takes a month then you start to see results .
Posted at 1:29PM on Aug 21st 2007 by shelby
88.
Hi Mia,
Just wanted to addd that when I was pregnant with my son 4 years ago I used regular 70% alcohol and pure cocoa butter. all over (belly, hips, thighs) I didn't have one stretch mark..
Posted at 1:30PM on Aug 21st 2007 by juliann
89. hi! my name is lili. After i had my son ( 1 year ago) i noticed that i did have alot of stretch marks thru my tummy. i think if i was to get a little bit of sun, they will blend into my skin. But still, what else can i do to prevent them and to get rid of them?
Posted at 1:32PM on Aug 21st 2007 by lili
90. i have two boys and never had a single stretch mark. i attribute it to genetics and also it didn't hurt to slather on the body shop's body butter which is very reasonably priced. don't get sucked in by expensive creams. it is really genetics.
Posted at 1:33PM on Aug 21st 2007 by shelby
91. I have two kids. I have used everything I could possibly think of everyday I was pregnant I drink water and I took prenatal vitiams. I have stretch marks from my chest to my calves. Purple ones. That havent faded. I was 100lbs when I got pregnant didnt gain that much wait while I was pregnant either time. and I am a young mother so age has nothing to do with it. I have them really realy bad. I dont think there is a way to prevent them if you are going to get them, then you will get them no matter what you might as well face it. I had to, they make me feel horrible and ugly, but they are from my kids so i have to get over it and plus it doesnt look like they are going anywhere!
Posted at 1:35PM on Aug 21st 2007 by Ashleynicoley53
92. hi Im amy and i have strech marks evry were and Im only 12 [Im turning 13 sep.3]. I have them on my legs,hips,boobs,and butt. its bad and deep. Im going to see a Dr. but in sep.4 and school starts tomarow!! so its very hard for me i can't wear shorts [and i haven't for 3 years] and low tops [ but i have a lot of low tops]. to add to the strech marks. my legs are very big, my tummy is fat but not too fat i can still suck it in, i have warts evry were [my feet and my hands],my teeth are yellow and crooked [and i do not know if im going to get brases or if my mom and dad can aford it plus my mom needs teeth srujery]. my hair is nice but gets big nots all the time,my feet are long [im a size 8 1/2 or a 9] and my big toe is bigger than most people,my feet are flate,in my back i have a lot of nots, but my head is a nice shape, my eyes are very nice [i love my eyes there blue green and in the center its gold] my hair is thick and blond, i don't get zits a lot but when i do i put cream on and there gone in a week or so,i like my hands but not the warts,im not very smart but i can pass my classes,i can sing very well but it still needs some work on the high notes, and i have big big boobs so i get a good amount of guys!. so i need help! but i got to go [my dad is home] ok so thanks for reading this you can comment on this if you wnat bi
Posted at 1:40PM on Aug 21st 2007 by amy
93. Ladies (and gentlemen), whatever you do use on your skin, make sure you DO NOT USE any product that contains MINERAL OIL (or it's congealed cousin, Petrolatum -- also known as vasoline). Mineral oil/petrolatum is bad for you and very bad for your skin. In fact, mineral oil (or liquid petrolatum) is a by-product that comes from the production of gasoline. In other words, when companies like Exxon and Texaco refine petroleum into gas (the stuff you put in your car to make it go), one of the by-products of that process is mineral oil. In all seriousness, unless you actually want to put something on your skin that comes from the production of gasoline (and why would you?!?), stay AWAY from any body/hand/face/foot lotion that contains mineral oil (also known as liquid petrolatum), or petrolatum (aka petrolatum jelly or vasoline). Unfortunately, many major brands -- like Dove, Eucerin, Jergens, Johnson's, Keri, Lubriderm, Nivea, Olay, St. Ive's, Vasoline, even Aveeno (though it has much less petrolatum than other major brands) -- contain mineral oil/petrolatum. Why on earth would these companies put a gasoline by-product into lotions that will be used (consumed) by people? The answer is simple: money -- mineral oil/petrolatum is cheap to buy (remember that mineral oil is a by-product of gas production -- in other words, because the gas companies' primary goal is to produce gas, and because mineral oil is a by-product of that process, as far as the gas companies are concerned, any mineral oil produced during the petroleum refinement process is basically free). Moreover, mineral oil is pretty effective at making things feel lubricated. That's because mineral oil is rather greasy -- a little goes a long way! So stay away from lotions that contain mineral oil/petrolatum. Instead, use products that contain cocoa butter and/or shea butter. Both are excellent natural moisturizers that also help keep skin cells elastic, thereby reducing the production and appearance of stretch marks. However, please be aware that some products containing cocoa or shea butter also contain mineral oil/petrolatum. In fact, products that not only contain cocoa butter but also have good reputations, such as Palmer's with cocoa butter, and even some products labeled "organic" like The Healing Garden, contain mineral oil or petrolatum. Therefore, the best -- and the only -- way to make sure you don't put a gasoline by-product on your skin is to look at the ingredients on the side of the bottle. If you see the words "mineral oil," "petrolatum" or "liquid petrolatum," do not buy (and do not use) that product. Although many lotions on the market contain mineral oil/petrolatum, there are several national brands that do not, such as: Alba, Burt's Bees, JASON and others. Again, look at the ingredients on the side of the bottle to be sure and safe!
Posted at 1:41PM on Aug 21st 2007 by Eric
94. I am very petite and had a set of twins at age 22. It was my first pregancy so I stretched a lot! I took the prenatal vitamins throughout my pregnancy and drank a lot of water daily. From about my 30th week to delivery - at 37 weeks - I used Mederma and continued using it until about 1 month after delivery. The Mederma was getting too expensive, so I decided to try something different. From then until now, I have used Palmers cocoa butter. It seems to work the best to keep my skin moisturized. They have the regular cocoa butter and the unscented. I'm not too fond of the scented kind, but have found that the unscented cocoa butter doesn't work as well to keep your skin moisturized. I also use the Mary Kay visibly fit body lotion which seems to work well. I had quite a few stretch marks after my delivery that were very dark purple and pink. They were all over my thighs, chest, buttocks, some were on my sides and on my stomach. That was 3 1/2 years ago that I had my kids. I did gain about 50 lbs. during my pregancy and gained it all suddenly. I didn't realize that I had so many stretch marks until after delivery. The more weight you lose, the more noticiable your stretch marks will be. I am back to my normal weight but the stretch marks have pretty much vanished completely! I think it all boils down to keeping your skin moisturized. Hope this information helps someone!
Posted at 1:42PM on Aug 21st 2007 by Carla
95. My dermatologist perscribed Urea ointment for my stretch marks. I have to apply it three times a day and it has already started fading the stretch marks. Mine marks are red and do respond to this ointment, but the dermatoligst told me there is very little that can be done for white stretch marks except for laser surgery. Ask your doctors about it.
Posted at 1:42PM on Aug 21st 2007 by dobbinss
96. The best way to avoid deforming your body through childbirth is to not become pregnant in the first place. Childbirth is the second worst thing that can happen to a woman's body, next to mutilation. There should be extrauterine incubators available for gestating fetuses that wymyn or couples want to keep, or the option of implanting zygotes into men.
Posted at 1:46PM on Aug 21st 2007 by GrrrlGuerrilla
97. I've had three kids no stretch used good ol baby oil once in the morning once at night.
Posted at 1:46PM on Aug 21st 2007 by Chris
98. I just had a baby 4 months ago. I have bad stretch marks on my belly so I finally gave in and bought the strivectin-sd I have only been using it for a week now and I already noticed a difference, none of my marks are discolored anymore it is the depth that concerned me but the strivectin has already made a huge difference, I am looking forward to see the "end result"
Posted at 1:46PM on Aug 21st 2007 by Megan
99. Mia, thanks so much for today's posting on stretch marks. I had a baby 7 months ago and throughout my entire pregnancy I used Vitamin E Oil. Still to this day that's what I use. Personally I think it works. I've tried Merderma and it costs way to much for a small tub (about $20.00). LADIES try the oil! Mia W.
Posted at 1:47PM on Aug 21st 2007 by miamiamia21
100. As a Mother of two, I also have stretch marks. I did the coco butter thing but it didn't help. As I am now in my forties I have found that Shea butter has helped to minimize those marks and has gotten rid of minor scarring. One of the products I found is creme de la Shea by Parvenu. Knowing whats in your creams and lotions is your best bet. pure products are worth the money.
Posted at 1:49PM on Aug 21st 2007 by june