There are a lot of horrible things that come with pregnancy: nausea, sickness, rib pain, exhaustion, but most of these are not permanent. Unlike stretchmarks. These horrible little things take ages to fade and become silvery lines. You can get them for a few reasons and men get them too. To start off our new parenting section we started to review stretch mark products. We decided to review Secret Saviours after attending the launch at 34. Secret Saviours comprises of a Multitasking Support Band, which is used with a specially formulated Day Gel and Night Cream. Does it prevent stretchmarks? Let’s find out.
I start using Secret Saviours when I was 24 weeks pregnant. Everyday I apply the day cream, wear the band and then take if off and apply the night cream in the evening. It’s a bit of a fuss, let’s be honest. But if it stops stretchmarks then it is completely worth it. The band does not fit well to begin with. I measure my bump and I am a size small and the band is a large. It is not uncomfortable but ruins the silhouette of a lot of the clothes that I wear. The pattern is visible under most clothes, making me look like I have a spotty belly. As I said, it is quite cumbersome but if it works it will be worth it.
I am now 32 weeks pregnant and happy with the results so far. I have noticed two stretchmarks a couple of inches below my belly button. I was very annoyed and upset when I saw them but I don’t even think they would be visible if I was wearing bikini bottoms. Still annoying though. So apart from a few stretchmarks which are not very visible, so far so good. I can’t say the system completely works as I have obviously gotten a few stretchmarks but it is possible that it could have been a lot worse. I will update this post as I go along.
The band is not uncomfortable and can also work as a pregnancy band/belt. It is quite sticky when you take it off at night because the day cream you use is tacky to help the pads stick. There are times when I just want to put my clothes on and not bother with the whole thing but so far I feel the results have been more than worth the effort. I will update after the pregnancy to let you know the final results.
You can get the premium Secret Saviours pack here.
Update.
I now have my baby, a son called Luke. Did diligently using the pregnancy band and creams work? I believe they made a difference. I did not come out of the experience with no stretchmarks. Small person + big baby is a recipe for lots of stretching, but the stretchmarks came late in the pregnancy. It is a bit annoying wearing the band everyday, but I actually think it helped my back. I think many people will get different results from Secret Saviours, even the makers said at the press launch that some women will get stretchmarks no matter what, but for most I think Secret Saviours pregnancy band and creams will make a difference.
British medics have designed a unique product which is scientifically proven to help prevent stretch marks during pregnancy.
The Secret Saviours Multitasking Support Band, which is used with a specially formulated Day Gel and Night Cream, reduces the risk of getting Striae gravidarum — the medical name for these unsightly scars – by 70 per cent.
Seven out of ten women who use this innovative under bump and lower back support will be spared these angry red marks which eventually fade to silvery pink, but stubbornly refuse to go away.
And if stretch marks do occur, the severity of them is reduced dramatically, a study presented at the American Academy of Dermatology has confirmed.
RIPPING YARNS: STRETCH MARKS – THE FACTS
Stretch marks are scars left by tearing below the surface of the skin and once you have them, without resorting to a tummy tuck, you have them for life.
TV doctor and GP Dr Chris Steele notes: “Stretch marks are very common in pregnancy, with some studies suggesting as many as nine out of ten mothers-to-be develop these unsightly streaks, but they can also spring from teenage growth spurts and rapid weight gain.
“It’s impossible to predict who will get them, although multiple pregnancies, ethnicity and family history all increase the odds of getting Striae gravidarum,, as doctors call them. And while many mums-to-be massage in moisturisers and oils in the hope of heading them off, there is very little evidence most potions and lotions will make any difference.,”
A BRITISH DISCOVERY
Secret Saviours was invented by leading vascular surgeon Mr Stephen Barker and an expert in tissue engineering at University College, London. It is the first product of its kind with clear scientific proof of effectiveness.
A trial, at the Institute of Maternity and Gynaecology at Tucuman in Argentina, recruited 159 women who were between 12 and 14 weeks pregnant. Half used the Secret Saviours system and the other half did not use any creams or devices to provide a control group for comparison.
Independent clinicians who saw the women at the end of their first trimester and around their due date assessed any stretch marks using a scale of zero to ten, with zero being no marks and ten being multiple, highly visible scars.
In line with studies examining the incidence of stretch marks, 66 per cent of women in the control group developed Striae gravidarum, with most scoring a seven for severity. But two out of three women who used Secret Saviours had no sign of stretch marks and those which did were very minor in appearance, with most scoring just four.
Commenting on Secret Saviours, mum of two and women’s health expert, Dr Catherine Hood, notes: “The secret of the Secret Saviours system is its Multitasking Support Band lined with pads arranged in a random pattern which gently grip the stomach and literally redirect stretch marks.”
“Secret Saviours works by equalising pressure points within the skin and helping to prevent any tiny tissue tears from forming within the dermis, the inner layer of skin which contains blood and lymph vessels.
“But if they do, the Support Band provides a gentle barrier of bumps which block the path of any minor tears which could spread along straight lines of stress and turn into full blown stretch marks.”
Dr Catherine Hood adds: “The skin-saving support provided by the Multitasking Support Band is enhanced by the addition of Secret Saviours’ Day Gel and Secret Saviours Night Cream. Both are formulated using ingredients such as Centella asiatica and vitamin E, which have been shown to support skin healing.
“There are no parabens, PABA, animal ingredients, synthetic colours, mineral oils petroleum or paraffin in either the Day Gel or Night Cream.”
Vascular surgeon Mr Barker promises: “We cannot guarantee Secret Saviours will stop all stretch marks, but we can guarantee that it will significantly reduce the risk of developing them and minimise the appearance of any which do appear.”
As an added bonus, the Secret Saviours Multitasking Support Band also provides some welcome under-bump support, which has the added bonus of reducing lower back ache — a common problem in pregnancy.