To keep tummy and breast stretch marks at bay and relieve the itchy dry skin I’ve experienced during pregnancy, I started looking into natural oils versus creams and lotions with all the added chemicals. I’m not super crunchy-granola, but I just feel better slathering an all-natural product on my pregnant self twice a day since it’s being absorbed into my body.

I saw a bunch of recommendations for sweet almond oil on pregnancy boards and then read that supposedly French women use this to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy in “Bringing Up Bebe,” which clinched that for me…what can I say? I’m one of those American suckers who happily goes along with stuff slapped with a French endorsement. I confess, I love it so far–no more itchy skin and just a few faint stretch marks on the hips half-way through the pregnancy.

While looking into oils, I also read a lot about jojoba oil. I discovered that jojoba oil has antibiotic, antifungal and antimicrobial properties in addition to being a wonderful moisturizer for skin that can protect skin cells, reduce wrinkles and scar tissue, and–YAY!–fade stretch marks.

I like this pure jojoba oil, around $6-$13 for 4 oz.

I decided to put this seemingly miracle oil to the test. After getting a rash that turned into a yeast infection under my breasts and in my cleavage from wearing an old too-big-band bra around my 13th week of pregnancy, my midwife recommended using an antifungal cream. I decided I’d first try jojoba oil on my breasts to see if it might work. I experienced relief from the itching that day and was shocked when my breast yeast infection cleared within two days!

I’ve continued to use it over the past 8 weeks, and I’ve noticed:

a decrease in boob sweat
no noticeable odor from my breasts, which I attribute to the antifungal properties of the oil
no further rashes under my breasts or breast yeast infections
faded breast stretch marks; I’d developed new purple-y stretch marks about 10 weeks in, but they are not so obvious and angry looking anymore, plus it seems like several have faded to a white-ish color
I also have ousted the offending too-big-band bras from my drawer, which I know has helped with the boob sweat and rashes. My new tighter band bras aren’t moving around my ribcage, increasing the amount of friction between my breasts and bras like my old ones (friction = heat = sweat and possibly rashes). If you’re experiencing these symptoms, definitely double check that your bra band isn’t too big (start here or here).

For more reading, here are a few links on the benefits of jojoba oil:

http://www.dailyglow.com/articles/245/skin-care-treatments/jojoba-oil-for-skin-care.html

http://www.livingfithealthyandhappy.com/2010/10/jojoba-oils-medicinal-properties-make-it-a-great-natural-skin-care-ingredient.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/150986-jojoba-oil-during-pregnancy/

http://soaperschoice.com/soapoils/jojoba.html

http://thejojobaoil.com/