Stretch marks are caused by pregnancy and rapid weight gain and loss. According to dermatologists at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, your legs are one of the most common places for stretch marks to form. Stretch marks form when your skin stretches and grows so much that the elastic fibers in your skin break. Stretch marks are difficult to get rid of because they form at the very root of the skin in your legs. You can get rid of the stretch marks in your legs, however, with proper exercise, creams and vitamins.
Step 1
Exercise to get rid of the stretch marks on your legs. Firming and toning your skin makes the stretch marks on your legs look less severe. Exercising not only helps get rid of the fat on your body and on your legs, exercise will tighten up your skin and help reduce the appearance of your stretch marks. The Mayo Clinic recommends getting at least 2.5 hours of moderate exercise per week, or 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity.
Step 2
Apply tanning lotion to your legs. The tanner and darker your legs look, the less severe your stretch marks will appear. There are many products on the market that will make your skin look tanner without you ever having to step out into the sun. You can tan in the sun to reduce your stretch marks, however, UV rays can damage your skin and cause cancer.
Step 3
Apply tretinoin cream to your legs to get rid of your stretch marks. Tretinoin cream increases how many skin cells your body makes. Treitoin cream causes the cells around your stretch marks to die and new ones to grow in their place. The new, healthier cells that are regenerated by the tretinoin cream will reduce the appearance of your stretch marks because the new cells have more collagen in them than your old cells. The Mayo Clinic says tretinoin cream can improve the appearance of stretch marks on your legs, so long as the stretch marks are less than six weeks old.
Step 4
Hydrate your skin. By drinking a lot of water, you can keep your skin looking young and healthy. The Mayo Clinic says you should drink eight 8 oz glasses of water every day. If the skin on your legs is hydrated, you will be less likely to develop stretch marks and the ones you do have will be easier to get rid of.
Step 5
Use vitamin E on your legs. Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant that helps get rid of the dead skin cells on the surface of your skin. By getting rid of the dead skin cells, you allow new, healthier skin to form in their place, fading the appearance of your stretch marks. Buy vitamin E pills at your pharmacy, punch a hole in the capsules and squeeze the liquid into your hand. Rub the liquid onto the stretch marks on your legs until it soaks into your skin.
