How to Use Argan Oil for Stretch

Marks during Pregnancy | Best Argan

Oil for Skin
If you’re reading this then you’re probably worried about stretch marks and dread the
sight of them. Although not medically dangerous, they are disfiguring and can be a source
of psychological stress.

Unfortunately, stretch mark scars (like any other scar) are difficult to remove without
resorting to more invasive procedures including laser and ultrasound ablation, chemical
peels and microdermabrasion techniques.

So is there a way to get rid of them safely and effectively at home? How effective
is Moroccan argan oil for stretch marks? Or preventing stretch marks from forming
entirely? Are stretch marks permanent?

The answer: Yes, it does work - especially as a preventive treatment - and many of the
same benefits that argan oil has that heals and rejuvenates skin in general also helps
prevent and reduce stretch marks. And (as the science shows), when compared to other
natural treatments, pure argan oil is the best oil for stretch mark creams.

What are Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks form when skin is stretched too far, causing the collagen fibres and
elastin within to warp and tear, which then prompts the skin to repair the damage.
However, the repairs are often imperfect at best, resulting in irregularly structured skin
and lack of space in between the collagen fibres which we see as scarring.

Symptoms
The first symptoms start to show as skin irritations that noticeably pink and thin, which
are sometimes also sensitive to the touch and itchy. As it progresses, the first marks start
to appear which, depending on the colour of the skin, are either red, purple, pink, reddish-
brown or dark brown.

Causes and Affected Areas

Stretch are most likely to develop during:

 Pregnancy (about 50 to 90 percent of women are at risk of developing stretch

marks during or after pregnancy)
 Excessive, improper exercise
 Rapid weight gain and obesity (stretch marks tend to appear underneath fatty
areas)
 Rapid growth during puberty
 Cushing’s syndrome
 Use of Corticosteroids (which lowers the amount of healthy collagen in skin)

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Image via Medical News Today

Stretch marks, also known as striae distensae, or distension of the skin, most commonly
appear on:

 Breasts
 Tummy
 Hips
 Buttocks
 Thighs

How Argan Oil Helps Prevents or Reduces

Stretch Marks
1. Improves Skin Elasticity (Scar Prevention)
Scientific studies have demonstrated that argan oil is one of the best oils for stretch
marks and is particularly good as a preventive treatment during pregnancies and to
reduce stretch marks. It does by virtue of its high fatty acid content (i.e. oleic and linoleic
acid) which acts as a moisturizer and locks moisture in the skin.

In addition to getting enough water and eating a healthy diet, using argan oil on skin helps
keep skin hydrated and improves its elasticity which makes skin more elastic and less
susceptible to stretch marks.

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Image via ARGANLife Products

Exercise can help prevent stretch marks by reducing fatty tissue which are more
susceptible to stretching. However, excessive or improper exercise can aggravate stretch
marks so consult a medical professional or exercise coach for advice.

2. Keeps Skin Healthy

Maintain the skin barrier

Natural argan oil has other benefits, including an abundance of anti-oxidants, vitamin E
and anti-inflammatories that helps maintain the skin barrier that (i) keeps harmful
bacteria from entering the skin and causing diseases and (ii) prevents loss of water
leading to dehydration.

This promotes overall health of skin and makes it more resilient to injury as well as
helping any marks that form heal a little better and makes any scarring less noticeable.

Protects the Skin from UV Radiation

Polyphenols in argan oil acts like a sunscreen and stops UV radiation from sparking off
uncontrolled inflammatory reaction in skin that can wreak havoc it and make it more
susceptible to stretch mark damage. Its antioxidative properties also protects and
promotes DNA repair.

3. Re-stabilize Skin’s Lipid Layer after Exfoliation (Scar

Reduction)
Stimulates growth of new skin

Skin exfoliators are also effective at reducing stretch marks by gently and gradually
removing the layer of dead skin on the surface and allowing and stimulating new skin to

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grow. At the very least, exfoliating the skin should reduce some of discolouration caused
by stretch mark scars.

Re-stabilizes the Lipid Layer and Reactivates Anti-Microbial Activity

However, skin exfoliators have a nasty tendency of scrubbing every bit of natural oil
(sebum) from the skin, which can aggravate blemishes and cause skin to become oilier.

Adding argan oil into your skin exfoliator helps re-stabilize your skin’s lipid layer by
replacing natural sebum that gets washed off in the process while also restoring anti-
microbial activity.

Helps to Clear Clogged Pores and Blackheads

In addition, argan oil’s high fatty acid content can also help dissolve and clear clogged
pores, thus removing blackheads and other bits of gunk that may have gotten stuck inside
them.

Treating Stretch Marks is possible in its Early

Stages
However, if stretch marks do appear, don’t panic - the best time to use argan oil is during
the early stages of the stretching – that is, it is the stage when the stretch marks are still
visibly red with live blood vessels running underneath. This is when the tissue is most
responsive to treatment.

Remember that you should treat stretch marks as soon as possible because as the
condition progresses the blood vessels underneath the skin will start to narrow and lose its
supply of blood before turning white (a.k.a. striae alba). At this stage, stretch marks
are difficult to treat.

Perfect for Post-Menopausal Women

The re-hydrating effects of argan oil stretch mark cream treatments are especially helpful
for post-menopausal women as they have decreased estrogenic secretions which reduces
the elasticity of the skin. This makes them more susceptible to overstretching the skin as a
result of weight gain and excessive exercise.

Other studies have shown other traditional topical treatments to be ineffective, including
olive oil, coconut oil.

How to Use Argan Oil for Stretch Marks

For optimum results, rub some argan oil onto your belly about two times a day, during
your pregnancy. Don’t worry about your baby - the oil is non-toxic and is safe for babies
in the womb as it does not contain retinol.

_____________________

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Source:
https://www.alvibeautycare.com/blogs/news/how-to-use-argan-oil-for-stretch-marks-during-
pregnancy

Further reading:

Using argan oil as a hair loss treatment and how it could make you happier

Argan oil is effective as a sunscreen and sunburn treatment

How to use pure argan oil after a shave

How to use Argan Oil for Hair

How to Use Argan Oil for Skin

References:

1. NCBI, PMC5019162 (Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol, Sep 2016): Preliminary

study on the development of an antistretch marks water-in-oil cream: ultrasound
assessment, texture analysis, and sensory analysis
2. NCBI, PMC4321565 (Clin Interv Aging, 2015): The effect of dietary and/or
cosmetic argan oil on postmenopausal skin elasticity
3. NCBI, PMC5057295 (J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol, Feb 2016): Topical
management of striae distensae (stretch marks): prevention and therapy of striae
rubrae and albae
4. Healthline, (Cynthia Cobb, Mar 2018): Getting rid of white stretch marks
5. Medical News Today (Hannah Nichols, Jan 2018): How do I get rid of stretch
marks?
6. OSTONOMY WOUND HEALING 2016;62(3):26, ÄÌ34 The Effects of Argan Oil
in Second-degree Burn Wound Healing in Rats
7. PMC4520377, NCBI - Skin hydration in postmenopausal women: argan oil
benefit with oral and/or topical use

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