Removing stretch marks often involves laser surgery or outright excision of the skin similar to tummy tucks. With the advent of new technology and the rapid rate at which these technologies are advancing it has become quite safe and easy to perform these surgeries. Especially if you go to a highly rated physician or clinic with a good track record the risks will be greatly reduced.
Sad to say though, there are still risks involved. Besides the risks, these treatments tend to be expensive ranging around the thousands of dollars with repeated sessions if your particular case requires them. All hope is not lost however as there are natural alternatives to laser and surgical treatments. These treatments will rarely cost you over $100, or even $20! What’s more is that you can find the components for these treatments in your very own pantry.
1. Egg Whites
Quite a number of people swear by this. Egg whites are rich in protein so applying them onto your skin could help replenish the proteins your broken skin desperately needs. To apply, simply separate an egg and apply the egg white on the affected area. Let it dry and sit for 15-30 minutes. Wash off with warm water.
2. Potato Juice
Potato Juice. I know, sounded weird to me too. Yet, hundreds of people who have been afflicted with stretch marks don’t seem to think it’s too weird. The many reports of stretch mark improvement in as short as 6-8 weeks do tend to make a believer out of you.
To apply: simply slice a potato in half and rub the now exposed inside of the potato onto your skin. Let the juices sit on your skin for 15 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water. Some people take a bath and exfoliate their skins right before rubbing on the potato juice. Bathing tends to open your pores and the exfoliating action gets rid of your dead skin cells. This preps your skin to absorb more of the potato’s vitamins and minerals.
3. Lemon Oil
The healing properties of lemon juice is well known and documented but did you know that so much of the lemon’s healing properties are in its rind too? Lemon essential oil is extracted from lemon rind by pressing. Its astringent and anti-oxidant properties make it great for fresh looking rejuvenated skin.
Lemon oil is also known to heal scars and dark spots by encouraging skin resurfacing. In this respect, lemon oil can also be used to lighten stretch marks. Besides healing scars and stretch marks it will have you smelling fresh and fragrant too!
4. Olive Oil
The manifold benefits of this oil should be enough reason for anybody to make this a pantry staple. Rich in Vitamin E and omega fatty acids, olive oil is the reason why people living in the Mediterranean (or have diets similar to that of Mediterranean’s) have such low incidences of high blood pressure, stroke and heart failure. It is also the reason why Mediterranean woman have such thick lustrous hair and enviable glowing skin.
To add to its long list of benefits, olive oil also helps lighten stretch marks. It may not make the marks disappear completely it can decrease the marks’ appearance even prevent new ones from developing.
Apply some warm olive oil onto your skin right after you shower. Do at least once a day. A great trick to get the oil warm without having to heat it is to just rub it in between your palms before applying onto the affected area.
5. Aloe Vera
Although aloe vera may not decrease the appearance of marks significantly it can help lighten them. What aloe vera also does is provide moisture to your skin which may prevent stretch marks by making your skin more pliable. It also soothes the itchiness that can sometimes be caused by stretch marks.
Improving the appearance of your stretch marks can prove to be quite frustrating but with the natural remedies mentioned above, you may just win your fight against stretch marks this time around.
