Causes And Remedies For Stretch Marks

  Everyone wants to retain their glowing skin forever, but skin loses its glowing youthfulness naturally with increasing age. According to dermatologists, stretch marks are narrow streaks or lines on the skin with an off colour hue.
Rapid growth, rapid weight gain or weight loss are the main reasons of stretch marks on the skin and other causes of stretch marks include puberty, pregnancy, bodybuilding and hormone replacement therapy. Stretch marks first appear as reddish lines and the lines are usually long and thin. The affected areas are soft to the touch and the lines can appear in any pars of the body but they generally appear in places where larger amounts of fat are stored like abdomen, breasts, upper arms, underarms, back, thighs, hips and buttocks.



Causes of Stretch Marks

 The causes of stretch marks are several. Here we have listed out a few common causes.

Stretch marks are common during pregnancy.
Rapid weight gain during a short period of time.
During puberty stretch marks appear on the boy’s shoulders and back and in case of girls they appear on their hips, thighs and breasts.
Heredity conditions.
Medical conditions such as Cushing’s syndrome and Marfan syndrome.


Natural Remedies to Reduce Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are the result of rapid stretching of the skin due to sudden growth or weight gain and it is best to treat this problem with effective home remedies that have absolutely no side effects.



Potato Juice

Potato juice helps us a lot to get rid of stretch marks. Potato contains starch, a product with emollient properties that soothes the skin. The presence of antioxidants in potatoes helps remove stretch marks.  Antioxidants are chemicals that transfer electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent and they can prevent or slow cell damage. After the formation, free reactive radicals start a chain reaction which can cause damage or death to a cell. Antioxidants are molecules that can interact with free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before vital molecules are damaged. Potato is a great source of Vitamin C, potassium, thiamine, riboflavin, folate, magnesium, phosphorous, iron and zinc.


Ingredients:

Potato – 1 (medium sized)

Lukewarm water

Knife

At first cut a potato into thick sized slices. Rub the slices gently over the stretch marks. Leave it for 5-10 minutes and thereafter wash off with lukewarm water.


Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is one of the most well known remedies for stretch marks. Aloe Vera leaves secrete a clear gel when broken off from the rest of the plant that can be applied to heal wounds and it also contains plant collagen which immensely helps repair the skin. Collagen is one of the most important proteins that make our skin elastic, supple and youthful. Collagen is really beneficial to the skin as they help to reduce wrinkles, fine lines, reverse age of skin, tighter skin, plump up skin and also improve the elasticity of skin.



 Ingredients:

Aloe Vera leaf
water

Remove the outer layer of the aloe vera leaf and bring out the sticky gel from the inside of the leaf. Then use the gel on stretch marks and wash off with water after two or three hours.


Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is one of the most well known stretch marks removal home remedy. It is a great source of alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) and Vitamin C. Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid which ensures the production of collagen. Collagen is a protein made up of amino acids and produces almost 30% of the proteins with in the body. They are found in strong structures of the body like in tendons, bones and ligaments. It helps the growth of cells and blood vessels and aids immensely to maintain the firmness and strength of the skin. Lemon juice also acts as a natural remedy for tan removal.



Ingredients:

Lemon – 1
Warm water

Divide the lemons into two halves and then take half piece of lemon and rub it on the stretch marks. Leave it for 10 minutes and wash off with warm water.


Egg White

Egg white is one of the best known home remedies for skin. It is rich in Vitamin A and collagen. Collagen is the main structural and the most abundant protein found in animal connective tissue and contains specific amino acids like glycine, praline, hydroxyproline and arginine. As it gives our skin firmness, suppleness and helps in the constant renewal of skin cells, it is really essential for our skin.

Ingredients:

Egg -1
Water

Take out the egg white by separating the yolk from the egg. Stir the egg white and apply it on the stretch marks. Leave it for 15 minutes and there after wash off with water.


Cocoa- Shea Butter Home Made Cream

The application of Cocoa- shea butter home made cream is effectively used for stretch marks removal. It is rich in antioxidants and Vitamin E. Antioxidants protect skin by limiting the production of free radicals which can damage skin cells. Vitamin E is one of the most powerful antioxidants that neutralizes free radicals and also helps prevent cellular damage from occurring. It also protects and repairs the skin.



Ingredients:

Cocoa- butter – 2 tea spoon
Shea butter-2 tea spoon
Vitamin E – 1 tea spoon

At first, melt shea butter and cocoa butter. After that, add vitamin E oil to the melted butters. Mix it well and store in a container. The cream will get into solid state once it cools down.



Castor Oil

Castor oil acts as a natural remedy for acne, stretch marks, sun burn, and dry skin. It also helps evade infections like warts, boils, athlete’s foot and chronic itching. Castor oil effectively treats ringworms, a common and stubborn skin problem across all age groups. Castor oil stimulates the production of collagen and elastin. Elastin is a protein in connective tissue that is elastic and allows tissues in the body to resume their shape after stretching. It also helps skin to return to its original position when stretched.



Ingredients:
Castor oil
Water

Apply a thick layer of castor oil on the stretch marks and wrap the area with plastic. Apply heat with a hot water bottle for 20 minutes.


Olive Oil

Olive oil contains four major antioxidants which allow it to work as a cleanser, moisturizer, and protector of skin.  Among these antioxidants are Vitamin A and Vitamin E. Vitamin E helps to neutra lize the oxidant effect of free radicals that damage collagen and it is the main reason of wrinkles, fine lines and skin dryness. Vitamin E  reduces the chain reaction of free radicals. Vitamin A thickens and stimulates the dermis and reduces wrinkles and fine lines naturally and increases blood flow to the surface of the skin.



Ingredient:

Olive oil
Massage slightly warm pure olive oil on the stretch marks and there after wash off with water.


Sugar

Sugar is one of the best home remedies to get rid of stretch marks. Sugar is a natural source of glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxic acid that stimulates the skin and helps generate younger and fresher looking skin. Sugar’s small particles are used in a number of body scrubs to exfoliate skin and remove dead skin cells. Alpha hydroxic acids are used to treat extremely dry skin, a condition that causes darkening of the skin. It reduces acne and sun burn.



Ingredients:

Sugar – 1 tea spoon
Almond oil
Lemon juice

Mix sugar, almond oil and lemon juice and stir it for 5 minutes. Apply it to the stretch marks and rub it for 10 minutes and there after wash off with water.

Say goodbye to stretch marks with these home remedies using all natural ingredients and don’t forget to share your beauty tips with us.

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