How to Remove Stretch Marks? Causes and Effective Remedies to get rid of Stretch Marks

Spread the love

Are you losing weight continuously to look smarter? Or gaining good weight for looking healthier again? Can you notice tiger stripes on your abdomen, legs, thighs, hips, or buttocks and are worried about this? No problem! This is not a dangerous condition. These tiger stripes or streaky lines are known as stretch marks that actually appear due to some change in the body such as gaining or losing weight. These stretch marks appear as light lines on your skin due to contraction or expansion of the body. The appearance of stretch marks is a common condition in weight fluctuation while it becomes a common cause in pregnancy. This content helps you know about stretch marks, their causes, and most importantly the effective home remedies to get rid of such stretch marks.

Overview

Stretch marks are the indented appearance of lines on the skin. These are the type of scars that appear on the skin for skin shrinking or stretching quickly. The stretch marks have different types of texture and color as compared to normal skin color. The stretch marks streaks appear on the abdomen, hips, thighs, buttocks, and breasts. Sometimes these streaky lines feel like sores or itchy. Whenever you touch these stretch marks, you feel an indentation. The stretch marks appear whenever changes occur in your weight especially before and after the pregnancy. The stretch marks disappear over time and are not dangerous, harmful, or painful. 

How do these stretch marks look?

It’s not necessary that stretch marks look alike because they may vary according to the duration of time. This means the duration of these stretch marks, their causes, the sites they may appear on the body, and most importantly the type of skin you may have all decide what these stretch marks look like. Common variations of stretch marks are:

  • Streaky lines or indented marks on the skin
  • Their color; Pink, red, purple, blue, or black.
  • Bright streaks lines that are fading to light color
  • The areas they spread on; abdomen, breast, hips, thighs, and buttocks
  • Covering a smaller or larger portion of the body
Remove Stretch Marks

What are the causes of stretch marks?

The streaky lines that are termed as stretch marks usually appear on the skin because of stretching of the skin and it may increase the level of cortisone (a pregnant steroid hormone that is released by the adrenal gland). The high level of cortisone is the reason for the loss of skin elasticity. The main causes of this appearance are:

  • The stretch marks appear at the time of pregnancy because the skin stretches or extends in several ways for the baby’s development. This tugging becomes the cause of stretch marks. 
  • The use of corticosteroids cream or lotion for the long term also becomes a cause of stretch marks and it also makes the skin thin with decreasing its elasticity for stretching.
  • Gaining or losing weight is another cause of stretch marks. Usually, adolescents experience stretch marks that appear because of hormonal changes and a rapid growth spurt.

Effective Home remedies to get rid of stretch Marks

Are you annoyed or irritated because these streaky lines restrict you to wear short sleeves, skirts, or any desired clothes in summers. You are going to fade-up these streaky lines because it’s not looking good and are reducing your beauty. Your main query is how to remove stretch marks from your skin? How to lighten stretch marks? And what are the effective remedies to get rid of stretch marks? So it’s not difficult to remove or lighten stretch marks that appear on your skin. There are a few effective home remedies that help you to remove or lighten them. But keep in mind that no remedy works effectively if you are not applying it on a regular basis or in an appropriate manner. There is no magic that appears to immediately remove your tiger stripes. You have to be patient to see effective results. 

1. Coconut oil

Coconut Oil has been widely used for hair and scalp problems but did you know it is beneficial for your skin as well? Coconut oil has lots of potential benefits that are related to your skin because it contains a good amount of fatty acid that can easily be absorbed into your skin. Coconut oil also helps in the production of collagens that may help to prevent stretch marks. 

Picture shows a coconut oil jar on top of a coconut shell

Directions for the application

  • Take 1 or 1½ tablespoon coconut oil.
  • Apply the coconut oil where the streak line or stretch marks are visible and massage with this oil on the affected site for at least 10-15 minutes.
  • During massaging on the affected area make sure that the skin is moist or damp with oil.
  • Now leave the coconut oil for 2-3 hours or for a night.

By doing this massage regularly you can show an effective result because coconut oil has healing properties that easily cure scarring and proves to be one of the most effective home remedies to get rid of stretch marks. 

2. Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe Vera also has healing properties and it may also absorb water and nutrients that may help to soften the skin. Aloe Vera cures the stretch marks by minimizing them. 

Directions for the application

  • Take fresh aloe vera gel (2 tablespoons) with vitamin-E oil (1 teaspoon)
  • Mix the mixture well and apply streaky lines on your skin and leave it for at least 1 or 1½ hours.
  • Wash it with water.

Apply this effective home remedy twice daily to remove stretch marks and experience quick results.

3. Lemon juice and baking soda

Although there is no evidence that lemons help to remove stretch marks but lemons have bleaching properties which may help to lighten the scars or marks. It may also help to reduce the redness while baking soda, having the exfoliating property, it helps to clean dirt and remove dead skin cells. 

Use lemon juice and baking soda and make a mixture to create this home remedy. 

Picture shows sliced and whole lemons

Directions for the application

For making mixture you may require 1- 2 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of baking soda.

  • Mix both ingredients well and then apply this beneficial mixture on your stretch marks. You should also cover it with the cling wrap and leave it for 15-20 minutes.
  • Now rinse it with tap water.

Keep in mind if you have a sensitive type of skin then before applying this remedy you should test it on a smaller area. If you see that there is no adverse effect shown then you can apply it to the affected area where stretch marks appeared. By doing this remedy regularly you can get an instant result and this is one of the effective home remedies to get rid of stretch marks.

4. Scrub of sugar

Ever heard that sugar is a miscellaneous ingredient for the microdermabrasion (effective treatment for removing stretch marks)? Now that you did, you can easily use this remedy at home by making a sugar scrub that helps to lighten the stretch marks. Applying this sugar scrub on streaky lines helps to regulate the flow of the blood in the area where stretch marks exist and also heals the skin. 

Directions for the application

  • Take 1½ cup of sugar, 1-2 drops of vitamin-E oil. If vitamin-E oil is not available then you can use any essential oil (such as coconut oil or almond oil) for making the scrub paste. 
  • Apply this explicate scrub on the stretch marks with your fingers and move it in a circular motion for 5-10 minutes. 
  • Explicating in a circular motion removes the dead skin and mitigates these stretch marks. 
  • Apply the scrub at least 3-5 times per week to get satisfying results. The scrubbing helps to lighten the streaky lines as well as to promote the development of skin. 

5. Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is effective for removing acne scars and the healing of wounds by reducing skin infections. Tea tree oil also removes scars which are anti-inflammatory and may also remove the severity of stretch marks. Even though there is no research available that determines if the tea tree oil helps to reduce stretch marks or not while the regular use of this oil helps to lighten the marks occurrence. 

Directions for the application

  • Take 3-4 drops of tea tree oil with 1-2 tablespoons of any essential oil (almond oil, coconut oil, or olive oil) and mix the oil well. 
  • Massage with this oil on the affected area very gently and then leave it for 2-3 hours or overnight. 

For getting more effective results you can also add vitamin-E oil in it that speeds up the process of reducing stretch marks. 

6. Olive oil

The use of olive oil is an effective remedy to get rid of stretch marks. Olive oil is obtained from olives and is a liquid fat which is a very powerful antioxidant that may fight against inflammations and also reduces the risk of heart diseases. Olive oil is also rich in vitamin-E that softens your skin and provides moisturizer. Olive oil successfully reduces scars and stretch marks.

Picture shows Olive Oil being poured in a glass bowl with a few olives lying outside the bowl

Directions for the application

  • Take 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and pour it into a bowl.
  • Now warm the oil in the microwave for 5-6 seconds and then apply it on your scratch marks for massage and leave it for 2-3 hours or overnight.
  • Use this remedy to lighten the stretch marks preferably before going to bed. 

7. Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter gives a moisturizing effect and softens the skin instantly. But the research also suggested that there is no evidence determined that it removes the stretch marks, while it can show an effective result when it mixes with other ingredients as ointment or cream form. 

Directions for the application

  • Take 1½ cup of cocoa butter, ¼ cup of shea butter. 1½ tablespoon of vitamin-E oil, and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and mix it well.
  • Heat this mixture for 5-6 seconds for melting. 
  • Massage it on the stretch mark area in a circular motion and leave for 2-3 hours or overnight.
  • Apply this butter and oil mixture 1-2 times a day to lighten your streaky lines.

8. Turmeric

Turmeric, a yellow spice, is a good antioxidant that provides many benefits for the skin and especially for pregnant women. It helps to reduce the swelling, inflammation, and heal the wounds as it also has anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric is also used to treat stretch marks. 

Directions for the application

  • Take 1-1/2 tablespoon turmeric powder and mix it in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and squeeze lemon juice in it and mix it well. 
  • Apply it on the stretch marks area and start massaging with soft hands for at least 20-30 minutes. 
  • Leave this paste on for half or one hour then wash it with water.
  • Apply this paste on the streaky lines 1-2 times a day to get rid of stretch marks.

9. Jojoba Oil

The use of jojoba oil is also a very effective home remedy to get rid of such stretch marks. Jojoba oil is a wax ester and contains natural Vitamin E, a well known antioxidant beneficial for the skin. Jojoba oil is also used as a moisturizer or cleanser while it also helps to treat eczema, acne, and spot. Thus, it also lightens the streaky lines.

Directions for the application

  • Take 1-2 tablespoon of jojoba oil for massage
  • Apply it to your affected area and massage it with soft, gentle hands
  • Leave it for 10-15 minutes and rinse it after half an hour with tap water

10. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is beneficial for skin purposes and it helps to resolve many skin problems. Scientifically it’s not proven that apple cider vinegar helps to remove stretch marks but it may help lighten them as it contains acetic acid, which research shows may lighten pigmentation.

Directions for the application

  • Take ½- a cup of apple cider vinegar and dilute it into simple water then fill it in a sprayer bottle
  • Now spray this diluted solution on your stretch marks and let it dry
  • Leave it overnight

11. Scrub of coffee

Coffee is the granular texture that gives an exfoliating impact on the skin and this exfoliation makes the skin smooth and helps to moisturize. But it is a fact that there is no research shown that scrubbing coffee treats stretch marks but it lightens the stretch lines. 

Picture shows crushed coffee

Directions for the application

  • Take 1-2 tablespoon of coffee grounds and mix it with 1-2 tablespoon of shea butter
  • Now mix this mixture well and heat it for a few seconds
  • Then scrub it gently on your stretch marks for 2-3 minutes and leave it until it’s dry
  • Wash this scrub paste with water and apply any moisturizer on streaky lines
  • For getting instant results you will apply the coffee scrub regularly

Before you leave!

Stretch marks appear on your skin as tiger stripes. These may appear due to pregnancy, body fluctuation, and many other causes such as stress, genetics problems. Whenever your body starts stretching, it increases the level of cortisone steroid hormone that is produced by the adrenal gland and because of this high intensity your skin loses its elasticity and it becomes the cause of stretch marks. On the other hand corticosteroid lotions also become the cause of these streak lines. The stretch marks appearance is not related to any dangerous condition it’s just bright color lines that fade on your skin. Most people are worried or fed-up because they think they can not wear any desirable dress just because of these lines. So it’s not a big issue, there are lots of effective home remedies to remove stretch marks that are mentioned above. But you will need continuity in your habit for getting instant results.