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SEVEN HOME REMEDIES FOR STRETCHMARKS

Stretchmarks are fine reddish or purple lines or bands or grooves that appear under the skin, making it look rough and unsightly. They appear in men as well as women and adolescents, mostly on belly, breasts, thighs and butts. Although they do not pose any health problem; they secretly annoy us by their presence and we would like to get rid of them.

Causes:

When body grows rapidly the skin stretches beyond its elasticity and the lower layer of skin tears in many places. These tears are seen as stretchmarks through the outer skin.

The most common causes are:

• Pregnancy
• Obesity
• Rapid growth in adolescence
• Rapid weight loss
• Body building
• Hormonal disorder
• Lack of nutrients in the body
• Sudden change in physical or environmental conditions
• Certain medications
• Use of steroids

Heredity and skin type play a major role but we are all susceptible to stretchmarks.

Prevention and Cure:

Stretchmarks are very stubborn. Once they appear it is almost impossible to get rid of them.They are purple or dark red in the beginning and lighten with age, but never totally disappear. This is one instance where prevention is better than cure. Here are some age old tried home remedies.

1. Drink plenty of water: Water improves the elasticity of skin and enables it to cope with the change in the volume of the body of a pregnant woman, a growing teenager, a body builder, weight loss enthusiast, or an obese person.
2. Eat a well balanced diet: Drastic gain or loss of weight is a strain on the skin that leads to stretchmarks. Diet should be such that maintains weight.
3. Massage your skin regularly with coconut oil or almond oil or a mixture of the two in equal quantities, to prevent stretch marks.
4. Massage the stretch mark areas with cod liver oil, olive oil or flax seed oil. The marks will become lighter and smooth.
5. Vitamin E: Adding a capsule of vitamin E to any massage oil will improve its effectiveness. You may also take a daily dose of vitamin E after consulting your doctor.
6. A tried and tested remedy: Apply egg white to the stretch mark area. Let it dry before washing it off with cold water. Most stretch marks disappear within a month.
7. Exercise regularly: This will tone up your skin and make it firm and elastic enough to cope with any strain.

Though often recommended, massage with cocoa butter may not be so effective in either prevention or cure of stretchmarks.

The best way to cope with stretchmarks is to accept them as 'history'. Otherwise expensive medical and surgical treatments are available that may or may not be very satisfactory.*****

Article Published: Saturday 30th June 2007