Connective Tissue Creams - do they work for Diastasis Recti?
I am sure I am going to be wildly unpopular with this post …. But I am going to say it anyway – DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY!
Just like cellulite cream won’t magic your cellulite away, connective tissue cream won’t suddenly firm up your connective tissue.
I know, I know there are companies out their saying it will. I they even say there is scientific evidence that “Nutritional” therapy works.
I think the key here is the word NUTRITIONAL ….
You can check out my nutritional guide HERE
I hate to break it to you but putting a cream on your tummy is not the same as eating your vegetables – if it was we would all be healthy individuals!
There is totally proof that some foods can help in the repair of your connective tissue, foods high in Vitamin C, zinc and magnesium (to name just a few) for example.
But putting these on your skin is not the same.
You see, our outer layer of skin serves as a protective barrier to keep things that are outside of the body from penetrating inside the body.
The extent to which most substances that are applied to the skin can enter into the inner layer of the skin and reach the subcutaneous layer of fat is greatly limited by the effectiveness of the outer layer of the skin at creating a protective barrier.
If some metabolism, blood-flow, or connective-tissue effecting substance were actually able to sneak through the protective outer layer of the skin, the dosage that might make it though would likely not be at a level that has been shown necessary to have any significant effect on the body or its metabolism. In addition, any small effect that might be accomplished would only be temporary, lasting only as long as the cream is continually applied.
So you ASK, why does it seem to work for some people?
Well for one, it can take up to 18 months for collagen to repair and re-organise itself – so some of the repair maybe simply natural repair that would of happened even if they didn’t spend $50+ on cream.
Or, they are not using it on its own.
If you check out most creams they suggest changing your diet to be high in the foods that promote repair. They also suggest exercises to help with your repair, and sometimes even tapping or splints.
So you tell me – is the change due to the cream OR due to the other factors that have been changed?