Coconut oil as an effective remedy for stretch marks

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

This unpleasant phenomenon in medicine is called striae. They are skin tears that appear as purple, bluish stripes on the skin that turn white over time. Among the folk remedies, one of the most effective is coconut oil against stretch marks, so it is widely used in the fight against this trouble.

Why does this problem appear?

If the skin is dramatically stretched, its integrity may be compromised. Tears form inside the cover, which we see on the surface of the skin in the form of blue, purple or red stripes.

Over time, these tears are scarred, and their color becomes creamy, whitish.

This can happen for various reasons, and here are the most common ones:

• Pregnancy. During the gestation of the baby, the uterus quickly stretches, and with it the skin. The first striae can appear already in the second trimester of pregnancy, and closer to childbirth, their number and size usually increases. This phenomenon does not go away after childbirth, if you do not help the skin to fully recover after stretching, in which, in particular, oils help;
• Sudden weight gain or loss. The principle of the appearance of stretch marks in this case is the same as during pregnancy, only it is not the uterus that grows sharply, but the subcutaneous adipose tissue, and this ends not in childbirth, but in getting rid of the lion's share of this very adipose tissue;
• Hormonal Disorders. The female body produces many hormones, some of which are responsible for the condition of the dermis. With endocrine problems, such hormones can be produced in excess or in deficiency, which is why stretch marks appear. By the way, this is one of the reasons for the appearance of a problem during pregnancy;
• Reducing the amount of elastin production. This substance plays a huge role in keeping our dermis elastic and taut. When she is in good condition, often, even during pregnancy, a woman does not develop striae, despite the fact that the cover is stretched and then returned to its place.

Factors that worsen the condition of the cover, contributing to the appearance of stretch marks, may be as follows:

• Improper nutrition, due to which the skin does not receive the required amount of vitamins, nutrients necessary for the elasticity of the dermis;
• Our cover needs moisture, which we can also get from food, as well as through proper care of this area of the cover, in particular, using oil.

These factors contribute to the fact that when the skin is stretched, it does not have enough elasticity so that tears do not appear, due to which stretch marks are formed.

In addition, some women have a genetic predisposition to develop stretch marks. This means that if a woman's mother has striae, then there is a risk that she will also develop them when exposed to a number of factors, in particular, pregnancy or weight gain.

Application

This tool is used in many areas, in particular, in medicine, cosmetology. This is due to the components that make up coconut oil.

Here's how it affects the dermis:

• Regenerates the skin at the cellular level;
• Promotes the normalization of blood circulation in the layers of the dermis;
• Coconut oil promotes the production of collagen, elastin, and these substances are necessary for the firmness and elasticity of the cover.

The oil is very useful, and it is thanks to this effect that it can be used to restore the normal state of the skin and effectively fight against stretch marks, including during pregnancy.

The substance is used both for the prevention and elimination of striae.

Nevertheless, you need to understand that this useful oil can completely eliminate only shallow formations that appear after stretching the skin, and only make deep ones less pronounced.

The composition of the product

The components included in it, and cause an almost miraculous effect on the dermis.

Here are the components that provide it:

• First of all, this remedy effectively fights against stretch marks due to the fact that coconut oil contains a large amount of vitamin E. It helps to moisturize and nourish all layers of the dermis, protects against destruction at the cellular level and helps restore the skin;
• Lauric acid is another powerful ingredient found in coconut oil. Its main advantage is that the component promotes the healing of microcracks that may appear on the cover, in particular, as a result of stretching;
• Palmitic acid. This component of the oil participates in the regeneration of the intercellular dermal substance, which in an optimal amount gives the dermis elasticity, preventing it from tearing during stretching, therefore, preventing the appearance of scars;
• Caprylic acid. Thanks to this component, the cover is saturated with oxygen, due to which metabolic processes in the intercellular space are normalized in it. Due to this effect of the component that is part of the oil substance, the dermis remains elastic, which means that it will not tear when stretched;
• Myristic acid. This substance promotes the production of protein, which is the building block for skin cells. Therefore, coconut oil contributes to the fight against stretch marks by rebuilding the cells of the dermis and intercellular space;
• Stearic acid. The substance increases the defenses of the dermis, thanks to which it gains the ability to withstand negative factors influencing from the outside, and they also often become the causes of the appearance of stretch marks, which then have to be fought against, using, among other things, coconut oil.

Most of the acids contained in the product are fatty, which is why it perfectly nourishes and moisturizes the dermis.

The composition and effect of the components of the product allows the use of a beneficial oil both during pregnancy and in other circumstances in which the skin is stretched, causing the appearance of striae.

We use the substance correctly

This is the main condition for achieving the desired result.

Here are some recommendations, taking into account which you can effectively fight against stretch marks with the help of oil, including during pregnancy:

• First of all, you need to remember that the substance must be of high quality;
• Cold pressed coconut oil should be used as it is most effective. This is due to the fact that the substance in this case retains all its useful properties;
• During pregnancy, it is recommended to start the fight against stretch marks when they have not yet appeared. Coconut oil is an excellent remedy for the prevention of the phenomenon, because when the dermis is just beginning to stretch, the substance moisturizes, nourishes, normalizes metabolic processes in the cover, preventing the appearance of tears during pregnancy;
• Before using coconut oil, make sure it is natural. The main criterion that will help you understand this is temperature. The product melts at a temperature of 25 degrees, but at a lower temperature, the consistency of the substrate will remain creamy;
• It is recommended to use coconut oil against stretch marks after taking a warm bath, staying in a sauna or bath. Of course, this advice cannot be used during pregnancy;
• Before using coconut substrate for stretch marks, the product should be thoroughly warmed up in the palms of your hands. After that, you can apply it to the skin with gentle massaging movements.

You can use the substrate in its pure form, and this application will bring the desired result, but coconut oil is used for stretch marks and in combination with other means. Remember that many ingredients cannot be used during pregnancy, so it is best not to experiment.

Contraindications to use

The effect of the substrate is soft, gentle, there are no components that can harm.

Coconut oil is hypoallergenic, but in rare cases, this stretch mark remedy can cause allergies.

The high level of safety of this product allows the use of the substrate during pregnancy and immediately after childbirth, when the skin has to stretch. Nevertheless, it is better for expectant mothers to consult a doctor before using the product.

Efficiency

If you regularly use coconut oil when stretch marks have already appeared or if you know that the skin is rapidly stretched, the first results can be seen in a month.

You need to understand that it is difficult to cope with deep stretch marks, and it is possible that in order to eliminate them, you will have to use more effective methods of dealing with stretch marks than oil. Nevertheless, it can cope with shallow formations, and deep ones under its influence will become not so deep.

With the correct application of the tool, you will be able to, if not completely get rid of the problem, then significantly reduce its scale.