Did you know that breast milk, also known as liquid gold, has a surprising number of uses?
In fact, according to a recent studybreast milk is used to treat skin problems (such as eczema and diaper rash), sore nipples (in nursing mothers), and even eye infections! Surprise, isn’t it?
In addition to the obvious benefits of breast milk in treating certain skin conditions, it is also rumored to help with stretch marks. And since mommy tiger stripes are *ahem* very close to our hearts, we decided to investigate whether or not the claims are true.
So, can breast milk help reduce stretch marks? Let’s find out.
Claims about breast milk and stretch marks
In 2019, Chantelle Clark, a new mom to a 2-month-old baby, published her 2-week stretch mark reduction “experiment.” When asked on social media what her secret was, she simply stated that it was her breast milk!
According to her, she put breast milk on one side of her stomach for two weeks and left the other side alone. While nursing, she lathers the milk on her belly until it drips and then lets it dry naturally.
In the photo she shared, the stretch marks on the side treated with breast milk (right side) have lightened compared to the still purple marks on the left side of her belly.
(Source: Chantelle Clark, Facebook)
Since then, there has been a lot of question marks and speculation about the use of breast milk for stretch marks.
While it seems that using breast milk for stretch marks has worked well for Chantelle, moms on social media are also divided on the benefits of liquid gold for stretch marks. On an online forum, one user reported that breast milk didn’t do much for her stretch marks, although it did help with sunburn and mosquito bites.
Most of the users also noticed that the fading of stretch marks varies from one person to another and that there is no guarantee that breast milk will work all the time.
So can breast milk clear up stretch marks? In some cases, yes, but individual results vary. It’s also worth noting that while in some cases breast milk works for stretch marks, currently, there are no studies that officially support its effectiveness in this regard.
Is breast milk good for your skin? Other benefits of liquid gold
(Image by Nor Gal | Shutterstock)
Although breast milk’s ability to fade stretch marks has yet to be scientifically proven, studies confirm that it has many other benefits. Here are some:
- Diaper rash. According to one study, human breast milk (HBM) had the same therapeutic effect as hydrocortisone when it comes to treating diaper rash in babies.
- Atopic eczema. Surprisingly, breast milk also has the same effects as hydrocortisone ointment for atopic eczema.
- Eye infection (conjunctivitis). From early times, breast milk was used by mothers to treat eye infections. In one study, breast milk was shown to be effective in preventing neonatal conjunctivitis and was comparable to erythromycin ointment in eye infections.
- It cuts and scrapes. Does breast milk help heal cuts? Apparently, it does! In a journal, a group of women who had an episiotomy (vaginal cut given to women during childbirth) were asked to apply breast milk to their wounds twice a day for seven days. The result? Breast milk helped wounds heal (significantly) faster, leading researchers to recommend it as an alternative treatment for episiotomy healing.
It’s remarkable how breast milk has so many uses besides nourishing the little ones!
Does soap with breast milk help stretch marks?
While some people claim to see improvements in stretch marks using breast milk, breast milk soap is another story. It can help keep skin hydrated because of its ingredients (usually lactic acid, fatty acids, and vitamins), but it’s less likely to reduce the appearance of stretch marks on its own.
There is also limited scientific evidence to support the use of breast milk soap to treat stretch marks.
Other ways to reduce (or prevent) stretch marks
While those tiger stripes are a badge of honor that we moms will be proud to wear for our little ones, we hope they don’t show up as the pregnancy progresses.
But don’t worry! It is possible to prevent stretch marks naturally (even if it doesn’t involve using breast milk). Here are some of our tried and tested tips for preventing stretch marks:
It’s remarkable how breast milk has so many uses besides nourishing the little ones!
1. Moisturize your growing bump.
As your baby begins to grow, your skin needs all the support it can get as it goes through a period of rapid physical changes. Applying belly butter or stretch mark oil helps a lot!
Tummy butters like this Tummy Butter for Stretch Marks are enriched with vitamin E, antioxidants and essential fatty acids that help strengthen skin elasticity and prevent stretch marks. On the other hand, belly oils like Bump Gloss Stretch Mark Oil instantly hydrate the skin, improve skin elasticity and also soothe itching.
Use them regularly on your tummy (and literally anywhere on your body that needs soothing) to see and feel the difference!
2. Aim for a healthy weight gain.
Incorporating exercise and proper nutrition for healthy weight gain during pregnancy helps prevent excessive skin stretching.
Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and nuts and try to incorporate a few minutes of light to moderate exercise each day. For more information about what healthy weight gain looks like on your body, be sure to ask at your next prenatal appointment.
3. Drink plenty of water.
Moisturize, moisturize, and moisturize! Keeping your skin hydrated means it becomes softer and more elastic and will stretch better than dry skin. If your skin is elastic, it can take a good stretch once your body changes, so less stretch marks.
Besides skin elasticity, drinking plenty of water during pregnancy has many other benefits. They include preventing constipation (which is common during pregnancy), boosting amniotic fluid production, and ensuring nutrients are properly transported to your growing baby.
How to get rid of breast stretch marks from breastfeeding
Since breastfeeding stretch marks look pretty much like your regular stretch marks, treat them as you would your usual belly tiger stripes.
Use our time-tested tricks to get rid of stretch marks on your chest – lather up with a nourishing belly butter or stretch mark oil to keep your skin hydrated and supple.
So… Does breast milk help fade stretch marks?
In conclusion, yes, in some cases, breast milk does help reduce stretch marks, but the results may vary from person to person.
Also, there is currently no scientific evidence to support the use of breast milk for stretch marks. However, there are several studies that support the use of breast milk for various skin problems, such as dermatitis and eye infections.
If you’re still worried about stretch marks and breast milk isn’t helping, don’t worry! You can always try other things to help, like safe pregnancy creams and soothing pregnancy oils to make your skin more supple and less prone to stubborn stretch marks.
