stretch mark creams?

I know that everyone says that the stretch mark creams do not work but I was wondering if any of you ladies found them to be particularly helpful in preventing this lovely "twin skin" that I hear so much about? I have been using an apricot oil that I mix with lavender essential oil but am just curious about what you all are doing or did.

 

I tried Palmer's stuff, but no luck. I was doomed no matter what I think!

 

Sounds like what your using is good. I also use oils. My favorite is Bellly to Bub. I am 30wks and no strech marks yet!! I love the oils. Vitamin E is supposed to be great. I also drink a ton of water to keep well hydrated.

 

I just used Palmer's lotion and oil and no stretch marks yet! I may have just jinxed myself though

 

I used the Mama Mio oil for a while until it ran out and then switched to Burt's Bee's Belly Butter, and I only have some stretch marks very low on my stomach. I like both products a lot and think they've helped. I figure that since I do have some stretch marks, I'm genetically prone to get them, and since I have so few, the products have worked. I'm sure any quality oil will get the job done. I also put the cream/oil on again before bed.

 

I don't know if you can try it now, but I heard Strivectin is good but expensive. I'm not sure if we can use it until after, though.

 

I think using cream is irrelevant to whether you get stretch marks or twin skin. My stretch marks appeared AFTER 32 weeks. I knew I would get them because I got them on my his during puberty. And twin skin is caused by how much your skin expands to accommodate your uterus. You could get stretch marks but no twin skin. Or twin skin but no stretch marks.

 

QUOTE(desolation_anonymous @ Jun 6 2008, 10:45 PM) [snapback]814807[/snapback]
I don't know if you can try it now, but I heard Strivectin is good but expensive. I'm not sure if we can use it until after, though.


I always wondered about that lotion-it is supposed to be good for wrinkles too. Maybe I will wait until after the babies and give it a try. Thanks!!

 

My mom, feeling generous and vain, bought me a large tube of Strivectin. I used it faithfully and can fully attest that it DID NOT WORK worth beans. Save your money.

 

Please be cautious. I learned from a pretty good authority that lavender oil, even absorbed through the skin, can cause miscarriage. Also, parabens in many products (including Palmer's stretch mark creams) are linked to reproductive disorders in babies (of course none that are very noticeable until they are grown) and are in the process of being banned from being in children's products but it can also have an effect when used by the expectant mother.

I applaud your use of natural ingredients. There are a lot of natural remedies but I'm afraid that they probably won't prevent stretch marks so much as make us feel more comfortable with our expanding bellies. I use a homemade blend of cocoa butter, shea butter, almond oil, and vitamin e oil.

 

Ok, so what is twin skin?? Sorry, I feel stupid that I don't know this.

 

I hear olive oil works great for stretch marks. I just started using it once in a while and I don't have any stretch marks...I have one small one from my last pregnancy. I really believe stretch marks are hereditary though. But with the extra growth you get from having twins, I think many women who don't get stretch marks wil probably get some and the olive oil should help.

 

QUOTE(Lizzybo @ Jun 7 2008, 01:12 PM) [snapback]815362[/snapback]
Please be cautious. I learned from a pretty good authority that lavender oil, even absorbed through the skin, can cause miscarriage. Also, parabens in many products (including Palmer's stretch mark creams) are linked to reproductive disorders in babies (of course none that are very noticeable until they are grown) and are in the process of being banned from being in children's products but it can also have an effect when used by the expectant mother.

I applaud your use of natural ingredients. There are a lot of natural remedies but I'm afraid that they probably won't prevent stretch marks so much as make us feel more comfortable with our expanding bellies. I use a homemade blend of cocoa butter, shea butter, almond oil, and vitamin e oil.



Hmmm, that's interesting. I would be curious where you heard that from ( not to question you, only curious). It was my understanding that Lavender was one of the few essential oils that can be used safely during pregnancy. I use essential oils a lot and have been for years. In fact I used it throughout my last 2 pregnancies for massage, relaxation, and insomnia under the care of a midwife. Will you let me know what the info you heard was? Thanks.

 

QUOTE(debfitz @ Jun 7 2008, 04:02 PM) [snapback]815500[/snapback]
Ok, so what is twin skin?? Sorry, I feel stupid that I don't know this.


From what I have heard and see (on John and Kate plus 8) is after you have multiples ( and even a singleton sometimes I guess) your skin gets so overstretched and after delivery you have so much extra skin left over it just kind og hangs there. It is wrinkled and mushy.

 

QUOTE(twoin2005 @ Jun 7 2008, 10:43 AM) [snapback]815231[/snapback]
My mom, feeling generous and vain, bought me a large tube of Strivectin. I used it faithfully and can fully attest that it DID NOT WORK worth beans. Save your money.



Thanks for the heads up, that will save us about $100 bucks or so!!

 

I used Palmers and my tummy is flat again (and was about 2 weeks ago)… not ripped… but flat enough… I got no stretch marks or twin skin, I lost all but 10 so far (I gained 50)… i only used it w/ my singleton on my tummy and ended up with some on my love handle area 10 years ago, this time I rubbed it every were (and I got BIG) and didn’t get more or end up with twin skin… gl… it was a big concern for me the whole time…
Elizabeth

 

QUOTE(mstofko21 @ Jun 8 2008, 04:07 AM) [snapback]816048[/snapback]
Hmmm, that's interesting. I would be curious where you heard that from ( not to question you, only curious). It was my understanding that Lavender was one of the few essential oils that can be used safely during pregnancy. I use essential oils a lot and have been for years. In fact I used it throughout my last 2 pregnancies for massage, relaxation, and insomnia under the care of a midwife. Will you let me know what the info you heard was? Thanks.


I read it on some websites a few years ago but sort of discounted it until recently. I saw it on a show called "How Clean is Your House" and they often use lavender oil in their own homemade cleaning solutions. They were helping a pregnant woman and told her not to let it touch her skin because it could cause a miscarriage. So, with that in mind I did a little more research and found that there are a lot of sources that say the same thing. It could be an old-wive's tale, though.

What I found is that the risk is only with certain types of lavender oil: lavandula stoechas, spike lavender, lavandula latifolia, and lavandin. If you use lavandula angustifolia, lavandula vera, or lavandula officinalis it should be okay. What I did read, however, that the risk is small and mostly linked to the first trimester if the lavender is used in high doses or ingested. I did use lavender in my first trimester without remembering that it could be risky, and I know a lot of oil experts recommend it for its soothing qualities. I think it's a split jury on this one.

 

QUOTE(Lizzybo @ Jun 8 2008, 12:53 PM) [snapback]816400[/snapback]
I read it on some websites a few years ago but sort of discounted it until recently. I saw it on a show called "How Clean is Your House" and they often use lavender oil in their own homemade cleaning solutions. They were helping a pregnant woman and told her not to let it touch her skin because it could cause a miscarriage. So, with that in mind I did a little more research and found that there are a lot of sources that say the same thing. It could be an old-wive's tale, though.

What I found is that the risk is only with certain types of lavender oil: lavandula stoechas, spike lavender, lavandula latifolia, and lavandin. If you use lavandula angustifolia, lavandula vera, or lavandula officinalis it should be okay. What I did read, however, that the risk is small and mostly linked to the first trimester if the lavender is used in high doses or ingested. I did use lavender in my first trimester without remembering that it could be risky, and I know a lot of oil experts recommend it for its soothing qualities. I think it's a split jury on this one.



Thanks for the info. I do know that if used in excessive amounts it can cause excess estrogen production in boys resulting in hypospadius and growth of breast tissue. Since I am having twin boys I am using it less frequently than I normally would. I think that in moderation it is ok and probably a better choice for headaches/insomnia than pharmaceuticals. The type I use is just the basic lavendula officinalis. I wasn't aware that there are so many different types. I do often use a chamomile & lavender tea though so maybe I should try to find out how much lavender and what type is actually in that. Since you seem to be pretty knowlegeable let me ask you about rasberry tea. I think it is supposed to be a uterine tonic. Have you been using that during your pregnancy? I have not wanted to drink it in my last pregnancy or this one either. I have tried the Organic version as well as the organic pregnancy tea and thought the flavor was unbearable unless I added a ton of honey. I would appreciate any info you could pass on. Thanks

 

Aw, well thanks for your vote of confidence - you seem quite knowledgeable, too. I just know the stuff I do because of an obsession to try to stay healthy with natural methods. I didn't know that about lavender and the estrogen production. Thanks for that! After dealing with infertility issues on both my and my husband's end, I'm doing what I can to reduce my use and intake of products that can metabolize to phytoestrogens or mimic other hormones - and there are so many to be aware of I feel like my head is spinning.

I'm making boys, too, and I'm hoping to have grandchildren someday (or at least do what I can so that they don't have to struggle as much with the same issues dh has).

As for the raspberry tea, this is one I avoid completely. I know it's sold as "pregnancy tea" and is meant to be really good for uterine tone, but I just can't get over what it did to my aunt. My aunt is a nutritionist and a midwife. She drank the raspberry leaf tea through her pregnancies and in her third pregnancy it thickened her blood so much that she developed clots. She required open-heart surgery at 4 months pregnant. The clots traveled to her legs and she also ended up losing both of her legs near her knees - still at 4 months pregnant. The baby was actually physically fine, but the devastation was done.

I think it's probably one of those rare things that can happen, like how birth control pills can cause strokes in some women. I'm sure the risk is super small, but I'm an extremely cautious person. Risks also don't seem very small to me when I personally know someone that was part of that small percentage of victims.

Oh, and the tea can also cause uterine contractions so it should be avoided in the first trimester but another reason to avoid it, I would think, would be the twin issue since we have a lot of contractions from our rapidly expanding uteruses (or would that be uteri? :lol.

 

Thanks for the info. I too try to keep an organic and toxin free home. I am so sorry to hear about your aunt's horrible experience. I guess I will be passing on the raspberry leaf tea for now -I didn't like it anyway!! The last thing I need is more contractions anyway. Do you nkow if there is a forum on this site with natural remedies etc.?

 

Twin skin is what can best be described as pizza dough looking skin.

I had a few stretch marks appear early on in my pregnancy...on my breasts and hips. Then I thought I was so lucky I didn't get anymore. Those were enough...UNTIL after I delivered I had a ton on my belly. I was so stretched out I couldn't even see them! Supposedly Avon just came out with some cream to use on them so I will check out the ingredient list.

They do fade over time (a LONG time) but I know I hate looking at them.

 

QUOTE(Mellizos @ Jun 7 2008, 07:55 AM) [snapback]814990[/snapback]
I think using cream is irrelevant to whether you get stretch marks or twin skin. My stretch marks appeared AFTER 32 weeks. I knew I would get them because I got them on my his during puberty. And twin skin is caused by how much your skin expands to accommodate your uterus. You could get stretch marks but no twin skin. Or twin skin but no stretch marks.



I completely ditto this!

 

So having experience in this realm, I'll give you a visual: when imagining stretch marks, most of us think of vertical striations..."twin skin" combines vertical with HORIZONTAL, which makes the loose skin all the more horrifying. Think of how a balloon looks after it has been deflated, and you get the picture.

Good times!