Using Tamanu Oil for Stretch Marks

Tamanu oil is rich in fatty acids and has antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant qualities. Can it actually reverse the stretch marks? Let’s read and find out!

Tamanu oil comes from the seeds of the fruit on the Calophyllum inophyllum tree or Tamanu Tree. It is known as an ornamental plant and is found in the tropical regions. The tree can grow up to 20 meters and the flower is almost an inch tall.

Secreting oil out of the Calophyllum inophyllum tree is not an easy task. First, you need to dry the seeds in rooms; and the rooms in which these seeds are getting dried are climate-controled. After which, oil from it is secreted; this entire process takes about 2 months. To derive a quantity of 11 pound of tamanu oil, it takes 220 pounds of the fruit for extraction. Surely, this oil is going to cost you a bomb.

Different parts of the Tamanu tree like the sap, leaves and the Tamanu oil is used to cure diseases like psoriases, ulcers, sunburns, acne, joint pains, and scabies. The oil is very thick, dark green in color and has a slight fragrance similar to that of the green fruit. Tamanu oil has been used to cure many skin and other ailments.

Tamanu oil has antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant qualities and is also rich in fatty acids.

Stearic acid and Oleic acid are non-saponifiable fatty acids, which can create ointments that assist in healing dry and cracked skin.

Can Tamanu Oil Treat Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks are a subject of common complaints from pregnant women, obese people and those who work out in the gym. They exist on thighs, breasts, buttocks, lower back and arms. Stretch marks are fine scarring on the skin, which occur during puberty when one gains weight suddenly. Our skin is elastic and it can easily tear-off because of over-stretching. Nothing has yet been introduced to remove stretch marks completely.

Emollients that comprises Tretinoin or Retin A, excimer laser, microdermabrasion, fractional photothermolysis and pulsed dye laser therapy are the traditional methods of reducing stretch marks. Of late, Tamanu oil has caught a lot of attention in the cosmetic and skin care products market. This oil has the ability to help form new tissues and is therefore used as a treatment for scars and wounds. It surely can reduce stretch marks. It is quickly absorbed by the skin and does not even leave a greasy effect. For stretch marks, you need to apply Tamanu oil regularly for two months, twice a day and for other skin ailments you need to apply this oil for a month, to see improvements.

Tamanu oil has reduced stretch marks for many. According to a study on this oil by BioScience Laboratories on the effect of Tanamu oil on stretch marks/scars, it was observed that scar length and width were decreased by 0.28 cms and 0.12 cms, respectively. The oil was applied 2 times a day for nine months regularly in the experiment. So definitely with Tamanu oil’s skin ailment-treating qualities it can certainly reduce the stretch marks to an extent but, it cannot be completely written-off.

Tamanu oil is certainly an excellent product for curing many ailments. It also does not have side effects, but pregnant women should check with their doctors before using it. There are no records as of now, that state that this oil can reduce the stretch marks totally. However, they can surely reduce them to an extent. Using Tamanu oil is definitely worth a try. Also it is observed that stretch marks do not really need any treatment measure to cure them; they reduce and fade over a period of time. Regular use of Tamanu oil will definitely prove to be a great option for reducing stretch marks.

The required quantity of Tamanu oil in any emollient should be between 2 to 5%, and anything more than that is said to not be of any additional improvement. Therefore, instead of buying the pure oil which will cost you a lot, opt for a Tamanu oil-based cream. Come back to us and let us know how much effect it has had on you!