Stretch Mark Cream – What is it Made Of?

Have you tried looking closely at your body in the mirror and end up cringing at the unsightly marks that crisscrossed your skin? Stretch marks are skin problems shared by both male and female species, largely brought about by the formation of linear scars on the skin’s surface due to the rapid stretching of the skin.

More often than not, stretch marks occur during pregnancy and at some stage in puberty, especially on teenagers experiencing sudden growth spurts. A stretch mark cream is usually used to treat and prevent its formation. And since these silvery scars are mainly caused by the irregularities in the collagen mix of the skin, the following ingredients have been known helpful in effectively minimizing the formation or stretch marks:

Aloe Vera is a natural ingredient composed of polysaccharides and water, and has been widely known for its healing properties and one of the best sources of skin moisturizers. Another popular ingredient of a typical stretch mark cream is the cocoa butter, which can be derived from cocoa beans. In fact, cocoa butter emollient has been widely used for decades for its healing and moisturizing properties.

Glycolic acid is also an active ingredient of a typical stretch mark cream, a natural fruit acid which can be derived from sugar canes. It is often sold in the market in 70% concentrations or possibly greater. However, direct exposure and contact to the skin of the glycolic acid of more than 10% has been known as highly hazardous.

Yet another popular ingredient in the treatment of stretch marks as well as in the maintenance of smooth, youthful skin is palmitoyl oligopeptide, a form of a highly potent peptide that easily penetrates the skin’s surface and effectively stimulates the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid that results to the gradual reduction of stretch marks and maintains the elasticity of the skin.

At one point or another, you may have heard about shea butter, which rose to popularity as a primary ingredient found in many skin products. Shea butter is derived from Karite Nuttress that works well on damaged skin surfaces. Hence, it is quite understandable why in is often incorporated as one of the primary ingredients in a commercial stretch mark cream.