Stretch Marks
What can be done about stretch marks? Some people believe that once you've got them, they are here to stay.
|
|
Prevention
The first step of action in regards to stretch marks is to work on preventing them before they appear.
A traditional treatment is to use creams to help moisturize skin, repair collagen and elastin growth. These commonly contain combinations of cocoa butter, wheat germ oil, lanolin and vitamin E, with the intention of helping to keep the skin soft, supple, smooth and elastic as it stretches.
Here are some stretch mark preventing recipes from www.homemademedicine.com:
* Mix one ounce of carrier oil (try avocado, sweet almond, or jojoba - they are the best ) with seven drops of lavender and five drops of chamomile. (my note: these essential oils are generally said to be safe for pregnant women. Since this is a preparation that will be used locally and often, you may want to reduce or omit the essential oils.)
Here are some stretch mark preventing recipes from www.homemademedicine.com:
* Mix one ounce of carrier oil (try avocado, sweet almond, or jojoba - they are the best ) with seven drops of lavender and five drops of chamomile. (my note: these essential oils are generally said to be safe for pregnant women. Since this is a preparation that will be used locally and often, you may want to reduce or omit the essential oils.)
You can check the Essential Oil Dilutions Chart for essential oil formulations.
* Mix 1/2 cup virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup aloe vera gel, liquid from 6 capsules of Vitamin E, and liquid from 4 capsules of Vitamin A together in a blender. After that, pour the mixture into a jar and store it in the fridge. Apply the oil externally all over the places where the stretch marks commonly appear (abdomen, hips, thighs and breasts). If you do this consistently every day, you may prevent stretch marks.
Regular exercise is also important in the fight against stretch marks, as this helps keep muscles toned and skin firm. Make sure that your diet includes foods that are high in Vitamin C and E – which help keep your skin healthy.
Once You Have Them…
Many stretch marks just fade over time, making them much less noticeable, and some people can live with them this way. Many mothers wear their stretch marks with pride – a “battle wound” in memory of the child carried inside.
Stretch marks occur in the middle layer of the dermis, making them difficult to effectively treat. Special makeup is available to cover up the marks if you chose to hide them.
There are cosmetic laser treatments that can used to reduce the scars left by stretch marks – ranging from stimulating production of cells that make pigment, reducing the color of stretch marks and stimulating the collagen production to restore its elasticity.
* Mix 1/2 cup virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup aloe vera gel, liquid from 6 capsules of Vitamin E, and liquid from 4 capsules of Vitamin A together in a blender. After that, pour the mixture into a jar and store it in the fridge. Apply the oil externally all over the places where the stretch marks commonly appear (abdomen, hips, thighs and breasts). If you do this consistently every day, you may prevent stretch marks.
Regular exercise is also important in the fight against stretch marks, as this helps keep muscles toned and skin firm. Make sure that your diet includes foods that are high in Vitamin C and E – which help keep your skin healthy.
Once You Have Them…
Many stretch marks just fade over time, making them much less noticeable, and some people can live with them this way. Many mothers wear their stretch marks with pride – a “battle wound” in memory of the child carried inside.
Stretch marks occur in the middle layer of the dermis, making them difficult to effectively treat. Special makeup is available to cover up the marks if you chose to hide them.
There are cosmetic laser treatments that can used to reduce the scars left by stretch marks – ranging from stimulating production of cells that make pigment, reducing the color of stretch marks and stimulating the collagen production to restore its elasticity.
Another treatment for stretch marks is blue light therapy, something that can be helpful in treating acne too. It is a combination of gel and light, used to remove stretch marks.
More natural methods range from applying peanut butter, flaxseed oil or the liquid from a vitamin E capsule directly to the marks daily to twice a day applying moisturizing cream and ground coffee beans then wiping off. Other ideas include using vitamin K cream or lavender essential oil topically to help the skin heal quickly.
More natural methods range from applying peanut butter, flaxseed oil or the liquid from a vitamin E capsule directly to the marks daily to twice a day applying moisturizing cream and ground coffee beans then wiping off. Other ideas include using vitamin K cream or lavender essential oil topically to help the skin heal quickly.
There isn't one fail-safe, 100% proven way to either prevent or remove stretch marks, but a combination of some of these therapies will dramatically reduce their appearance or eliminate them. One thing to keep in mind about stretch marks is that they pose absolutely no health risk. Stretch marks are more of an imperfection than a threat.
Recommended
www.homemademedicine.com - download the free trial ebook, it is full of useful tips using natural remedies for far too many ailments to list here. The full version has a section on making herbal preparations, natural skin care system and home cleaning without chemicals.
More Resources
SKiN TiPS
Handmade Soap.ca
Recommended
www.homemademedicine.com - download the free trial ebook, it is full of useful tips using natural remedies for far too many ailments to list here. The full version has a section on making herbal preparations, natural skin care system and home cleaning without chemicals.
More Resources
SKiN TiPS
Handmade Soap.ca