As if turning our bodies over to house a growing human for nine months isn't taxing enough on our figures, many of us fall victim to the unsightly phenomenon of stretch marks, which kill our hopes and dreams of ever wearing a two-piece bathing suit again.
Seriously, it's so unfair. Even if we work our butt off in the gym and lose every single last ounce of baby weight, we're still left with zebra stripes all up and down our bellies — putting the "mom" stamp on our bodies for the rest of our lives.
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But there is some good news. While we may never get rid of our stretch marks completely, there are a few things we can try to at least reduce their appearance and make them less noticeable. And if we try some of these methods during pregnancy as opposed to waiting until after childbirth, we'll be one step ahead of the game.
Here are 11 natural treatments for stretch marks that just might work!
Egg Whites
It may sound a little icky, but supposedly the proteins in egg whites help your skin rejuvenate. Try putting the whites on your affected areas three times a day and hopefully watch your stretch marks fade away.
Potato Juice
Potatoes get such a bad rap because of the whole no-carb craze, but the vitamins and minerals in their juice help restore skin cells, thus making stretch marks less apparent. Simply slice a potato and rub it on your belly.
Lemon Juice
The natural acids in lemon juice can help fade and bleach stretch marks. All you need to do is rub the juice onto your affected areas using circular motions and then let it dry for about 10 minutes before rinsing it off.
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Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter
Massaging cocoa butter or shea butter into your skin a couple of times a day will help moisturize dry skin and also help stretch marks to fade. And if you apply it throughout your pregnancy, you may have a better chance at warding off stretch marks in the first place.
Olive Oil
Applying olive oil to your skin throughout your pregnancy is a good way to help prevent stretch marks. Olive oil contains vitamin E, which restores skin tissue. The oil will also help soften your skin so it can expand, making stretch marks less likely.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is another treatment that can be used both during and after pregnancy to diminish stretch marks. It soothes and heals your skin, and is gentle enough to apply daily.
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Sugar
Making your own scrub using raw, natural sugar and a few drops of oil and lemon juice will exfoliate your skin. Rub the mixture into stretch marks before showering each day to help make stretch marks disappear. (And you'll smell so sweet, too!)
Derma Roller
You won't find one of these in your kitchen, but they're relatively inexpensive and all natural — no lotions or creams with questionable ingredients needed. Rolled over the body, the little device is supposedly to help improve scars and stretchmarks.
Apricot Mask
Apricot masks are said to help the skin … and that includes stretch marks! Mash them up, apply to your belly, and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Repeat frequently.
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Turmeric
Some women swear that combining turmeric with water or oil to create a paste and then spreading it on stretchmarks twice a day will help make them disappear!
Alfalfa
No, not the kid from Our Gang! The plant! Alfalfa mix powder can be found in health food stores and when mixed with chamomile oil makes a paste that some put on stretchmarks as it's said to "tone" skin.
