Stretch Mark Removal Cream

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Friday, July 17, 2009

If you are anything like me, you never, ever, EVER had problems with stretch marks until you had babies. Of course if you're like me you also got through at least one pregnancy thinking you were in pretty good shape. I didn't have much of a problem with stretch marks after Nora, mostly because she seemed to fill up my "insides" instead of stretching me outward. (I was a good 32+ weeks pregnant before I really looked it...)

Then I got pregnant with Emmitt and almost overnight became a walking whale. I was carrying around nine and a half pounds of baby and it looked like it. I was monstrous and it happened overnight. Along with all that stretching came...well, stretch marks. Bright red stretch marks.

Blech.

(The good news is, even the stretch marks that start out bright red or purple tend to fade over time.)

Now, as annoying as they are, it's not like I've exactly gotten back into bikini shape in the last two years, so I havent' worried so much about them. That said, I've known my fair share of moms who were both desperate to avoid and to eliminate the stretch marks that often come with pregnancy.

So I did a little hunting...and just in case you want to look them over yourself, here are some of the more popular stretch mark removal creams to check out online.

Revitol Stretch Mark Reduction Cream

Revitol claims to increase the production of collagen and elastin in the epidermis and says that helps to both prevent and reduce the appearance of stretch marks. They suggest you being using it during your pregnancy and then use it after pregnancy to help help remove stretch marks. So what's in it? According to the Revitol web site, their stretch mark removal cream is made up of squalene oil, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin D3 as well as aloe vera and grapefruit seed extracts.

It should be noted that the folks at Revitol never claim to remove your stretch marks (which is good, because most doctors will tell you it's pretty much impossible to remove them without laser surgery), they simply claim

Barmon Stretch Mark Cream

I'd be a little more leery of the stretch mark cream sold on this site than of the Revitol reduction cream, but that's mostly because their web site tries to claim they WILL make your stretch marks vanish. It's mostly made up of cocoa butter, wheat germ oil and lanolin. On the plus side, it's not tested on animals and they claim they offer a money back guarantee if you aren't happy with it.

Trilastin Stretch Mark Removal Cream

Trilastin claims you'll start to see a difference in a matter of weeks and also offers a money back guarantee. I can't find much on the site in way of ingredients, though it claims to be 100% natural and totally safe to use while you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It was also featured on the Tyra Banks show earlier this year if that type of thing sways you.

Labels: Life as a Mom

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