dandruff - the causes and treatments

Earning Your Stripes: How To Get Rid Of Stretch Marks

by Mario Medina

Stretch marks – whether as a result of weight gain, an increase in your bust size, pregnancy, or simply growing up – are like battle scars to some women, but some just wish they would go away. Being a woman who wishes to get rid of her stretch marks is easy enough, but actually getting rid of them is a little more complicated than simply wishing them away. So if you're looking to get rid of those purple-ish, pink-ish, seemingly omnipresent streaks across your skin, here's what you need to know.

Go DIY

Being a make-it-yourself kind of person is a good thing when it comes to stretch mark remedies, since there's a great one you can make yourself quite easily. Take about a quarter-cup of aloe vera gel and of extra-virgin olive oil, mixing them with the contents of six or seven vitamin A capsules and four or five vitamin E capsules in your favorite blender. The resultant cream helps soothe and fade your stretch marks.

Go All Natural

If you want to get rid of your stretch marks but feel strongly about only putting natural substances on your skin, don't worry – there are tons of natural remedies for stretch marks. Egg whites can mixed with a bit of cornstarch to make a paste, which should then be slathered on your stripes for five minutes before rinsing it off, or you could try relying on the acids naturally found in lemons to lighten your skin -- just slice a lemon and rub the wet side on your stretch marks, leaving the juice on for 10 minutes before rinsing. If you want a creamier feel to your remedy, both shea and cocoa butter keep your skin ultra-moisturized, which can help stretch marks to fade away.

Go Over (the Counter)

Not all stretch mark banishing solutions require assembly, though; there are plenty of over-the-counter (or OTC) creams on the market that can help vanish those marks away in no time. For best results, look for creams where the active ingredient is vitamin C, as it has collagen in it (to give your skin better elasticity) and helps to brighten skin, reducing the darkness of your stretch marks. If you're really not seeing results after a few weeks, however, go in to see your doctor; they can provide a prescription medication that will work more strongly (and more quickly) than the OTC creams to get your skin back to its natural hue. For more information, contact Apothederm or a similar company.

Reminder

The best time to apply stretch mark remedies is when your stretch marks are still the pink-red color they achieve when fresh; the older the scar, the less successful removal will be. Make sure to talk to your dermatologist if your scars simply won't budge to find a solution that works for you.

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