10 Home Remedies: How to get rid of Stretch Marks after pregnancy

Stretch marks are common among women after pregnancy. You might have fine lines mostly in the areas prone to fat accumulation like breast, hips, arms, abdomen, tummy and thighs.

There are many causes of stretch marks after pregnancy like as hormonal changes, fat loss in the abdomen after delivery, less elastic skin and so on. You see fine lines developing around the areas where fats have accumulated, usually in the stomach, chest, belly bottom and thighs.

Note: You cannot eliminate stretch marks instantly or completely.

In recent times, several methods have been introduced to help fade away or completely remove these marks from medical procedures and prescriptions. But these are expensive and may not give the desired results.

Here, we tell you how to get rid of stretch marks through home remedies:

1. Petroleum Jelly

Petroleum jelly is an occlusive agent, which means that it locks in moisture in the skin. This heals dry and stretched skin. Apply the petroleum jelly on the stretch marks and massage for 5-10 minutes daily.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is good for healing scars and blemishes. It works on the stretch marks and lightens them. Take a 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup water.

Dilute the vinegar with water and pour it into a spray bottle. Rub it on the stretch marks daily and let it dry naturally. Leave it on overnight. Shower as usual in the morning.

3. Vitamin C

Increase your vitamin C intake. Dermatologists suggest that 500 mg of vitamin C should be taken as an oral supplement(s) to reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Vitamin C helps in collagen production and removes the early-stage stretch marks.

4. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera promotes healing and soothes your skin. Use fresh gel rather than the one available in the market. Rub it directly over the skin, leave for 15-20 minutes and wash it off using lukewarm water. Apply to the affected areas regularly. You can also prepare a mixture of one-fourth cup of aloe vera gel with oil from five vitamin A and ten vitamin E capsules. Rub it over the skin until it is completely absorbed, apply it twice a day.

5. Egg Whites

The enzymes in egg whites increase the skin’s elasticity, causing the stretch marks to fade away in due course of time. Take 1-2 egg whites and a pastry brush.
Beat the egg whites lightly and apply with the soft brush on the affected areas. Let it dry naturally for 30 minutes then rinse with cool water and moisturize.

6. Lemon Juice

The acidic property of lemon juice works in healing stretch marks. Rub fresh lemon juice on the affected area. Leave it for about 10-15 minutes so that the juice soaks into your skin. Rinse off using warm water. Apply every day for better results.

7. Potato Juice

Potato contains phytochemicals, polyphenols, and carotenoids, which improve the skin texture. Cut a potato into two halves and rub one-half over the stretch marks. Wait till the juice to soak into the skin and let it dry. Rinse off the area using lukewarm water. See the difference in a few months.

8. Water

Keep your body well-hydrated. Drink 10-12 glasses of water every day. Keeping your skin hydrated helps to keep your skin free from many problems, including stretch marks. It is also recommended to reduce the intake of coffee, tea or soda as they can cause dehydration.

9. Oils Massage

Regular oil massage of the abdomen area, belly, thighs, and chest with oils will help your skin to become smooth and you can see the desired results of reduced stretch marks. Some of the popular oils to be used for this purpose are as follows:

Vitamin-E Oil: Mix Vitamin-E oil with any of your favourite moisturizer and apply it on the stretch marks on a regular basis.

Olive Oil: This is a popular remedy for pregnancy stretch marks. Take olive oil in your palms and massage it around your stomach and belly bottom regularly so that the lines start disappearing. Take bath immediately after applying oil to stretch marks. Have patient it will take time but gives you the result.

Castor Oil:  Apply castor oil to the affected area. Cover the area with a plastic bag. Now place a hot water bottle on it.  Keep it for half an hour and then wash it off. This helps in treating stretch marks.

Other Oil Massage: This is one of the most effective home remedy. In regular oils like coconut oil or almond oil, you can add few drops of essential oils like as Lavender, Rose, Germanium or other aroma oils. Massage it over the affected area.

10. Exercise to reduce the stretch marks

Daily exercise and reduce your weight post-pregnancy, so that stretch marks become less visible. However, don’t lose the excess weight drastically post your delivery. Make sure the weight loss is gradual and does not involve crash diets. A tummy tuck can help temporarily, but if you still gain weight after a tummy tuck, stretch marks will appear again.