Prevent Stretch Marks
Stretch marks are those nasty reddish-purple squiggly marks that form on your body when your skin is stretched out during times of weight gain, particularly with pregnancy. Over time, you will notice each stretch mark fading, becoming whitish or silver—but they never really disappear all together.
Many women will develop stretch marks at some point during their pregnancy. Stretch marks generally form on the belly, breasts, butt, hips and thighs.
However, stretch marks are not inevitable. How much weight you gain, the elasticity of your skin, genetics and hormones all play a role in whether or not you develop stretch marks, where they form and how extensive the stretch mark “damage” is.
The bad news is if you’re wondering how to get rid of stretch marks, you’re pretty much out of luck. However, they can be prevented or at least lessened.
The good news is that you can try home remedies and natural cures for stretch mark prevention.
Home Remedies to Prevent Stretch Marks:
Moisturizers (Vitamin E Oil, Cocoa Butter, Lavender Oil):
As your skin stretches, expands and changes during pregnancy, it’s essential to keep it moisturized. Vitamin E oil rubbed into the skin is a popular home remedy choice for stretch mark prevention, helping make your skin more elastic, firm, supple and taut. Other stretch mark creams can be used as home remedies, such as cocoa butter—another popular choice—as well as lavender oil and almond oil.
Massage:
Even if you are someone that gets regular professional massages, have your partner do it for you or massage yourself in the shower, increasing circulation throughout your body and skin—particularly in stretch mark-prone areas—through massage is an excellent home remedy for stretch mark prevention.
Water:
Water is a natural cure for so many conditions, and it can be used as a home remedy for the prevention of stretch marks. Keeping your body properly hydrated equals hydrated skin, which is necessary for preventing stretch marks.
Diet:
Even though you are probably already paying attention to what you are consuming throughout your pregnancy, keep diet in mind as a natural cure for stretch mark prevention as well. Focus on fruits, vegetables, healthy grains and low-fat, lean meats, as well as healthy fats like oils. Foods rich in vitamin E, C, K and zinc will help with the quality and appearance of your skin, reducing the likelihood of developing stretch marks.
Exercise:
Believe it or not, exercise is not only one of the best natural cures available for many problems but also a great preventative for stretch marks. Exercise keeps your body toned and firm. It is particularly beneficial to exercise and stretch out the areas likely to be affected by stretch marks. However, only mild forms of exercise are recommended throughout pregnancy.
Steady Weight Gain:
Of course, you can’t prevent weight gain during pregnancy, but you can be careful with how much you gain and how fast you put it on. Slow and steady weight gain is the key, allowing your skin to stretch more slowly and easily, reducing the likelihood of stretch marks.
