Every mark on our body tells a story. Scars represent our strength, endurance, and remind us of how far we’ve come. Stretch marks are the same. They show the growth and changes our body goes through as a woman. Most stretch marks occur over the skin of the abdominal wall, but it is not uncommon for them to appear over the skin of the thighs, buttocks and breasts. They occur due to the rapid stretching of the collagen fibers in the skin as we gain or lose weight. The fibers are stretched beyond their elastic limit and so they get damaged. Initially purple or red, stretch marks become white, faint lines over time. The most common cause of stretch marks include pregnancy, stress, weight loss or gain, rapid growth, hormonal changes during puberty or hereditary factors.
Everyone should learn to love their scars and own them. In some instances, however, they can cause a person to become self-conscious and embarrassed. In such cases the best thing to do is to use natural remedies, to try and reduc stretch marks as opposed to trying more invasive, chemical procedures that can cause more harm than good.
Given below are 10 home remedies to reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
1. Lemon Juice
Lemon contains vitamin C which is food for the connective tissues of your body. It helps repair all the damaged collagen fibers in your body. Cut a lemon in half and rub it in a circular motion over the affected area. Try this everyday for 2 weeks for visible results.
2. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is great for any skin condition. It works by hydrating the skin and keeping it soft and supple. By applying coconut oil to your body, you not only cause your stretch marks to become faint, you also prevent them from reoccurring.
3. Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera has soothing properties which is why it is great to help repair the damage that cause stretch marks. It can be applied directly to the affected area overnight. Or you can make a mixture of 2 parts aloe and 1 part lemon juice and apply to the area until it tightens. Then rinse it with Luke warm water. Use for a month, once every week for best results.
4. Coffee
Coffee is a natural stimulant. When applied to the skin, it increases the blood flow to the skin, causing repair of damaged skin cells and fibers. Make a scrub of instant coffee and honey and massage on to the stretch marks in circular motions for a few minutes before rinsing with warm water. Try this twice every week.
5. Potato juice
It is not a very common knowledge that potato juice has healing properties. It is used for burn scars, melasma and various other skin problems. For stretch marks, take a piece of potato, freshly cut, and apply to the target area. Keep it on for a few hours or overnight. Try this everyday for a week and see the miraculous results.
6. Egg Whites
Egg whites contain a rich supply of various proteins. These proteins help tighten the skin which causes the stretch marks to become fainter. Whisk two egg whites with a fork and apply onto the skin. Wash after it hardens and use a moisturizer immediately after. Use daily for two weeks to see results.
7. Sugar
Sugar is a natural exfoliant. It helps remove the top layer of dead cells and causes the blood to surge up near the skin surface leading to repair of damaged cells. Make a scrub of white or brown raw granulated raw sugar with almond oil and use before taking a shower every day.
8. Castor Oil
Castor oil can moisturize the skin and rejuvenate it. Massage castor oil onto the affected area and place a clean cotton cloth on top. Apply heat on top of this cloth using a heating pad or hot water bottle. This will exhilarate the healing process and reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Do this every day for 30 minutes for a month for best results.
9. Lemon and Glycerin
Lemon has citrus acid. Put 1-2 drops of glycerin in lemon. Rub the lemon on the influenced region delicately. Rehash the procedure two times each day. It won’t just decrease the stretch imprints, but will also keep your skin hydrated.
10. Physical Exercise
Somehow, exercise is the answer to everything. By working your muscles and stretching your body, you gain back the elasticity lost from your skin. Exercising can increase the blood flow to different parts of the body and skin, initiating a repair process. By doing special exercises targeting the specific area, you can notably reduce the stretch marks and make your body more toned.