Stretch marks (1) are a huge problem for most of women who have experienced pregnancy. Besides, it also occurs with people who get intense workout for building muscle or those suffering from obesity. So what are stretch marks?
Basically, stretch marks are scars on the skin that have purple, red or pink color. In detail, those ugly marks on the body are the result of tearing of the dermis. Unfortunately, they can only reduce overtime but will not completely vanish.
Causes of Stretch Marks
The underlying cause of stretch marks is the sudden and rapid changes in weight, which can be the consequence of pregnancy, sudden weight loss or gain, rapid growth, stress or any other changes in physical conditions.
The only way to reduce and prevent stretch marks is to nourish your skin and increase its elasticity. Besides various cosmetic products containing chemical elements, you can easily use natural ingredients combined with a healthy lifestyle to effectively minimize the signs of the marks.
Let’s find out top 15 home remedies for stretch marks.
1. Manage Your Weight
Basically, stretch marks are caused by sudden changes in weight, which explains why pregnant women or those who are working hard for muscle building often get these ugly marks. Accordingly, try not to lose or gain more than one pound a week so as to assist the treatments for stretch marks and avoid the formation of new ones.
With pregnant women, even though you are eating for two, it is not advisable to gain more than 22 to 28 pounds during pregnancy to ensure the development of the baby. For muscle building, do not be tempted to build up so quickly to prevent stretch marks.
2. Dry Brushing
Dry brushing is often used in skin exfoliation to remove dead skin cells and dirt, thus accelerating the absorption of oils, cream and lotions to the skin. This helps a lot to nourish skin cells and improve the structure of the skin. Furthermore, dry brushing is also able to improve the blood circulation, which is good for toxin elimination. Accordingly, if you want to know how to get rid of stretch mark, do not miss this method of exfoliating the skin.
For the best effect, dry brushing should be done on dry skin. Use a soft bristle brush with a long handle to brush your skin in various body parts like arms, thighs, and abdomen from outside toward the heart. Do this daily for about 5 minutes.
3. Avoid Products with Corticosteroids
Some of products containing corticosteroids possess a huge risk of causing permanent stretch marks on the body if they are used frequently in a long time. More seriously, this type of products is also one of the major reasons leading to skin atrophy and skin cancer. Accordingly, it is highly recommended to only use these medications when necessary and in a short time.
4. Increase Fluid Intake
Water plays a vital role in our life, in which it helps us to carry nutrients as well as oxygen though out the body. With a proper amount of water daily, your skin cell is likely to receive more nutrients and oxygen, which is beneficial for the formation of new cells and repair process of damaged cells. In other words, water helps better nourish and promote the healing process of the skin. Therefore, it is advisable to take in at least 2 liters of water on daily basis. You should also use other kinds of fluid like tea, smoothies, etc.
5. Change Your Diet
Notably, what you eat directly affect your health and appearance. If you want to improve the skin, it is apparent to take in more nutrients that are good for this largest part of the body. Specifically, to improve the condition of stretch marks, you ‘d better take in more vitamins such as vitamin A, C, E, along with various minerals like zinc, silica and antioxidants. All of these substances work to accelerate the production of collagen, promoting new cell growth and repair process of damaged cells.
You can easily find these elements in vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.
6. Exercise
Exercise is essential for everybody even though they are suffering from any health and beauty problems or not. By doing exercise at least 15-30 minutes daily, you can effectively improve the blood circulation, thus benefiting the skin cells and increasing the elasticity of the skin. Plus, while you are doing exercise, there will be a considerable amount of toxins excreted out of the body through sweating.
7. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has been a great companion of women in treating various health and beauty problems, including treatments for stretch marks. The way applying coconut oil is quite simply. All you need to do is use a proper amount of coconut oil to rub gently on your sin for a few minutes so that the essential nutrients can be completely absorbed. For better effect, you can slightly warm up the ingredient before using.
Other alternatives for coconut oil can be olive oil, tea tree oil, cocoa butter and so on.
8. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera has never failed any one when it comes to skin problems thanks to its soothing and healing properties, along with the natural collagen in the plant. By repairing the skin tissues, aloe vera is trusted to use in treatments for stretch marks.
To make use of the plant, take a leaf of aloe vera, cut it open and take the gel inside. Use the extracted gel to apply topical to the affected areas and massage for a few minutes. Leave it on for about 2 hours before washing off with water.
9. Sugar
Being such a great ingredient used for exfoliation, sugar can be all you need to get rid of stretch marks. Specifically, to stimulate new cell growth increase the elasticity of the skin, removing dead skin cells is necessary. Fortunately, sugar is among the simplest and most effective exfoliator.
Take a tablespoon of sugar and add into it a few drops of lemon juice and almond oil. Mix them well together then directly apply it to the marks and massage the area for some minutes. Finally, rinse off with water.
10. Oil Blends
Sometimes, one type of oil cannot work alone but a combination of two or more different oils and other ingredients can do magic with your skin. For instance, if you find it useless to use only olive oil to treat your stretch marks, mix it with two teaspoons of almond oil, one teaspoon of lavender oil and half teaspoon of chamomile oil. Use the mixture to massage the affected area. Alternatively, simply mix some coconut oil and cocoa butter together to get a new effective home remedy for stretch marks.
11. Egg White
Egg white is believed to contain a huge quantity of protein, vitamin A and especially collagen. Therefore, it is often used to stimulate the collagen production, thus treating burns, scars and even getting rid of stretch marks.
Obtain the egg white by separating the yolk then beat them with a fork to get a perfect mark. Use the mask to apply to the affected area. After 15 minutes, wash it off with water.
12. Potato Juice
Potatoes possess an immense quantity of vitamins and minerals necessary for skin, which makes it a perfect solution to get rid of stretch marks and other skin problems.
Take a medium-sized potato and cut it into several thick slices. Use these slices to rub on the affected area for some minutes. Let the juice dry naturally before rinse it off with water.
13. Lemon Juice
Among effective home remedies for stretch marks, lemon is standing out for its ability to quickly reduce the signs of those ugly marks on the body. Besides, the fruit can also deal with many other problems, especially acne and blemishes.
Squeeze a lemon to get its juice. Use it to massage the affected area for at least 10 minutes before washing off with water.
14. Alfalfa Leaves
The amino acids are the main reason making alfalfa leaves a hero fighting back stretch marks on the various body parts. Besides, the herb also contains other kinds of vitamins and proteins that are extremely beneficial for the skin cells.
Put a few drop of chamomile oil into a certain amount of alfalfa powder so that you can get a paste. Use the paste to apply onto the affected area and gently massage it. Finally wash it off with water.
15. Cocoa Butter
Being rich in nutrients, cocoa butter is able to make great treatments for stretch marks by reducing the signs of condition as well as improve the skin structure.
Slightly heat up the mixture of cocoa butter, wheat germ oil, tea kernel oil, grated beeswax and vitamin E oil. After that, use it to apply topically to the affected area. Massage for a few minutes before washing it off.
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Sources:
[2] https://lethomeremedies.com
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