Stretch marks can be a pain to deal with. After bottles and bottles of stretch mark creams, the trial and error process can be quite exasperating. If it helps though, you are not alone in this. Hundreds and thousands of men and women around the globe are also dealing with the same thing as you are.
To further expand your treatment options, below are some of the most popular natural remedies that are used to improve the appearance of stretch marks.
1. Aloe Vera
The aloe vera has been known to help with burns, help reduce scarring and moisturize skin. Although it might not be able to completely remove stretch marks it can sure help soothe the itching that sometimes accompanies the development of these marks.
To do this simply cut off an aloe vera leaf and gently peel off the outermost layer of the leaf. Squeeze out the gel and apply to the affected area. Aloe vera is also great as a hair conditioner.
2. Lemon & Olive Oil
Olive oil-what can’t this oil do? From lowering risk of heart disease to treating dry skin and psoriasis it seems that this is the closest to a miracle food that we can get. Olive oil, the really good kind, is stone pressed out of the olive fruit. The oil, which is rich in healthy fatty acids, is a great moisturizer and a great way to prevent stretch marks. Visibly reducing the marks is another story especially if the marks have been around for a while.
To apply, warm some olive oil in a saucepan or just rub them in between your palms to warm if you’re feeling a little bit lazy. Next, massage them onto the area for around 5 minutes in circular motion. The massaging motion will not only help the olive oil penetrate deeper into the skin, it will also help increase blood circulation and promote stretch mark healing.
A great type of oil to use along with olive oil is lemon oil. The astringent properties in the lemon oil will help hasten skin renewal and hopefully improve the texture of your stretch marks. You may either put the lemon oil on after lathering on the olive oil or mix the lemon oil in the olive oil and make a mixture.
3. Shea Butter
Despite not having any sort of clinical trial or peer reviewed research to provide back up on its claims, many a stretch mark plagued woman swears by shea butter. Shea butter is the fat extracted from the shea nut. Grown mostly in Africa it has long been used as a moisturizing cosmetic base and even a base for medical ointments.
Shea butter is a deep moisturizer. That is probably its most beneficial property when it comes to dealing with stretch marks. So many who have used this product swear that after a few months (usually around 3-6 months) of using this moisturizer their stretch marks have visibly reduced in appearance. Similar to olive oil, the shea butter’s virtues probably lie on its ability to make the skin moisturized and pliant enough to be resistant to the development of stretch marks.
4. Argan Oil
Another kind of wonder oil, Argan oil has been around for ages especially in Morocco where the Argan tree is endemic. Recently though, it has found global fame as its benefits have started circulating across the globe through whispers in the beauty and cosmetic community.
Argan oil has been popularly advocated as a moisturizer and treatment for acne, psoriasis, eczema, scars and even rheumatism. It has also been linked to stretch mark prevention as it prevents the breakdown of collagen and elastin. Its ability to not only prevent the breakdown of collagen and elastin but also encourage their regeneration has been linked to its success as a stretch mark treatment.
5. Vitamin C
Simply taking your daily dose of Vitamin C could improve your chances against stretch marks. Vitamin C is crucial in the synthesis of collagen and making it more available in your system could make your skin that much more taut and resilient to unwanted changes.
Besides boosting your immunity and allegedly fighting off the common cold, vitamin C is also credited with enhancing skin brightness and glow.
The options mentioned above may or may not do the job for you. Good news is, they are all natural and are not bad for you either. For best results, we would suggest applying these treatments in tandem with other treatments.
