Who the heck is Dieter Beier, and what does he have to do with stretch mark treatments? It turns out plenty, so I want to give you the scoop on this German dude and why the product he developed is a pretty interesting one in terms of skin care.
What I really want to investigate is whether his product works on stretch marks. So let’s dig in, shall we?
The Birth of Bio Oil
Dieter Beier is a German cosmetic scientist who began researching skin care products that are oil based in the 1970s. After he realized that oil was the perfect medium to store vitamins while preserving the potency of them, he came up with the concept of Bio Oil.
That version was a bit thick but when he added PurCellin oil to it, he found that the thickness was reduced, making it more into a cream. He finished the product in 1986 and it went on the market the next year.
Even though Bio Oil was created in 1986 and released to the public in 1987, it wasn’t until 2002 that the product became available in the US. Now you can find it in chain drug stores and online.
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Bio Oil is made with a combination of plant and vitamin oils and is supposed to moisturize the skin while it improves the texture and even the appearance of uneven skin tones, stretch marks, and scars.
This special oil is not only hypoallergenic, it also does not promote or cause acne, and it is also safe for use even on sensitive skin. This is an intense moisturizer and can even be used as a step in your daily skincare regimen.
How Does It Work?
Bio Oil treats aging skin, dehydrated skin, uneven skin tones, blemishes, stretch marks and even old scars. It works best if you apply it by massaging it into the area that is affected twice a day until the skin has fully absorbed the oil.
It’s recommended that you use the product daily for three months at minimum in order to see results. While older scars will get some benefit from this treatment, newer ones will see the most improvement and the same goes with stretch marks. This oil moisturizes the skin and at times results can be noticed within only a few weeks.
Bio Oil claims that is plasticizes and moisturizes the skin causing it to have an appearance that is smoother no matter what type of scar you may use it on. It is also said to be highly effective in augmenting the natural ability of the skin to be elastic, which can aid in preventing wrinkles and new blemishes.
While there are a great many ingredients in this oil, the main ones are PurCellin oil, Chamomile oil, Rosemary oil, Lavender oil, Calendula oil, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A.
Speaking of ingredients, I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t share the weirdest bit of info I learned when researching this product. I wanted to know exactly what was in the PurCellin ingredient… it turns out PurCellin is a synthetic form of the preening oil produced by water fowl, such as ducks, which keeps their feathers water-tight and helps them stay afloat.
Yes, you read that right – Bio Oil has a man-made version of oil from a duck’s gland. UM, EWWWW.
Sigh, what we do for beauty, right ladies???
So, How Effective Is Bio Oil For Stretch Marks?
Generally, the most common thing people use Bio Oil is to treat stretch marks associated with pregnancy and to minimize the appearance of scars. That said, it is very important that you are realistic with your expectations for what it can do. It’s not a miracle cream and there are better ones out there. (Oh yes, you better believe I’ll be reporting on those in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes peeled!)
People who use Bio Oil seem to be happiest with the results they get when they use it to treat dry skin and newer scars and stretch marks. This is important to understand, because if you’re like me and have old stretch marks — the kind that are a little more faded and white in color — this lotion doesn’t seem to provide significant improvement as it does for newer marks, which are more red or pink in color.
Is Bio Oil Right For You?
To be honest, the thing I like most about Bio Oil is the price. It’s pretty cheap, and it lasts forever if you use it sparingly on wrinkles and dry patches on your face, like I do. Once I week, I pat this oil around my eyes before bedtime, and wake up with soft, moisturized skin and much softer looking crow’s feet. Be careful, though, applying to your eye area if you have sensitive skin. Do a patch test first to make sure your skin doesn’t have a reaction to it.
But if you’re looking for a really effective for those old, mature stretch marks, give this a pass. It just doesn’t seem to have a significant effect on very old stretch marks and scars, beyond simply moisturizing the skin. If you are looking for an effectively treatment for older stretch marks, please check out my review of TriLASTIN stretch mark cream – pretty powerful stuff.
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