A lot of people have stretch marks. Some don't really care about them, while others don't like the appearance of them. If you don't like stretch marks, it turns out there's a natural solution that might help.
What Causes Stretch Marks?
Stretch marks can appear for several reasons:
- Rapid weight loss or weight gain.
When your weight changes slowly, your skin and body can adjust to the changes. When it happens quickly, you have a better chance of developing stretch marks - Teenagers with growth spurts
As stated in the previous point, when teenagers go through growth spurts, your skin may stretch causing stretch marks - Pregnancy - another instance of bodily change
- Increased levels of cortisone in the body, which is naturally produced from the adrenal glands
Are Stretch Marks Bad?
Short answer, no. They mostly just affect self esteem if a person doesn't like how they look. The best thing to do is embrace it as something natural that many people have and experience, and just move on.
Do Stretch Marks Go Away Naturally?
Your skin may not go back to looking how it looked before marks occurred, but the stretch marks can get lighter and less visible. Here are some ways to reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
Shea Butter
Shea butter is full of Vitamin A and antioxidants, which are great for improving the elasticity of the skin. If you want to clear your stretch marks, then shea butter should become your best friend!
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil also has properties to remedy stretch marks. It is commonly used in many beauty products, and with good reason. Here are some things you can do with coconut oil
- Get a scoop of coconut oil and gently rub it into the areas that are prone to having stretch marks. Leave the oil on until the skin absorbs it completely. Repeat this uncomplicated procedure every day.
- Mix several drops of coconut oil with the same amount of olive or castor oil. Gently rub this mixture into the affected skin and leave it to absorb. Repeat every day.
- Mix half a cup of liquefied coconut oil and an equal amount of coffee grounds. You can use it right away or pour this mixture into a mould, leave it for five hours and then store it in the fridge. Either way, gently rub this remedy on your skin for several minutes and thoroughly wash it off. Repeat the same process three times a week.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is used frequently to remedy skin ailments, as it contains many nutrients. It can also help you in your fight against stretch marks. If they are just starting to show, aloe vera can be a great help in getting rid of them completely! Here are some of the many ways you can use it
- Get the gel of the aloe plant and gently rub it into the skin. Leave it on for fifteen minutes. Use lukewarm water to rinse it off and repeat this process every day.
- Mix the aloe vera gel and coffee grounds to create a paste. Apply this sort of scrub to your stretch marks. Leave the paste on the skin for twenty minutes and then wipe it away with a warm wet towel. Moisturize afterward with olive oil or shea body butter to reinforce the effects of using aloe vera.
- You can make a moisturizer out of aloe vera. Get a tablespoon of aloe gel, a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of wheat oil. Mix them together, put the mixture in an old moisturizer bottle or an airtight container and leave it in the fridge for the night. After that, just use this natural moisturizer every day as your regular moisturizer. If you want to make more of it, just mix the equal amounts of the three ingredients.
Lemon
Lemon is known for its lightening properties, and that is exactly what you need to make your stretch marks go away. Here are some recipes you can try yourself:
- Before going to bed, rub lemon slices or cotton balls dabbed in fresh lemon juice all over the skin that is covered in stretch marks. Leave it on the skin for the night and wash it all off in the morning. Repeat every night. If your skin is quite sensitive, we recommend you to add some rose water to the juice, or aloe vera.
- Mix the same amounts of fresh cucumber and lemon juice. Apply this liquid to your skin with your fingers, or use a cotton ball, and leave to dry. Then, carefully rinse it off. Repeat regularly.
- Mix two tablespoons of pure fresh lemon juice with a half cup of cocoa butter. With gentle rubbing motions, apply the mixture to the affected skin. Let the whole thing dry and then wash it all off.
- Combine a teaspoon of lemon juice a teaspoon of sugar and half a teaspoon of almond oil. Rub this mixture into your skin for ten minutes. Do this every single day before going to the shower for at least a whole month to see the results.
- Mix half a teaspoon of lemon juice, a teaspoon of Vitamin E and a teaspoon of olive oil. Apply it to your skin, leave it to dry and then wipe it off. Do this twice a day for a month for the result you are looking for
In short, don't be discouraged by stretch marks. They are natural and many people have them. But there are natural remedies to lighten the appearance such that they are less visible.