Natural and organic ways to get rid of stretch marks
You want your baby’s birth to be memorable forever, but that doesn’t mean you need the occasion to be marked permanently by stretch marks! Although there’s no way to gauge if you’re going to get stretch marks or not during your pregnancy (unfortunately there’s not always a genetic link), stretch marks tend to crop up during the third trimester of pregnancy so caring for your skin before then can help to keep them at bay.
What Causes Stretch Marks?
When the skin of your body increases in size to house a baby, small tears can form in the skin’s tissue. This is what stretch marks are and they can crop up in various places, such as around your belly, on your breasts, thighs, upper arms and buttocks. Luckily, there are many stretch mark creams that can help treat and prevent the problem - but the key is to choose natural ones!
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Avoid Chemical Creams
You shouldn’t be slathering stretch mark creams onto your skin if they have chemicals, such as phthalates and parabens, since the skin absorbs them and whatever gets into your blood will be reaching your baby, too. In a 2009 study of umbilical cord blood samples, over 200 synthetic chemicals were found, with some including ingredients used in common cosmetics and fragrances. It just goes to show how your blood can absorb chemicals from what you put on your skin and how they’re even capable of reaching your unborn baby. Make the switch to stretch mark creams that make use of natural ingredients that boost the skin’s collagen production so that your skin will be smoother and tighter. Avocado peptides are an example of such an ingredient that will keep your skin elastic and soft, no toxins required.
Use Massage Oils
One of the massage oils you should definitely be using on your skin during your pregnancy is Vitamin E. It’s a great way to keep your skin soft and nourished. However, you can maximize its stretch mark fighting prowess by choosing a product that contains other natural oils along with Vitamin E, such as Vitamin C for collagen production and Vitamin A that stimulates skin cell turnover so that skin can regenerate and look its healthiest. Make sure you choose oils that originate from pesticide-free farms so that you’re not putting chemicals on your skin.
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DIY Your Way to Clear Skin There are also DIY creams you can make to fight stretch marks, which is a great way to pamper yourself with some nourishing lotions that will work to save your skin. One of the anti-stretch mark recipes you can make is to mix together essential oils with beeswax, but you can tweak it according to your fragrance preferences.
How to Make Your Own Stretch Mark Oil:
You’ll need to mix together base ingredients first: one cup of olive oil, half a cup of coconut oil, and half a cup of beeswax.
Then, there are some extra ingredients you can add if you like, such as two tablespoons of rosehip seed oil, four drops of lavender essential oil, or eight capsules of Vitamin E oil. Or all of these together!
All you do once you have all your ingredients is place them into a mason jar and then rest this jar in a pot of boiling water so that they can melt. Once melted, keep stirring it off the heat until it has cooled.
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Your Skin is What You Eat!
While you’re applying creams and maybe making your own stretch mark lotion, remember that what you eat also plays a role in the prevention of stretch marks during pregnancy. Since gaining lots of weight too quickly can stretch the skin, keep an eye on how much you’re gaining and try to maintain weight gain that’s more balanced and evenly spaced out over your pregnancy. You should also consume lots of Vitamin C foods. This vitamin will encourage collagen production from the inside, helping your skin look healthier and making it less susceptible to getting stretch marks.
Natural Skin Lightening Options
If you didn’t use stretch mark creams during your pregnancy, all is not lost! You can still get rid of these tears in your skin after your baby is born. A good idea is to try natural skin lightening creams that are specifically tailored to your stretch marks and contain naturally soothing ingredients such as olive oil, shea butter and coconut oil to boost the skin’s elasticity. Such products are also great to use on stretch marks when they are in their early reddish tone so that they can be eliminated before they become more permanent.
Stretchmarks don’t have to be a permanent memory of your pregnancy. By treating your skin to natural goodness during and after your pregnancy, you can help to eliminate stretch marks and gain flawless, youthful skin.
