The Effect of Sesame, Sweet Almond and Sesame & Sweet Almond Oil on the Prevention of Striae and its Itching in Primiparous Women: A Triple-blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Striae Gravidarum is a physiological skin change that many women experience during pregnancy and causes stress and concerns about their beauty, self-esteem and other psychological problems by irritation and even ulcers in the affected areas. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of sesame, sweet almond, and sesame & sweet almond oil on prevention of striae and its itiching in primiparous women. Patients and Methods: This triple-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was done on 200 18-35 years old primiparous women which were in 16-20 weaks of pregnancy at 5 govermental health clinic affiliated to Arak. The subjects were allocated into three intervention groups and one control group by 4 and 8 blocks randomization. Intevention groups and control group received 1cc sesame, 1cc sweet almond and sesame oil, 1 cc sweet almond oil and 1cc Placebo, respectively, 2 times (1ml twice daily without massaging abdomen) for 16-20 weeks. Striae and itching severeity was evaluated with Davey and Kamini method respectively. chi-square, Kruskal–Wallis, independent t-test,exact fisher test and binary logistic regression were used to analyze data. Results: There was no significant statistical diffrences in general characteristics of the participants between study groups (p>0. 05). Striae at 35-38 weeks of pregnancy were observed in 60%, 16 %, 14%, and 82 % of participants in sweet almond, sesame, sesame & sweet almond oil and control groups, respectively (p<0. 001). The occurrence risk of striae significantly had been decreased in the sesame (adjusted OR=0. 04, CI =0. 01 to 0. 13), sweet almond (adjusted OR =0. 27, CI = 0. 10 to 0. 72), and sesame & sweet almond oil (adjusted OR=0. 03, CI =0.01 to 0. 10) comparing with the control group. Abdominal itching was significantly different (p<0. 001) among consumers of sweet almond (64%), sesame (10%), sesame & sweet almond oil (44%), and control group (78%). Conclusions: The sesame oil and combination of sesame and sweet almond oil were effective in reducing the occurrence of abdominal stria and its itching and sweet almond was effective just in reducing the occurrence of abdominal striae.