Stretch marks can make you feel conscious and uncomfortable about your appearance and decrease your confidence level. But the question is, what exactly are stretch marks? Sometimes, the skin is stretched due to reasons such as pregnancy, excessive or sudden weight gain or loss and even rapid growth of body during the teenage years (hormonal changes), heredity, and so on. Or, during heavy exercising, the body stretches greatly, which results into stretch marks. The skin gets stretched beyond the power of its flexibility due to rapid contraction or expansion, hence the collagen gets damaged. This eventually leads to fine scars under the top layer of the skin. These scars are red or pinkish initially, and in the long run, turns white and a silvery line appears on the skin surface, producing what we call, a stretch mark. Both men and women can get stretch marks on their thighs, abdomen area, hips, breasts, upper arms and several other areas.
Stretch marks lower your self-esteem. These marks won’t go away on their own and efforts need to be undertaken to remove them to some extent. Fortunately, there are some ways to help you with the same. So here a few effective tips to get rid of those, and enjoy the luxury of having flawless skin!
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Keep yourself hydrated
Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day to keep yourself fresh and hydrated. None of the techniques will work if your skin is not full of suppleness. Regular intake of warm water will moisturize the skin, keep stretch marks at bay and also prevent new ones from forming. Water consumption removes the harmful toxins from your system which are accountable for making your skin flaky and dry. A well-hydrated body will also increase the elasticity of your skin, hence is exceptionally helpful in removing those stretch marks, which just never seem to let go! With a detoxified skin, your body will restore the lost elasticity of your skin. Along with that, water helps to control your weight, which will automatically reassure no new born stretch marks to appear in unexpected places.
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Follow a proper diet
Following a balanced diet is a must. The skin needs proper nourishment for it to be healthy and immaculate. For that, you need to indulge yourself with lots of protein-enriched foods, such as egg whites, yogurt, nuts and seeds, peanuts, almonds, fish, etc. Intake of vitamin C and E are also highly recommended as it helps in growth of skin tissues. Foods such as green leafy veggies, carrots, oranges, papaya, and pepper are rich in vitamin C, whereas wheat, olive oil, spinach are full of vitamin E. They promote skin collagen formation. Apparently, zinc is an important component, which is somewhat responsible for the production of enzymes which repair skin wounds. Try to avoid saturated fats and deep fried food as it results in weight gain.
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Use egg whites
Egg whites can be a useful remedy to help reduce the stretch marks to a minimal. An egg is a wonder, containing up to 40 different types of proteins. Naturally, it will be beneficial for your skin and help repair it. It is rich in collagen and vitamin A, which cures scars. It is worth a shot! Separate the egg white from the yolk and beat it. After that, just rub it on the affected area, three times a day for 10-15 minutes. Finally, wash it off with water and apply a moisturizer. Egg oil is also a great substitute, just massage the oil on the persistent marks, and you are good to go! It will definitely be worth it.
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Olive oil to your rescue!
Olive oil has a high concentration of vitamin E, which is superb for your skin. It is an excellent way to remove the stretch marks obtained especially during pregnancy. Vitamin E is exceptionally good when it comes to treating your skin. Higher the concentration of this vitamin, more advantageous it would be. It restores your skin tissue. The main purpose of this oil is to soften the skin. By doing so, the skin will expand, making the stretch marks less likely. Start applying from an early stage for better results. Other than being rich in vitamin E, it is also a very good source of antioxidants. The oxygen from these antioxidants softens the skin and makes it supple. In due course of time, these stubborn marks will start disappearing. Use lukewarm olive oil to massage in the affected areas, which would increase the blood circulation. Let the skin absorb the oil for a few minutes and allow the treatment to take its course.
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Aloe Vera can help too
Aloe Vera is nature’s gift to us. It has immense healing and soothing properties. It is exceptionally popular among the ardent followers of home remedies. It treats skin problems with ease. This valuable herb repairs human skin and contains collagen, which is ideal for treating stretch marks. It is one of the most sought after herb. There are numerous ways in which it can be applied. One way if to directly apply it in the area involved, leave it undisturbed for 15 minutes so that it gets soaked up properly, and then rinse it off with lukewarm water. Other than that, we can add one-fourth cup of Aloe Vera gel, vitamin E and vitamin A in small quantities in a bowl. Rub it judiciously on the marks until it gets assimilated completely. Repeating this daily will help in fading out these marks to a large extent.
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Sugary delight
Surprised yet? Sugar is actually considered a first class treatment to say goodbye to stretch marks. Sugar does a great job in exfoliating your skin and gives it a natural glow. White sugar and almond oil are one of the best combinations to combat stretch marks. Mix it well, rub it on your body, leave it for as long as you feel like and then take a nice warm bath to wash it away. On top of that, you will smell divine too! Other than this, you can mix a tablespoon of raw sugar and almond oil, with a few additional drops of lemon juice to add that extra punch. After thoroughly mixing it well, apply it on the required areas, then take a shower. Keep repeating this cautiously for a month and observe the changes.
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Alfalfa anyone?
Alfalfa is very effective as far as removing stretch marks is concerned. This herb has an abundant supply of amino acids and Vitamin E and K. It is famous for toning your skin and fading away marks. Alfalfa mix powder along with chamomile oil is used as a paste to be applied on stretch marks, which helps to tone them down. Keep it applied for at least 15 minutes, then rinse it off. Doing this thrice a day will show drastic changes and be the highly effective. Lemon juice and potato juice can also turn out to be exceptionally useful.
Although there might be other methods such as laser treatments, and various other surgical operations, however, they are not recommended and are not always successful. So it is better to opt for more natural ways, even though it may take a longer to show results. So, try out these fun techniques and give it your best shot!