Like most women, I have stretch marks. But mine didn't come with weight-loss or pregnancy. I was around 13-years-old when I started forming light lines around my knees. I blamed puberty and my rapid growth spurt, but my mom swears it was a combination of that and my always ashy skin around my knees. She's probably right, considering how I hardly ever applied body lotion during those days in junior high school. I was too busy just trying to survive my awkward tween years! Anyhow, I've been stuck with those stretch ever since and I've tried every single one of my abuelita's recommendations from cocoa butter, to vitamin E oil–even that crazy cuchara trick!–but nothing has ever worked. So I was on a quest to find out: If it's even possible to get rid of stretch marks after they have formed?
Read more ¿Qué más?: 5 Facts about cellulite you should know
According to dermatologist and author of Skin Rules, Dr. Debra Jaliman, the only way to fight stretch marks it to prevent them from forming in the first place. Jaliman says that most treatments, oils or even DIY remedies can't actually get rid of stretch marks. The most they can do is hydrate skin enough to prevent formation. She says the only product she has found that actually makes stretch marks disappear is Mederma Stretch Marks Therapy. So I had a little chat with Dr. Jaliman to help separate fact from fiction when it comes to stretch marks. Here are 10 stretch mark myths debunked!
Image via Corbis Images
Vitamina E
My abuela has been telling me for years to massage my knees with vitamin E and I've yet to see them disappear. That's because it doesn't actually work. According to Dr. Jaliman, vitamin E doesn't have enough active ingredients to help rebuild the broken elastin tissue that's a result of stretch marks. So leave it for your scars and wounds chica!
Shea butter
"It hydrates and it can help prevent stretch marks from forming, but it's not going to help get rid of them," Dr. Jaliman says. She recommends applying a generous amount of cocoa butter throughout pregnancy for preventative measures. But don't expect it to help existing ones fade away.
Coconut oil
"Avocado oil, coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter," are all great for preventing because they keep skin moisturized,"Dr. Jaliman adds. But that's it girl!
Laser
"The laser treatment will sometimes help a little, it's hard because it helps stimulate collage tissue. But what we need is something that will help stimulate elastic tissue, says Dr. Jaliman. "Because basically what a stretch mark is, is a breakdown of the elastin tissue and we don't have anything to make new elastin tissue."
Diet
Diet has absolutely NOTHING to do with the formulation of stretch marks. It might have an effect on cellulite, but not on these criss-crossed scars.
Herbal tea
Nope, these won't cut it either!
Wraps
This is probably one of the biggest Latina myths ever. Plastic wraps don't help anything girl–not stretch marks, not cellulite, not weight loss–nada!
The spoon
I grew up hearing that if you place a metal spoon in the fridge for a few hours and then press it against your skin, it would help prevent the skin from stretching. I can't believe so many of us believed this!
Olive oil
Another oil that can help in terms of preventing stretch marks but not banishing existing ones.
DIY body scrubs
Body scrubs and exfolliants might help diminish the appearance of cellulite but they don't do squat for stretch marks. Sorry sweetie!
