From pregnancy to genetics, there are a variety of circumstances that can cause stretch marks. The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD) explains stretch marks the best. “A stretch mark is a type of scar that develops when our skin stretches or shrinks quickly. The abrupt change causes the collagen and elastin, which support our skin, to rupture. As the skin heals, stretch marks may appear.” Stretch marks can appear almost anywhere on your body, some places more obvious than others.
There are the usual options for in-office treatments such as laser therapy and microneedling for stretch marks removal. Thankfully, there are also natural ingredients that make it possible to do stretch marks treatments at home.
At-Home Treatments
First, Prep Your Skin
For optimal results, you want to make sure your skin is properly prepared before you apply stretch mark reducing products.
Dry brushing sloughs away dry skin so that your treatments aren’t blocked by a build-up of dead skin cells. For best results, dry brush the desired area before getting in the shower so that you can rinse off the dry skin and then apply the products to fresh skin.
Another great way to prepare your skin for best stretch mark reduction results is to derma roll after showering and before applying your treatment. Derma rolling helps stimulate collagen production, which is beneficial to repair the skin damaged with stretch marks. Using a derma roller also allows products to be better absorbed by your skin, increasing their efficiency.
Once you have prepped your skin, you are ready to apply your stretch marks treatment. When applying the following treatments, remember these tips from the AAD:
- “Use the product on early stretch marks. Treatment seems to have little effect on mature stretch marks.
- “Massage the product into your stretch marks. Taking time to massage the product gently into your skin may make it more effective.
- “Apply the product every day for weeks. If you see results, they take weeks to appear.”
Hyaluronic Acid and the Hydra Serum
Hyaluronic acid is gaining a lot of attention lately when it comes to skin care and for good reason, it is a skin care powerhouse ingredient. Because hyaluronic acid is naturally found in the body, it is easily accepted by the body for skin rejuvenation.
In terms of stretch marks, the AAD says of hyaluronic acid: “In studies, two ingredients seem to offer some relief: Hyaluronic acid and Tretinoin. In two large studies, applying hyaluronic acid to early stretch marks made the stretch marks less noticeable.” They also note that applying hyaluronic can actually prevent stretch marks from appearing as well.
Healthline educates why hyaluronic acid is so beneficial for your skin and stretch marks. “Collagen is the protein in your skin that allows it to keep its shape and appear healthy. As we age, collagen decreases in our face and our bodies. Collagen production can be stimulated with hyaluronic acid.”
Whether you are wanting to treat existing stretch marks, or proactively prevent stretch marks from forming, ElumeStemCell’s Hydra Serum is specially formulated with organic hyaluronic acid to keep your skin looking its best.
Using the Hydra Serum Applicator allows the organic hyaluronic acid to be applied into the outer layer of your skin, instead of just sitting on the surface. This allows the hyaluronic acid to be delivered where it is needed and to be better absorbed by your body for increased collagen production for skin repair and renewal. The Hydra Serum delivers professional results from the comfort of your home.
Aloe Vera and the Daily Illuminating Face Serum
Another natural treatment for stretch marks is aloe vera. This article notes, “Aloe vera is a plant that helps regenerate skin tissue and as such it has miraculous healing properties.” Healthline also point out the benefits of aloe vera in that, “aloe vera is both a natural healing agent and a skin softener. This makes it an ideal home remedy to try for stretch marks.”
The Daily Illuminating Face Serum is an easy and mess free way to treat your stretch marks with aloe. You can incorporate the Daily Illuminating Face Serum into your skin care routine to repair your stretch marks every day.
Not only does this serum offer the hydrating, softening, and healing properties of aloe, but it also contains polypeptide enriched media which helps smooth scarred and damaged skin while increasing cell turnover and collagen production. These natural ingredients make this serum perfect to repair the damaged skin from stretch marks.
Coconut Oil
For a treatment that you might have in your pantry right now, look no further than coconut oil. It has been said of coconut oil, “Since stretch marks are scarring from skin damage, coconut oil might help heal the appearance quickly. Coconut oil has been studied for its healing properties.” That article also mentions that studies found coconut oil helps reduce the healing time of skin wounds.
Considering that stretch marks are damage to the skin, it is no surprise that coconut oil could help reduce the appearance of stretch marks. In that same article, Healthline notes how easy it is to harness the healing properties of coconut oil in that, “Applying virgin coconut oil to your stretch marks each day might take away some of their red appearance. Unless you’re allergic to coconuts, this oil is considered safe.”
Coconut oil is great not only for treating existing stretch marks, but because it is hydrating and nourishing, it can help prevent future stretch marks from appearing. The topical application of coconut oil to skin, stretch marks or not, can support the skin so that the collagen is less likely to rupture with the expansion or contraction of the skin.
Ways to Avoid
While there are some situations that cause stretch marks that are out of your control, there are some things you can do to avoid the formation of unnecessary stretch marks.
Living a healthy lifestyle is one of the best things you can do for healthy, beautiful skin. This is because eating nutritious whole foods, staying hydrated, and frequent exercise allows your body to maintain a stable weight, reducing large fluctuations in your weight that can cause stretch marks. Also, protecting your skin from the sun allows your skin to avoid premature aging and the deterioration of key components like collagen.