Does Aromatherapy Work for Stretch Marks?
Believe it or not, aromatherapy could you get rid of stretch marks. Some people even believe that aromatherapy does a better job of getting rid of stretch marks than expensive creams and tanning sessions.
If you haven’t heard of it aromatherapy refers to the use of aromatic or nice smelling oils to relax the body. The idea behind essential oils for stretch marks is that these oils will relax the body causing the stretch marks to shrink. The oils used in aromatherapy have also been proven to help the skin by killing fungus and improving blood circulation to the skin.
What is Aromatherapy?
Most people are familiar with the aromatherapies done at spas where fragrant oils are rubbed into the skin during a massage. Aromatherapy is also often done in saunas where the fragrant oils are mixed with the steam. In these treatments, the patient sits in the sauna and soaks in the fragrant oil. You can also do aromatherapy at home by pouring fragrant oils into a bathtub full of hot water and soaking in it. Aromatherapy has to be done in heat because the heat opens the pores in the skin which causes the oil to get in and do its job.
Many different kinds of fragrant oils are used in aromatherapy. The two most common kinds of oil are curative and regenerative. Curative oils are supposed to correct or eliminate some sort of condition or problem. Regenerative oils are supposed to repair or regenerate damaged skin. Most of these oils are made from natural products such as tea trees and almonds. Tea tree oil and other curative oils work like antibiotics and kill funguses, bacteria and other organisms that hurt the skin. Regenerative oils like almond oil speed up the healing of damaged skin by stimulating the formation of collagen.
AROMATHERAPY & STRETCH MARKS
Unfortunately the effect of aromatherapy on stretch marks has never been scientifically tested. Despite the lack of scientific evidence, the beneficial effects of aromatherapy on human skin have long been noted.
Aromatherapy has been used to help burn patients recover from their injuries. The heat and relaxing oils used in the therapy are believed to cause the release of natural pain killers that make burn patients feel better. The oils also make the removal of dead skin from burn patients easier and less painful.
Consult Your Doctor
Pregnant women should never undergo aromatherapy until they have consulted their doctor about it. Always tell the doctor what oils you will be using and how you will be using. Some of the chemicals in these oils could hurt you or your baby so be careful. Women who are breastfeeding should also consult their doctor before aromatherapy because the oils can enter your baby’s body through your milk.
Women who suffer from sinus and skin allergies should also be careful with aromatherapy. Some of the oils contain scents and chemicals that could produce an allergic reaction. Women who are allergic to nuts should be careful when using almond and other oils made from nuts. It would be a good idea for a woman who suffers from allergies to consult her doctor before beginning aromatherapy.
It will take awhile usually a few months for aromatherapy to help eliminate stretch marks. Allowing the body to return to its normal weight naturally will prevent the development of stretch marks.