Stretch marks are an unfortunate and often unavoidable effect of rapid weight gain, loss, or pregnancy for some people. Many people feel very self conscious about their stretch marks, and wish to reduce their appearance or eliminate them if at all possible. If you follow these steps, you will be able to reduce your stretch marks:
1. Gently brush your skin in the shower with a skin brush or loofah to increase circulation to the location of your stretch marks.
2. Once you get out of the shower and have toweled off, rub vitamin E oil into your stretch marks.
3. Follow this by rubbing cocoa butter into the stretch marks. This can be done after a shower and before going to bed to help increase the elasticity of the stretched skin.
4. Consult with your general physician or dermatologist about using tretinoin cream on stretch marks. Tretinoin cream is only available by prescription.
5. Eat foods that are rich in vitamins A, E, and C, or take vitamins to supplement your diet. Women who are pregnant should avoid taking any more than 25,000 IU of vitamin A. It is recommended to discuss any changes in diet or supplements with a health care professional.
6. Add foods that are rich in zinc to your diet (foods like oysters, wheat germ, roast beef, pumpkin or squash seeds, cocoa powder and chocolate, and peanuts). Zinc supplements are also a viable option. Zinc is good for the skin. Silica is also good for the skin, as it aids in the production of collagen, which are the supporting fibers in the skin. Foods that are rich in silica include cereals, especially oats and rice, cucumbers, asparagus, onions, lettuce cabbage, potatoes, sunflower seeds, and strawberries.
7. You should also eat foods that contain essential fatty acids, which aid in the building of cell walls. Essential fatty acids, like omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, can be found in vegetables, vegetable oils, fish oils.
Following these steps over a period of several months should help to reduce your stretch marks, as well as improve the overall look, health, and feel of your skin.
