Pregnancy. Growth spurts. Weight loss. Bodybuilding.
These are some of the things that leave unwelcome stretch marks on the skin.
The skin is the body's largest organ. It is elastic and designed to stretch and contract according to the body's needs.
Sometimes, when the skin is made to stretch beyond normal use, the dermis (middle) layer of the skin tears and it leaves lines and scars on the skin, commonly known as stretch marks.
Stretch marks come in different types and severities. While it is not possible to completely rid the body of stretch marks, natural remedies can help improve their appearance.
Honey is one of the most common natural remedies to help reduce stretch marks. But the honey must be both raw and organic for it to work.
The honey must be raw, meaning unfiltered and unprocessed. Raw honey retains all the living nutrients and goodness of honey whereas supermarket honey has been processed until it contains virtually no goodness.
And the honey must be organic, meaning certified free of chemicals. Organic honey comes from beehives sited in locations where they are no building, roads or chemicals within a five mile radius.
This means that local honey in the UK, while it is often raw, it is not organic. It is almost impossible to site beehives in the UK where they can be guaranteed free of chemicals within that five mile exclusion zone.
Artificial chemicals, such as those found in skin creams and non-organic honey, can worsen stretch marks by interfering with the skin's natural healing process.
Applying raw organic honey can help reduce stretch marks, scars and blemishes on the skin in four ways:
1) Raw organic honey contains a high level of antibacterial activity, which can help to heal wounds in the skin and promote skin cell growth.
2) Free radicals are particles that harm skin cells and reduce collagen, making the skin lose its natural elasticity.
Raw organic honey contains a high level of antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that rid the body of free radicals and the damage they cause the skin.
3) Raw organic honey contains vitamins, minerals, and living enzymes, nutrients and good bacteria that nourish the skin and help it repair quickly.
4) Raw organic honey helps to hydrate the skin because it attracts and retains moisture.
The best way to use raw organic honey on the skin is to gently massage a very small amount of it into the skin just before bedtime because the body repairs itself during sleep.
Out of all our honeys, the best honey that we recommend for use on the skin is our award-winning Raw Organic Rivera Gum Honey from Uruguay. With a pollen count of over 85% eucalyptus, this is one of the world's purest eucalyptus honeys.
Eucalyptus is used in many skin creams due to its powerful skin healing properties. Honey coming almost exclusively from the eucalyptus plant, like our Raw Organic Rivera Gum Honey from Uruguay, retains these same skin healing properties.
Raw Organic Rivera Gum Honey from Uruguay is available exclusively from the Latin Honey Shop.