The most affordable alternative to over-the-counter or doctor-prescribed treatments is the home remedy for stretch marks. In fact, many of the products that claim to remove stretch marks can actually only diminish their appearance. Therefore, sometimes the remedies we find at home can even do a better job than the ones we pay for at the store. There are many types of home remedies that one can choose from. The following list will help you narrow down these options.
– Exercise
– Proper diet
– Natural and herbal formulas
Regular Exercise – If you want to spend little or nothing to get rid of stretch marks, then exercise would be a good option for you. Since stretch marks usually develop in areas like the thighs, abdomen, hips, and arms, there are some exercises to help you firm up these areas. Stretch marks only appear if the skin is quickly stretched to the limit and the elastic fibers break. Once the skin is tightened again, the appearance of the scars will diminish.
Focus on problem areas: The exercises are easy to do, and you don’t have to hire a trainer to teach them to you. You can start the regimen by doing twenty leg raises. You can also do inner thigh exercises to firm up this area of your leg. Another exercise that can firm up your entire thigh is swinging your legs. Simply sit in a chair and move your legs up and then down. All of these are very safe and you can even do them while talking on the phone. To firm up your bottom, lie face down on the floor with your arms by your sides. Lift your right leg up first and then down, and then do the same with the other leg. You don’t have to lift your leg too high; three to six inches from the ground will suffice.
The Goal: The goal for all exercises is to do twenty lifts for each exercise, three times a week. If you are too busy to do any of the exercises mentioned above, there are also other ways to keep your body fit and tight. You can walk instead of drive, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or clean your own lawn instead of hiring someone else to do it for you.
In addition to pregnancy, weight gain also causes stretch marks. Therefore, controlling your weight and eating a balanced diet will help you avoid scarring. Another easy home remedy for stretch marks is to eat the right foods. By eating fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants like vitamins A, E, C and D, these nutrients will scavenge harmful free radicals and will also firm your skin. Drinking plenty of water every day will also help improve skin elasticity and thus keep stretch marks away.
However, drinking plenty of water and eating well will not prevent pregnant women from the natural expansion of their bodies. This is the reason why natural and herbal solutions are still used as a home remedy for stretch marks. Here are some examples of what you can use to reduce stretch marks. Some of these cures may already be in your kitchen panties.
– Peanut Butter (maintains normal skin function) – Milk (softens and moisturizes skin) – Olive Oil (skin moisturizer discovered by the ancient Greeks) – Aloe Vera (heals overworked skin tissues) – Ground coffee (exfoliates the skin) – Grape seed oil (renews stressed skin tissue) – Vanilla extract (softens the skin)
The Natural Mix: There is also an easy home remedy recipe for stretch marks that uses cocoa butter, wheat germ oil, sesame seed oil, apricot kernel oil, vitamin E oil, grated beeswax and vanilla extract. Mix all ingredients except vanilla extract and heat mixture until beeswax and cocoa butter have melted. After removing it from the heat, mix in the vanilla extract. Once cooled, you can start massaging it into your skin, specifically the areas with stretch marks. If you do this every day, you can also prevent stretch marks from developing.