Should You Use Body Butter to Get Rid of Stretch Marks? We asked a dermatologist

Whether it is the result of a growth spurt, the growth of a tiny person in your body, rapid weight gain or weight loss, stretch marks – otherwise known as stretch marks – are completely normal. And while we are all for accepting your pink, red or white markings, you can also try reduce their appearance, that's where oil for body comes into play. Many people swear that body butter can help both before and after stretch marks, but is it really true? To find out the truth about whether body oils can help improve the appearance of stretch marks, we reached out to board certified dermatologist and founder of Surface Deep, Dr. Alicia Zalka. 

Can body butter help with stretch marks? 

Before turning to body oil as a treatment option, it's important to understand exactly how stretch marks form. Regardless of the area (think: abdomen, chest, shoulders, hips), stretch marks are the result of damage to the dermal layer of the skin. “Stretches form when collagen and elastin, the supportive structure that gives skin its shape, break down from their normal pattern due to soft tissue stretching,” says Dr. Zalka. “The result is thinning of the skin just below the epidermis and scarring on the surface.” Due to this change in skin composition, the texture ends up looking paper-thin and somewhat translucent compared to the surrounding skin. 

With that in mind, it's important to manage your expectations when treating stretch marks, especially with body butter. “Body oils can provide some visible improvement in the appearance of these scars, but because the source of the problem lies deeper in the damaged soft tissue, topically applied oils don’t really remove or treat stretch marks,” says Dr. Zalka. “The elastic and collagen tissues in the dermis are damaged and the oils do not help them fully recover.” 

Even though body oils won't "cure" stretch marks, there's no reason to avoid using them. In fact, Dr. Zalka says you can actually see several benefits. "There's nothing wrong with keeping your skin soft and slathering it with body oil in the hope that stretch marks don't appear," she says. “While there is not enough conclusive medical evidence to support or refute the notion that body oils prevent stretch marks, using a body oil can still make the skin more supple and reflect light better, so it can improve the overall appearance of the skin. . your skin." Dr. Zalka suggests using body oils from plants such as coconut, avocado, olive, or shea. We love Kiehl's Creme de Corps Nourishing Dry Body Butter with grape seed oil and squalene. 

How can you help improve the appearance of stretch marks? 

Stretch marks are best treated when they first appear and are red or pink in color rather than the more translucent white. “This is the best time to intervene if treatment is needed because the sooner they are treated, the more likely they are not to become permanent marks,” says Dr. Zalka. "However, there is no single cure, so be prepared to see little improvement." She recommends consulting with a board-certified dermatologist to discuss treatment. “Some options include hyaluronic acid moisturizers, retinol applications with creams or peels, microdermabrasion, microneedles and lasers. I suggest starting with the least expensive and least invasive option." 

Photo: Shante Vaughn