Stretch Marks and Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter is completely natural and is derived directly from cocoa beans or chocolate liquor. The butter can be captured using a hydraulic press, but most often the brima process is used to extract it. A simple and non-mechanical process, the brima method separates the butter from the bean using heat and gravity.

The resulting product is a stable, highly concentrated fat. It contains natural antioxidants which are known to help reclaim youthful skin. Also found in the fat is Cocoa Mass Polyphenol (CMP). Research has found that CMP can help in the treatment of many different conditions and diseases including cancer, fibromyalgia and psoriasis. Could antioxidants or CMP be the secret ingredient that helps to dissolve unsightly stretch marks from your skin?

On the plus side, cocoa butter is inexpensive. Raw cocoa butter can be purchased online starting from $13.00 LB and up. Many different cosmetic companies carry lotions and creams with the butter as the main ingredient. A popular brand specially formulated for stretch marks costs $7.35 for a 4.4 oz. can.

Cocoa butter has also been used as a natural moisturizer. The butter absorbs down through the first layer of skin and works to combat dryness from the inside out. Moisturizing is an effective way to retain elasticity in your skin, allowing it to stretch further before the marks arise. Perhaps this property prevents the occurrence of stretch marks, but will it help to reduce the marks that have already appeared?

In the end, applying cocoa butter even on a daily basis will not harm your skin. It is a natural product that delivers many benefits. Scientifically though, a study published in 2008 found that the application of cocoa butter during pregnancy did not reduce the appearance of the scars. The double-blind study followed 175 women during their first pregnancies. Ninety one were given cocoa butter to apply daily and the balance were given a placebo. At the end of the study it was found that there was very little difference in the development and severity of the marks between the two groups of women. The researchers concluded that applying it topically would not significantly reduce the likelihood of developing stretch marks during pregnancy.

Source : ezinearticles