Scrolling through social media might make many of us shy away from wearing certain outfits, worrying they will expose the stretch marks. For someone who is inspired by the airbrushed flawlessness in pictures, these tiger stripes can become a big concern. But in reality, they are very common and not even a sign of any health issue.
Usually, stretch marks are the result of rapidly gaining or losing weight like during puberty or pregnancy. And let us tell you that your stretch marks do not diminish your beauty, rather they are physical symbols of the different phases in your life. But if they truly bother you, there are several home remedies to minimize stretch marks.
Reduce stretch marks with 6 home remedies
Stretch marks or Striae can fade significantly when you follow a few beauty regimes with dedication. So get ready to stick to these tips for better results and watch the intensity of these marks reduce over some time.
#1 Vitamin E infused products and supplements
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that nourishes the skin when used topically or taken internally. By increasing the intake of vitamin E-rich foods, you can slowly but steadily accelerate the fading of your stretch marks. Almonds, pumpkin, broccoli, spinach, papaya, olives, hazelnuts and pine nuts are all rich sources of Vitamin E.
Apart from food, you can use a vitamin-E rich body oil to massage regularly. Massaging improves blood circulation while the vitamins improve the skin texture and make it healthier. A good body massaging oil is the Coffee Body Polishing Oil which has coffee oil and vitamin E that can reduce cellulite and stretch marks when used daily.
#2 Coconut Oil
Stretch marks are scarring from excessive stretching of the skin. Coconut oil helps to reduce the marks considerably for its healing properties. It is a known home remedy for accelerating skin healing.
You can simply massage coconut oil like any other body oil before or after bath time daily. Some are averted by the scent of the oil. In these cases, you can mix it with other ingredients and use it as a scrub. But brewing a homemade scrub can get messy and time-consuming.
Instead, you can also try out an all-natural Coffee Body Scrub with coconut. The scrub has a fragrance of coffee but is infused liberally with coconut oil. Hence, the skin is moisturized and healed while getting rid of dirt and dead cells.
#3 Sugar
Sugar may not be the best thing to include in your diet, but when it comes to home remedies to stretch marks, it is one of the most effective options. You can make a scrub with sugar and perform microdermabrasion at home. Microdermabrasion is one of the few effective techniques of visibly reducing stretch marks.
To do this, take 1 cup of sugar and mix with 1/4th cup of any oil of your choice. Add lemon juice to the mixture. The result will be granular like wet sand. Now rub this on the areas with stretch marks for 8-10 minutes before a shower, several times a week. If done diligently for a few months, you will notice visible results.
#4 Aloe Vera Gel
Whether you use store-bought aloe vera gel or directly apply the gel extracted from the plan, it will be equally effective in reducing stretch marks when used daily. Aloe vera is a natural healing agent as well as a skin softener. While there is no specific study that proves aloe vera helps to fade stretch marks but it improves skin texture and reduces scar marks. The result takes time to show but eventually, they will fade to some extent.
#5 Apricots
Apricots are rich in Vitamin C and E. Adding them to your diet can significantly help to improve the elasticity of your skin. Also, you can use it as a scrub on the areas where you have stretch marks. Grind 2-3 apricots into a smooth paste and apply it to the areas with stretch marks. Leave it for 20 minutes and then scrub it off.
#6 Intense hydration and moisturization
When your skin is sufficiently hydrated and moisturized, its elasticity is also improved. This prevents further increase of the marks. Moreover, old marks will also fade slightly over the months when your diet is right as well as topical care regime.
Increase your water intake daily. Besides this, ensure the skin is staying hydrated thoroughly through a topical application as well. Body butter and lotions are essential regularly to keep your skin thoroughly moisturized. A moisturizer ideal for reducing stretch marks by improving the skin’s overall hydration is Choco Body Butter.
But before you hop on your regime, just know that stretch marks are nothing to be embarrassed about and it is not a necessity to get rid of them. But with quality products and dedicated home remedies, you can definitely make them lighter over time.
