Everyone goes hush hush! No one wants to talk about the one thing we lose our sleep over sometimes. Stretch marks – an unwelcomed guest that is so difficult to get rid of (at least not entirely)! Well, first:
let us all calm down and see how they are formed so we could see what steps can be taken to remedy them.
Good news is despite the appearance it poses no harm to our health. So that’s a relief!
When there are rapid changes taking place in our body such as during pregnancy or sudden weight gain, you skin stretches causing the bundles of collagen on the top layer of our skin to tear. Although we are all prone to get some stretch marks at some point of our life, those with thinner skin (less elasticity) have a higher chance of visibility.
With all honesty, we must say you can’t get rid of them,100%, but specific products and procedures can progressively make these marks less prominent.
Are there home remedies?
Yes. There are remedies to help minimise stretch marks that are already visible on your skin. Here are some:
• Sugar
Mix one cup of sugar with a quarter cup of coconut oil (or olive oil). Then add a half a lemon squeeze and apply the mixture on the area you like to exfoliate (in this case - on top of the stretch mark). Leave it for about 5-10 minutes and scrub it for another 5 minutes or so. Then wash it off under the shower. You can repeat this about twice or thrice a week.
• Aloe Vera
Benefits of pure Aloe Vera extracts are immense and have been used since ancient times for its healing qualities. Time and time again we have used Aloe Vera when we’ve had a burn or a cut as kids and marvelled at how quickly our wounds healed. Using the same logic, you can try applying Aloe Vera extract or a product that contains it on your stretch marks. Since there are no harmful effects, you carry out this practice every night.
• Coconut oil
Our go-to elixir – coconut oil, always to the rescue!
If we were to discuss the benefits of coconut oil on our skin – this is going to be a very lengthy post. That’s how beneficial it is to our surface. (If you haven’t already read our uses of coconut oil post, click here.) The healing properties of coconut oil can be of assistance in reducing the redness of our stretch marks – quickening the healing process of the appearance.
• Vitamin
A Being a retinoid vitamin A can make the skin appear smoother and more youthful. Many cosmetic creams with vitamin A are available in the market. You could also consider taking it as a dietary supplement to contribute to the overall appearance of your skin.
Can some products help?
Yes. If you find it difficult to choose from hundreds of products that claim to remove stretch marks - look for a product that has
• some sort of a healing agent (such as hyaluronic acid) as an ingredient.
• A hydrating ingredient as shea or cocoa butter
• Vitamin E and A
Besides the above combination, some products also contain Aloe Vera, collagen, essential oils and elastin which can also contribute to yielding satisfactory results.
We recommend Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Pump Body Lotion. The high-quality cocoa butter of this product will act as a rich natural moisturiser and leave your skin soft and silky smooth. To top it all off, the inclusion of Vitamin E – a powerful antioxidant; will help reduce scars, stretch marks, and other skin imperfections. Soon enough the Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Pump Body Lotion will be your go-to everyday beauty essential.
All always beauty advice is best when it’s shared with your friends. It’s still nice to let them in on something we’ve come across – something that we know would benefit them as well!