Stretch marks show up on your abdomen, buttocks, breasts and thighs when your skin becomes overstretched. Rapid weight gain and growth spurts cause your skin to tear beneath the surface, and this leaves behind lines that can look red, purple or white. DermNet NZ notes that stretch marks are not typically a medical concern, but they can be unsightly and make you want to get rid of them. You can reduce the appearance of your stretch marks by massaging the area with a cocoa butter product. Complement this with additional skin care methods, and your marks will begin to fade.
Step 1
Wash your body and moisturize it at the same time by using a nourishing body wash with a humectant ingredient, such as glycerin. This will clean your skin without drying it out, which can make stretch marks and other discolorations look worse. Take a shower in tepid water, and squirt a quarter-sized amount of body wash on a loofah. Rub it all over your wet body, concentrating on the areas where you have stretch marks. Rinse off, and pat dry.
Step 2
Rub a cocoa butter lotion on your stretch marks as soon as you get out of the shower while your skin is still damp, which will help it to absorb the product's benefits better. Choose a thick, rich lotion and massage it into your skin. Allow it to absorb for five minutes before moving onto the next step.
Step 3
Apply a sunscreen before going outdoors, particularly to the areas where you have stretch marks. Ultraviolet rays can darken skin discolorations, as well as accelerate the rate at which your skin ages. Use a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher, and choose one that also contains vitamin C or E, which block free radicals and may also help decrease the look of your stretch marks, according to dermatologist Ted Lain, M.D. Smooth the sunscreen all over your body, and let it dry before you get dressed.
Step 4
Exfoliate your body twice a week with a gentle scrub that contains spherical beads. Lain states that this will encourage skin cell renewal and help your stretch marks fade more rapidly. Cleanse your body with the moisturizing body wash, and then smooth on the scrub using a circular motion. Wash it away and dry off.
Step 5
Reapply the cocoa butter to your stretch marks each night before bed. Allow it to soak in before you put on your pajamas.
Things You'll Need
- Body wash with glycerin
- Loofah
- Towel
- Cocoa butter lotion
- Sunscreen with vitamins C or E
- Gentle body scrub
