Scars? Stretch marks? – The natural cure

Today is the day I am going to distill my first cosmetic study for you guys!

This is a part of my blog I have been looking forward to for a while. I am going to break down a study from the International Cosmetic Journal of Science into a simple quick read!

Our first topic is scars and stretch marks! Everyone hates them, and most of us don’t know how to get rid of them. Keep reading to find out about a natural way to improve their appearance.

The Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of plant body oil rich in oleic and linoleic acids on improving the appearance of scars and stretch marks.

The Study: The study consisted of 80 volunteers with non-hypertrophic scars and stretch marks (basically means scars that aren’t raised above normal skin level). The group was divided in half; 40 with scars and 40 with stretch marks. All of the volunteers’ stretch marks and scars had to be no older than 3 years. The volunteers also had at least two separate regions of scars and/or stretch marks. They then applied cosmetic body oil topically twice daily for 8 weeks.

The Measurement: In studies like these it’s very important to pay attention to what kind of measurement scales were used to gage the results. In this case they used 2 scales, which are subjective, but with a combined score attempted to form a more objective measurement.

The scars/stretch marks were rated by both the observer (1 scale) and the patient (2 scale). Both scales consisted of 6 observations with a score of 1 (normal skin)- 10(worst scar/stretch mark).

The observer rated the scars/stretch marks on:

Vascularity (amount of redness/coloration)
Pigmentation (Brownish coloration of the scar itself)
Thickness (distance between edge of scar and normal skin)
Relief (presence of surface irregularities)
Pliability (suppleness of scar/stretch)
Surface Area (surface area of scar/stretch mark in relation to original wound)

* For more details on how each was category was measured please see the full article here.

The patients rated the scars/stretch marks on:

Pain
Itching
Color (pigmentation and vascularity combined)
Pliability (is the stiffness different from your normal skin)
Thickness (does it feel thicker than your normal skin)
Relief (is the scar/stretch mark more irregular than your normal skin)

* For more details on how each was category was measured please see the f ull article here.

The Results: Of the 80 volunteers only 76 (8 male, 68 female) completed the study and only their results were used for the analysis.

The observer assessment results showed that the scars/stretch marks were reduced by 5% vs. the untreated ones, which remained the same.

The patients however observed a much more pronounced effect. Their assessment results showed that the scars/ stretch marks with the treatment were reduced by 20% while the untreated ones were reduced by 6%.

Overall, the assessment showed a 14% scar reduction. The volunteers rated the treatment very positively.

93% reported feeling soft and supple skin
84% reported that the plant oil had quick absorbance
61% reported improved skin appearance
51% reported that the scars/stretch marks appeared less pronounced

Only 17% felt that the oil had no benefit on the appearance of their scars/stretch marks.

The Verdict: The plant body oil did show skin improvement and scar improvement for the majority of the volunteers so I would say its a go. Is it a miracle cure? No! However the results are very honest slapping us with a bit of reality. For the most part there are no miracle cures at least not without more invasive treatments. There are other scar/ stretch mark treatments out there such as lasers and chemically based solutions, which may be more effective. However, the purpose of this study was to try and use a natural product to reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks.

In a world full of chemicals, we continue to strive to harness the power of nature.

Last but not least, in the literature review section of the study the researchers sited other studies, which have shown that under treatment the appearance of scars/ stretch marks will improve (if less than 3 years old) regardless of age! So age shouldn’t stop you from trying. Also just because they state the 3 year margin, does not mean that any scars or marks above that age will not be responsive. Take it with a grain of salt and don’t let it prevent you from trying.

The Product: Kneipp Bio Skin Oil

This is a German product though you can buy it on ebay form the link above if you so wish to. This is the exact product used in the study.

This organic oil is composed of 55.9% Safflower oil, 42% olive oil, 2% grapefruit oil 0.1% tocopherol (antioxidant). So if you cannot purchase this but still want it, you can probably mix it yourself or at least come up with something quite similar. You can even tweak it to your liking.

A great place for organic essential and carrier oils of all kind is Edens Garden.

I love this site (free shipping) and their products. I have several different bottles of their oils and have been pleased with all of them. But more on that, another time.

I hope you enjoyed my distillation of this study, and if you have any suggestions on how I can improve future distillations please feel free to get in touch with me!

*This study was conducted by the Institute for Applied Dermatological Research in Hamburg Germany. (Observer-blind randomized controlled study of a cosmetic blend of safflower, olive and other plant oils in the improvement of scar and striae appearance).

**Disclaimer: Now for the fun legal part. I am not sponsored by any of the companies mentioned above. These are my personal thoughts. Some affiliate links and ads may appear on my site, and if you purchase something through those I will be paid.