Most women or mothers suffer from stretch marks after pregnancy or during pregnancy, but that’s not the only cause for it. Men also experience stretch marks and so do the women who are not pregnant. Stretch marks occur due to a sudden weight gain or weight loss. There is no denying the fact that stretch marks can turn out to be quite annoying and uncomfortable. Be it teenagers or adults, or mothers. People of all age groups can experience stretch marks.
In order to steer clear of the harmful side-effects, one can get rid of stretch marks with natural home remedies There are various natural products or effective ways that can help reduce stretch marks and tighten the skin completely.
In this article, we will focus on various simple home remedies to get rid of pregnancy stretch marks.
What are stretch marks?
Stretch Marks are also called striae, which happen when your skin changes shape rapidly due to growth or weight gain. They aren’t a sign that anything is wrong with your health or body.
Both men and women can get stretch marks on specific occasions like pregnancy and puberty. At first, a stretch mark will appear as a thin red or purple line on your skin that takes on a different texture than the surrounding skin layer. Eventually, most stretch marks (R) fade and take on a lighter or almost translucent color, and become shiny.
Getting rid of pregnancy stretch marks in a completely natural way isn’t likely. However, there are some remedies that can help minimize or get rid of the appearance of stretch marks and help them to fade more quickly.
Check Out These Natural Home Remedies For Stretch Marks.
Natural Remedies for Pregnancy Stretch Marks:
1. Cocoa Butter:
Cocoa butter and shea butter are rich in unsaturated and saturated fatty acids that are easily absorbed into the skin. The very important aspect of cocoa butter is that it hydrates the skin and replenishes the skin cells very easily. Shea butter contains vitamins A and E as well, which help in improving the elasticity of the skin and prevent dryness. A combination of these two works great for pregnancy stretch marks.
Ingredients:
- Organic cocoa butter or
- Shea butter
How to do:
- Take some shea butter or organic cocoa butter and apply on the stretch marks area regularly. Rinse off the area after 20 mins.
How often:
- Reapply twice a day
2. Aloe-Vera:
This is one of the best natural methods or remedies for pregnancy stretch marks to reduce the appearance of stretch marks and lighten them. Aloe vera gel or aloe vera promotes healing and shows visible results in a few days. It also soothes the skin and keeps it hydrated. Aloe vera is a plant that helps in regenerating skin tissues and has miraculous healing properties.
Ingredients:
- An aloe-vera leaf
How to do:
- Remove the outer layer of aloe-vera leaf and take out the gel inside the leaf.
- Apply the gel on the affected area of stretch marks
- Wash it with water after 2-3 hours
How often:
- Apply it twice a day.
3. Petroleum Jelly:
Petroleum jelly forms a protective layer on the affected area of the stretch marks and prevents pregnancy stretch marks. It also helps in moisturizing the skin. It promotes a speedy recovery from the skin stretch marks of mothers. Petroleum jelly is an occlusive agent, which means that it locks in moisture in the skin. This heals dry and stretched skin.
Ingredients:
- Petroleum jelly
How to do:
- Take some petroleum jelly and apply directly on the affected areas
- Leave it for 15-20 mins.
How often:
- Do this every night before you go to sleep.
4. Dry Brushing:
Dry brushing stimulates the blood and lymph circulation in the body. This causes enough nutrients to reach pregnancy stretch marks. It also helps in easy and better elimination of toxins from the area. Dry brushing (R) enhances the functionality of the oil and sweat glands and exfoliates the dead skin cells. This gives you smooth, soft, and blemish-free skin. This acts as a simple home remedy to get rid of pregnancy stretch marks.
Ingredients:
- Body brush
- It must be soft and natural bristles
How to do:
- Gently brush the affected area with the dry brush
- Continue brushing for 5-6 minutes.
- Take Shower once done and apply a good moisturizer.
How often:
- Follow this every day during your bath.
5. Egg Whites:
Egg whites are high in proteins and amino acids. Egg white is a superfood for the skin and stretch marks. When applied on stretch marks, the egg white helps to lighten the marks and the skin. It rejuvenates the skin and makes it look fresh.
Ingredients:
- 1-2 egg whites
- Brush
How to do:
- Beat the egg and extract only the whites lightly and apply with the brush on the affected areas of stretch marks.
- Add a couple of drops of coconut oil or almond oil to the egg white for additional benefits
- Let it dry for 10-15 mins.
- Rinse with cool water and apply to moisturize.
How often:
- Do it thrice a week for better results.
6. Coffee Beans:
The caffeine from the coffee grounds can easily penetrate your skin and revitalize the skin cells by stimulating circulation in the body. The combination with coffee beans and along with the olive oil ensures that plenty of nourishment is supplied to the affected area that heals the stretch marks. Coffee also contains antioxidants that reverse the damage and offer photoprotection(R).
Ingredients:
- Ground coffee beans
- 2 tablespoon of olive oil
How to do:
- Mix the coffee grounds and olive oil well.
- Use this mixture as a scrub on the affected stretch mark areas.
- Massage gently in circular motions on the affected area.
- Leave the scrub on for five minutes and
- then rinse with water.
How often:
- Do this for 2-3 times in a week.
7. Apple Cider Vinegar:
The apple cider vinegar (R) is an actually amazing remedy for fighting the pregnancy stretch marks. The antimicrobial properties in apple cider vinegar help killing the microbe causing the infection or stretch marks in mothers. Apple cider vinegar also contains acetic acid which helps in treating skins related issue and protect the skin from infection.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- Spray bottle
How to do:
- Dilute the apple cider vinegar with water and pour it into a spray bottle.
- Spray it on the stretch marks affected area and let it dry naturally.
- Leave it overnight.
- Shower in the morning and follow up with a good moisturizer after it.
How often:
- Repeat this every night.
8. Baking Soda and Lime:
One of the best home remedies to get rid of pregnancy stretch marks is baking soda. Baking soda is a natural skin exfoliator. It removes the layer of damaged and dead skin cells that cause stretch marks. Lemon (or lime) juice possesses as a skin bleaching property that will help in fading away the appearance of the pregnancy stretch marks.
Ingredients:
- 1-2 spoon of baking soda
- 1/2 lime juice
How to do:
- Mix both the ingredients and apply the mixture on the stretch marks.
- Let it dry for 10-15 minutes and
- Remove using a gentle scrubbing motion.
- Rinse with water.
How often:
- Do it thrice a week.
9. Essential Natural oils:
All the essential natural oil massage will keep the skin moisturized, and that which increases its elasticity and helps to heal scars as quickly as possible. The carrier oils provide nourishment and hydration, whereas the essential oils provide antioxidants and healing compounds. The damage caused due to the stretching of the skin can be reversed if this remedy is used twice a day without fail.
Ingredients: anyone out of this
- Coconut oil
- Almond oil
- Mustard oil
- Jojoba oil
- Castor oil etc
How to do:
- Prepare a DIY moisturizer by mixing a few drops of your favorite essential oils with a carrier oil
- Massage the affected area with this oil for a few minutes.
- Leave the oil on for as long as possible.
How often:
- Do this twice in a day.
10. Honey:
Honey has an ample number of benefits on health and skin. This is another common form of home remedies for pregnancy stretch marks in mothers. Honey has a powerful immunoregulatory and antimicrobial properties in it. That has the healing power in dealing with the rashes in mothers.
Ingredients:
- 1-2 tablespoon honey
How to do:
- Take small cotton and dip in honey
- Apply honey on the stretch mark area.
- Place the cotton on the affected area and let it remain until it turns dry.
- Rinse off using warm water.
How often:
- Do this twice a day.
11. Sugar:
Sugar is one of the best natural remedies for pregnancy stretch marks. It exfoliates your dead skin, and the stretch marks turn lighter. Microdermabrasion (R) performed by a dermatologist is one of the few clinically proven methods to make stretch marks fade. So this home remedy seems worth a try to get rid of stretch marks.
Ingredients:
- Sugar
- Some essential oil of your choice
- Few drops of lemon juice.
How to do:
- Mix one cup of sugar with coconut oil, before mixing it to a consistency of wet beach sand.
- Add some lemon juice to it.
- Scrub the mixture on the part of your body where the stretch marks are.
- Apply the mixture for 10-15 mins.
- Wash it off.
How often:
- Repeat several times a week.
12. Potato juice:
Potatoes contain starch and other skin lighting enzymes which is why they are often used to lighten dark circles or stretch marks, spots and blemishes from the skin. It bleaches the skin and effectively reduces the visibility of stretch marks when applied regularly and act as an excellent natural remedy to prevent pregnancy stretch marks.
Ingredients:
- potato
How to do:
- Cut a potato into two halves and rub one-half over the stretch marks.
- Allow the juice to soak into the skin and let it dry.
- Then rinse off the area using lukewarm water
How often:
- Do this every day.
Reasons Behind The Stretch Marks:
1. Pregnancy
Most women develop stretch marks during pregnancy as the fibers in the skin become soft and the skin gets stretched, as the mother’s womb is busy in making room for the developing baby. As the baby grows, stretch marks appear on the tummy, thighs, and breasts due to the continual tugging and stretching of the baby.
2. Puberty
During puberty, youngsters experience a sudden growth spurt and might rapidly gain or lose weight. This sudden stretching and contracting of the skin lead to stretch marks on hips, thighs, and breasts. This happens with both men and unmarried women who are not mothers.
3. Weight Gain
Stretch marks also occur due to weight gain in a short period of time as the skin stretches suddenly over the course of time. Similarly, they also appear if you are on a diet, due to the fluctuating weight. It is therefore advisable to everyone to lose weight gradually so that the skin is not strained.
4. Corticosteroids
Corticosteroid creams, lotions, and pills used to treat certain skin diseases can also be one of the reasons in causing stretch marks as they bring down the collagen levels in your skin. This decreases the skin’s ability to stretch and makes you prone to developing a stretch mark.
5. Genetics
If your parents have stretch marks, then you are most likely to have them too. That has been proved through the genetic study.
6. Health conditions
Rare health conditions such as Cushing’s syndrome, Marfan’s syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos and other adrenal gland disorders cause stretch marks due to various reasons. In Cushing’s syndrome, the body tends to overproduce the hormone cortisol, which causes these stretch marks. Meanwhile, Marfan syndrome is the result of a faulty gene that makes the body’s skin and connective tissues weak, and result in reducing their elasticity, thus increasing the chances of developing stretch marks.
7. Body Building
Bodybuilders very commonly face the problem of stretch marks. Rapid growth in muscle mass and sometimes the misuse of anabolic steroids accelerate the growth of muscle that leads to the appearance of stretch marks.
Tips of Getting Rid of Stretch Marks:
- Add some vitamin E oil to an unscented moisturizer and apply it to the affected area to reduce stretch marks.
- Massage egg white with oil regularly from the first trimester since this can prevent the appearance of stretch marks in the course of time. Gently massage egg oil over the abdomen twice a day. Do this from the eighth week of pregnancy until six months after delivery of a baby.
- For older stretch marks, you can use SPF 60 directly on the affected areas of stretch marks. The tanning with high SPF lotion conceals the stretch marks it can how to prevent pregnancy stretch marks.
- Performing some simple exercises and stretches exercise during pregnancy, like stretching and Kegel exercises can help in improving the blood circulation.
- You can also try a combination of pregnancy yoga and pilates to maintain a healthy weight also. It will prevent body weight from shooting up suddenly.
- An adequate amount of water should be consumed by the mother during pregnancy and after the delivery. This helps to increase the elasticity of the skin and reduce the stretch marks. Stay hydrated by drinking 8-12 glasses of water every day. Have some herbal teas without caffeine to stay hydrated as per your liking.
- If you are going to spend some time outdoors during your pregnancy, keep your skin protected with a good sunscreen brand.
- Bio-oil is a commercial stretch mark remover which helps to remove stretch marks.
- Use Vaseline daily to soothe itching and redness caused by the stretch marks during pregnancy.
- Removing stretch marks is a cosmetic procedure, just like liposuction and breast surgery. So, think about the pros and cons before going for such kind of treatments. Refer to your doctor before undergoing the process.
- Always include a balanced and nutritious diet rich in zinc, silica, vitamins C and E and other nutrients that will nourish the skin. Vitamin C, in general, regenerates the connective tissue. Zinc synthesizes collagen and silica produces collagen. Try to eat foods rich in sources such as blueberries, strawberries, carrots, green beans, collard greens, spinach, and nuts, etc.
Treating stretch marks with natural ways is not something that happens overnight. It will require a lot of your time and patience but trust me, the results will be fruitful and amazing. So now that you have some easy, simple and useful home remedies to deal with stubborn stretch marks, start right away to see the change in your skin.
