Useful tips and tricks on how to get rid of stretch marks at home

Stretch marks (striae) are reddish stripes that are considered a cosmetic defect and do not pose a threat to health. The following methods will help you remove stretch marks on your stomach:

• folk remedies, nutrition correction - help only with newly formed stretch marks, this includes massages, the use of oils, creams, vitamins, scrubs, wraps and masks;
• cosmetic/salon procedures – fight old stretch marks, include photopigmentation, resurfacing, laser, injections;
• Abdominoplasty is a radical solution to the problem.

Each method has contraindications and application features that must be taken into account. The process of getting rid of stretch marks is long and requires the complex use of different procedures.

Why do strong stretch marks appear on the abdomen?

Severe stretch marks on the abdomen appear against the background of:

• Hormonal disorders. Most often this happens in adolescence, when the diet is incorrect, physical activity is reduced, and all this is “complicated” by hormonal surges corresponding to age.
• Sudden fluctuations in body weight. Especially often, stretch marks form in those who initially had a lot of weight and then quickly began to lose weight on a strict diet - this is how the loss of a large amount of water manifests itself. For the same reason, every third pregnant woman develops strong stretch marks on the abdomen.
• Genetic predisposition. In this case, any of the above and even unscrupulous skin care can be a provoking factor.

The appearance of stretch marks is not always associated with physiological characteristics or fundamental changes in appearance; in some cases, provocateurs are:

• pathologies of the pancreas - too much of the hormone cortisol enters the body, which makes the skin and connective tissue fragile;
• physical inactivity – stagnation occurs in the skin, toxins accumulate, which deprive it of elasticity;
• poor nutrition – in particular, lack of protein products on the menu;
• lack of vitamins in the body - the natural production of collagen and elastin decreases.

We recommend reading the article about stretch marks after losing weight. From it you will learn about the causes of stretch marks on the skin, how to get rid of stretch marks using simple methods, and effective cosmetic products. And here is more information about Darsonval for weight loss.

Prevention

Removing stretch marks is much more difficult than preventing their appearance. Therefore, if in your case at least one of the above reasons for the appearance of stretch marks occurs, make sure that you pay due attention to the care of your own skin. You don’t need anything supernatural for this, just:

• Eat properly. Forget about diets (after all, the first thing the body loses is not kilograms, but water and nutrients) and night snacks (which lead to weight gain and stretch marks). Diversify your diet, make sure that it includes those products that contain the minerals and protein that the body needs so much;
• Drink enough water. Stable cell functioning is only possible if you drink 2 liters of water a day. At the same time, it is necessary to minimize salt consumption, so that fluid does not linger in the body and does not provoke the appearance of edema, which only increases the tension of already thin skin;
• Take a contrast shower. Sudden changes in temperature stimulate the body's metabolism and production of useful substances, and also help maintain blood vessels and capillaries in good shape, which has a beneficial effect on blood circulation. It begins with dousing with warm water, the temperature of which gradually increases. When the water becomes noticeably hot for you, you need to sharply turn on the cold water for 1-1.5 minutes. Repeat this alternation 5-6 more times. The session ends with a cold shower, after which you need to thoroughly rub yourself with a hard towel;
• Use special underwear and bandage. A prenatal bandage must be worn from the 20th week of pregnancy, when the belly begins to grow faster. This will help the fetus maintain its correct position, reduce the load on the spine to a minimum, and prevent the appearance of scars. In order not to harm the baby, the bandage should ideally fit the volume of the abdomen, and it should be worn only during the day. As for the postpartum period, special underwear and a postpartum bandage will help the skin tighten and scars and atrophies disappear. They should also only be worn during the daytime;
• Apply creams and oils. Preparations containing various fortified substances increase skin elasticity and reduce the risk of these skin defects even in a person with a genetic predisposition to them;
• Do physical exercise. The ideal option is swimming, because... here the body receives the necessary load, and the skin is sufficiently moisturized. However, if you don’t have enough time to visit the pool, exercises that develop muscles in problem areas and prevent fat from accumulating will be quite enough.

Follow this list of recommendations, and you may be able to reduce and prevent the appearance of stretch marks after pregnancy or unplanned weight gain. If the above tips did not give an effect, and stretch marks still made themselves felt, start addressing the issue of eliminating them in advance. After all, it is much easier to eliminate the violet-red atrophy that has just appeared than to later deal with a lightened scar.

How to remove stretch marks on your stomach by changing your diet

It is impossible to remove stretch marks on the abdomen by adjusting the menu, but making them less pronounced and enhancing the effect of other therapeutic measures is quite possible . What cosmetologists advise:

• It is necessary to introduce protein products into the menu, which are consumed at least 2 times a day. They promote the production of collagen by the body, which makes the skin more elastic and firm. These include whole milk and all fermented milk products, meat and fish, seafood, and cheeses.
• The diet should be varied and enriched with vitamins. We are talking about regular consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. You can make smoothies and ordinary juices from them, the main thing is regularity so that the dermal cells receive a sufficient amount of vitamins.
• Sweets, yeast baked goods, and fatty foods will have to be excluded from the menu or their quantity significantly reduced. Such food has an extremely negative effect on the condition of the skin, making it “loose”, which provokes the formation of new stretch marks.

To remove stretch marks, you need to introduce protein products into the menu.
It is impossible to increase the level of elasticity of the dermis if the drinking regime is not followed. An adult should drink 2 liters of clean water per day if he does not have a history of kidney, heart or vascular diseases.

Is it possible to avoid the appearance of stretch marks?

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and strict weight control can help you avoid problems such as stretch marks. Proper nutrition has a positive effect on the body as a whole and promotes sufficient production of essential substances, including collagen, which is responsible for skin elasticity. It is necessary to avoid the occurrence of a deficiency of vitamins A, C and E - eat a sufficient amount of vegetable and animal fats and proteins, natural oils, vegetables and fruits. Be sure to drink enough clean water - the health and elasticity of the skin directly depends on this.

A contrast shower, bath visits, scrubs and wraps will help keep your skin youthful. Collagen loss is caused by smoking, alcohol abuse, addiction to fatty foods, and a sedentary lifestyle.

How to get rid of stretch marks on your stomach with exercises

You can get rid of stretch marks on your stomach with just a few exercises:

Each exercise is repeated at least 10 times, the complex must be performed daily, it can be included in morning exercises or afternoon/evening workouts.

How to remove stretch marks on the stomach with oils and massage

You can remove stretch marks on the abdomen by using the following recipes:

• Mix tangerine, lavender and neroli oils, taking 2 drops of each. The composition is introduced into the “base” - wheat germ oil (50 ml), everything is thoroughly mixed, and stored in a dark glass bottle in a cool place.

Essential and natural/cosmetic oils not only nourish the skin with vitamins, but also make it elastic and firm , which ultimately leads to a reduction in the severity of stretch marks. This remedy is used to get rid of even old stretch marks that are 2 years or more old. It can cause allergies, so before starting the procedures it is worth conducting a simple allergy test.

• Fresh carrots - grate them on a fine grater and squeeze out the juice through cheesecloth (1 medium vegetable is enough). Then cosmetic almond oil is added to the resulting juice in such an amount that the “output” is a creamy product.

The oil is rubbed into problem areas on the stomach every day before bed. You need to wait until it is completely absorbed.

If you use these products daily for 1-2 months, the stretch marks will become noticeably lighter, and the skin will acquire firmness and elasticity. It is advisable to combine the application of oils with a massage, which will achieve greater results.

Rubbing

Actually, any cream with a fatty base can be rubbed into the skin. But in order to reduce stretch marks, rubs based on essential oils are better. To prepare the most effective product, you need to take in equal parts:

• avocado oil;
• sea ​​buckthorn oil;
• rosemary ether;
• orange ether;
• jojoba oil.

The rubbing is infused for 24 hours, then thoroughly rubbed over the entire area of ​​the body.

Another recipe for an oil rub that will slowly but surely improve the condition of the skin consists of wheat germ oil, almond ether and lavender ether. Oils are taken in equal quantities, mixed and applied to the skin.

For reference! Typically, such methods must be used for at least 3 months, alternating the composition of the rub, otherwise the body will quickly get used to the product and stop reacting.

Massage as one of the options for solving the problem

To solve the problem of stretch marks on the abdomen, different types of massages can be used:

Peeling at home

You don't have to go to expensive salons to get peeling done. Superficial peeling using citric acid or bodyagi removes the upper layers of the skin, significantly reducing stretch marks.

The two most popular types of procedures are:

• Bodya peeling: you need to dilute 1-2 tablespoons of bodyaga with hydrogen peroxide, apply the composition to problem areas, rinse after 5-10 minutes.
• Lemon peeling: grind the zest of one lemon, add to homemade sour cream or rich cream, apply for half an hour.

Similar procedures must be performed daily for a week. Burning and redness of the skin in the area of ​​stretch marks is a normal reaction of the body.

Vitamins for removing stretch marks on the stomach

One of the ways to remove stretch marks on the abdomen is to use vitamins tocopherol and retinol; they are purchased in ampoules and rubbed into the skin damaged by stretch marks as independent products or in combination. Some people add a small amount of castor oil to the vitamin mixture. These drugs can affect the upper layers of the epidermis and shallow connective tissue, enhancing regenerative abilities at the cellular level.

The effectiveness of this method has not been confirmed by doctors.

Stages of development

There are several stages of development of striae:

1. Inflammatory, if the appearance of stretch marks does not exceed 6 months. These formations have a bright red or purple hue. Between damaged skin structures, morphological examination reveals cellular structures, blood stasis and a large number of dilated vessels.
2. Atrophic, if the striae are older than 6 months. The color of such formations can vary from white to pearlescent. They are composed of thickened skin and inner walls of connective tissue. A morphological study of “old” striae does not reveal cellular elements or signs of microcirculation in the tissues.

Fighting stretch marks at home with ointments

At home, the fight against stretch marks can be carried out using pharmaceutical products - ointments and creams.

Creams for old stretch marks

Bepanten is the most effective cream for old stretch marks; according to reviews, the course of treatment allows you to get rid of stretch marks even at the age of 10-12 years: shallow ones completely disappear, and too pronounced ones become barely noticeable.

Apply the product to previously cleansed skin of the abdomen daily in a thin layer, the duration of therapy is set individually, but usually it is not less than 4 months; for some, the problem disappears only after 10-12 months of using the product.

“Elaskin”, an ointment made on the basis of natural ingredients: jojoba, rose and almond oils, has a similar effect.

Old stretch marks can only be removed with complex therapy; using ointments and creams exclusively will not give the desired effect. If you add a massage using cosmetic and essential oils to the procedure, its effectiveness will increase significantly.

How can you remove stretch marks on your stomach if they have just begun to appear?

If stretch marks have just begun to appear on your stomach, you can remove them:

• Klirvinom is a cream made from a mixture of Indian herbs that actively affects the level of skin elasticity and is used for at least 6 weeks on a daily basis;
• zinc ointment – ​​activates the production of collagen by the body itself, applied to problem areas once a day, can be used for 3-6 months;
• retinoic ointment – ​​exfoliates and removes already dead particles of the epidermis from the surface of the dermis, which stimulates the growth of a new layer;
• heparin ointment - stimulates the strengthening and narrowing of blood vessels located in areas of stretch marks, especially often recommended against stretch marks formed during pregnancy.

Why do they appear?

Endogenous and exogenous factors can provoke the appearance of stretch marks on the body.:

1. Pregnancy. During this period, stripes on the skin appear on the stomach and chest. At the same time, hormonal changes occur in the woman’s body, which also provokes the appearance of stretch marks. Stretch marks that appear during pregnancy cannot be treated with strong medications.
2. A sharp decrease or increase in body weight. Scars on the body form if a person loses or gains more than 300 g per day. In order not to encounter a problem, you need to adhere to the optimal rate of weight loss or weight gain - up to 1.5 kg per week. When losing weight, it is recommended to exercise to help protect your skin from stretch marks.
3. Internal pathologies. Such diseases include Itsenko-Cushing syndrome. In such a situation, stretch marks may appear in unusual areas, for example, on the back. To get rid of the problem, the patient is prescribed medications that affect the production of hormones.
4. Genetic predisposition. A person has a high risk of developing striae if his immediate relatives have encountered the problem. In this case, it is better to immediately take preventive measures - use special cosmetics to maintain skin tone and follow nutritional rules.
5. Puberty. In adolescence, scars on the body occur due to changes in hormonal levels.

In addition to the listed factors, an unbalanced diet, a sedentary lifestyle and bad habits also lead to the formation of stretch marks.

Folk remedies for stretch marks on the stomach

The approach to getting rid of stretch marks should be comprehensive, so you should pay attention to folk remedies (scrubs, wraps, masks, mummy cream) - they will not get rid of stretch marks on the abdomen, but will complement other therapeutic procedures and enhance their effectiveness.

Scrubs

Their compositions are highly abrasive, exfoliate already dead particles of the epidermis, stimulate blood circulation and increase the elasticity of the skin. The most effective against stretch marks will be the following:

Scrubs are used 2 times a week, thoroughly rubbing them into the skin of the abdomen after showering. Hands perform massage movements, only stretching is excluded. Then the applied product should be left on the skin for 10-20 minutes and rinsed off with warm water.

Wraps

They are carried out only on steamed skin; this can be done in a hot bath or under a hot shower. Then the stomach is thoroughly and vigorously wiped with a towel. Next, the actual procedure begins:

1. The selected product is applied to the skin in a layer of 0.5-1 cm;
2. Everything is covered with cling film on top;
3. a greenhouse effect is created (you need to cover yourself with a blanket or blanket, towel);
4. after 20-30 minutes everything is washed off with warm water.

What you need to know about wraps:

• as a product you can use seaweed extract, honey, melted chocolate, any essential/cosmetic oil;
• The cling film should not be tightened too tightly on the stomach; it is important not to disrupt blood circulation;
• Wraps are strictly contraindicated for gynecological diseases, pregnancy, and during menstruation;
• the procedure can be performed 2 times a week, the course is not limited.

Masks

They are prepared from pharmaceutical products, used no more than 3 times a week, they can provoke an allergic reaction, so a home allergy test is required. The most effective against stretch marks on the abdomen are:

• Mask based on cosmetic clay. The best choice would be blue, 2 tablespoons of which are mixed with 1 tablespoon of warm water until smooth. It is applied in a thick layer to problem areas of the skin of the abdomen and left in this state until completely dry. Then the product is washed off with a warm shower, the skin is dried and treated with moisturizer.
• Peeling mask with avocado. Using a whisk in a ceramic or glass bowl, combine oat flour and cosmetic clay (any color) in equal quantities, add the pulp of one avocado and olive oil in a volume of ½ of the existing amount. The mask is applied for 30 minutes.

Mask for stretch marks

Shilajit cream

First, you need to put mumiyo from the package (1 g) in 1 tablespoon of warm water and wait for it to dissolve. Add the resulting mass to baby cream (100 g), mix and apply a thin layer to the stomach. The procedure is performed 3-4 times a week after a shower or bath, because on steamed skin the effectiveness of the product increases significantly. The course of therapy is not limited.

What they look like

The appearance of stripes on the skin depends on the structure of a person’s skin and its tone. It is these indicators that influence the severity of the symptomatic picture of the problem.

The color of the formations varies from light to dark purple. The shade of stretch marks largely depends on how long ago they appeared; fresh scars are red-violet in color, while older formations are lighter in color.

The connective tissue that makes up striae is characterized by low melanin production. For this reason, when tanning, areas of skin with stretch marks change their color less intensely than surrounding tissues.

Scars on the body are formed in single or multiple quantities, it all depends on the structure of the epidermis and its ability to stretch.

Striae are not the same in size: the width of the formations varies from 1 to 7 mm, and the length - from 0.5 cm to 10 cm.

The structure of stretch marks is also varied: the stripes can be located above the surface of the skin, at the same level with it and be retracted. As a rule, the relief of stretch marks changes over time.

Skin formations with Cushing's syndrome have characteristic features:

• they are localized on the shoulders, back, stomach and chest
• the skin at the site of stretch marks becomes thinner.

In addition to stripes, pigment spots appear on the surface of the skin due to endocrine disorders, itching and peeling of certain areas of the dermis occur.

Why do stretch marks appear on the abdomen during pregnancy?

Stretch marks on the abdomen during pregnancy appear:

• with a rapid change in physical data - abdominal growth;
• against the background of hormonal imbalance;
• due to decreased physical activity.

If the intrauterine growth of a child proceeds quickly, then the skin on the abdomen is greatly stretched, and the elastin and collagen produced by the dermal cells simply do not have time to compensate for the damage . As a result, the skin becomes overstretched and stretch marks are formed.

At first, stretch marks have a pink tint, then they turn purple, and after a few months they turn whitish.

How to remove postpartum stretch marks on the stomach

It will take several months to achieve results, but comprehensive measures will have an effect if the procedures are carried out regularly. How to remove postpartum stretch marks on the stomach:

• Massages. They do not help get rid of old stretch marks, but in combination with other measures they will be effective. They are performed “dry” using cosmetic oil or under a contrast shower.

• Bath. To hot water you need to add 2 liters of warm water, in which 1 cup of potato starch is dissolved. The procedure lasts 15 minutes, the heart area is not immersed in water. Frequency: 2 times a week.
• Ice wraps. Can be used daily, ice cubes are prepared from pure water or oil based on medicinal herbs (rosemary, chamomile, calendula). You cannot apply ice to bare skin; you need to place a thin textile napkin on your stomach. The procedure time is 10 minutes.
• Compresses. They even cope with “old” stretch marks. Prepared from a liter of hot water, 1 tablespoon of coarse salt and the same amount of lemon juice. A towel soaked in the solution is applied to the stomach for 30 seconds, then replaced with a cold compress. At least 10 such alternations must be made.

Compress on the abdomen for stretch marks
All procedures must be agreed upon with a gynecologist, because complete recovery after childbirth is required.

Massages for stretch marks

A pinch massage will be indispensable in such a situation. Pinch the stretch marks with your thumb and index finger for 10 minutes. Adding your favorite moisturizer can help reduce soreness and increase effectiveness.

Self-massage only works well if done regularly. As a result, the rush of blood saturates the skin with vitamins and increases cell regeneration. When massaging, it is advisable to use cream or oil. Vertically, from bottom to top, massage your hips and shoulders, and massage your stomach, buttocks and chest in a circular motion. You can use special brushes and sponges designed to remove stretch marks.

A contrast shower is perfectly combined with a light massage; when taking a shower, do not forget to turn on the pressure at full power; tight jets of water will provide an extraordinary massage. Afterwards, thoroughly rub the skin with a towel, rub in the stretch mark cream and perform a pinch massage.

How to hide stretch marks on your stomach

You can hide stretch marks on your stomach only when going to the beach or while going to the pool - a closed swimsuit makes this possible. There are models on sale made from slimming fabric, which helps to visually reduce the belly - stretch marks make the skin in this part of the body flabby and sagging.

Neither foundation nor any other camouflage means (for example, professional makeup) will solve the aesthetic side of the problem.

Watch the video about the causes of stretch marks:

How to remove old stretch marks on the stomach with photopigmentation

Old stretch marks on the abdomen can be effectively removed using photopigmentation , a procedure during which damaged skin is exposed to photo rays. The result will be a significant acceleration of metabolic processes at the cellular level, which leads to increased collagen production.

To obtain the desired result, you need to undergo at least 10 photopigmentation sessions. Unlike folk remedies, the effect will be much more pronounced.

Contraindications for the procedure are minimal - malignant neoplasms, exacerbations of any chronic pathologies of internal organs, dermatological diseases manifesting in the abdominal area.

How to get rid of old stretch marks with laser

You can get rid of old stretch marks using laser treatment, but first you need to undergo a medical examination and get permission from a therapist, cardiologist and gynecologist. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia, because the laser literally burns out damaged areas on the abdomen . Then follows a long recovery process, which involves:

• restrictions on physical activity;
• the use of specific creams and ointments;
• wearing special fixing, shaping underwear.

The effectiveness of laser treatment is excellent, but the method has many contraindications - pathologies of the cardiovascular system, problems with blood clotting, oncology.

Laser removal of stretch marks on the abdomen

Belly resurfacing for stretch marks

Laser beams can be used against stretch marks and in other, more gentle procedures - resurfacing the abdomen for stretch marks, the essence of which is the evaporation of dermal cells, has a good effect. The result is the destruction of connective tissue and old collagen.

When resurfacing, the laser affects only damaged areas of the abdomen, healthy skin remains unchanged. Therefore, there are few contraindications to the procedure, and the recovery period lasts a maximum of 3 days.

How to remove old stretch marks using injection methods

You can remove old stretch marks in just a few sessions using mesotherapy - a procedure the essence of which is the subcutaneous administration of specific biologically active drugs. They are usually enriched with vitamins, oxygen and have a complex effect on the skin, further tightening it.

The course of injection is 5-8 sessions, which are carried out with a break of 7-10 days.

We recommend reading the article about skin tightening after weight loss. From it you will learn about the influence of nutrition, the effectiveness of massage, water procedures, and exercises that can be done at home. And here is more information about the belly slimming cream.

How to get rid of old stretch marks with abdominoplasty

A radical solution to the problem is abdominoplasty, which allows you to get rid of old stretch marks 100%, and their “age” in this case is completely unimportant. The surgeon makes an incision at the site of the formed striae and removes the damaged area of ​​skin. Subsequently, the incision heals well, the scars remain so thin that they are almost invisible.

Abdominoplasty is a full-fledged surgical intervention, performed under general anesthesia, has many contraindications and has a long rehabilitation period. Additionally, it is possible to get rid of sagging skin (“apron”) and make the stomach almost flat.

Abdominoplasty

Is it possible to remove stretch marks forever?

It is not possible to remove stretch marks forever with cosmetics or folk recipes - they will only become less pronounced. Surgery solves the problem, but if the patient does not follow precautions, the stretch marks will form again . This can happen, for example, with sudden weight gain and further weight loss, during subsequent pregnancies.

Stretch marks on the abdomen do not pose a threat to health, but aesthetically they look unpleasant. You can solve the problem yourself if the stretch marks are “young”; if the stretch marks are old, it is advisable to seek help from a doctor.

What does the result depend on?

The effectiveness of getting rid of scars largely depends on how long ago they occurred. It is possible to completely remove stretch marks only if they appeared no more than 12 months ago. The effectiveness of treatment is also influenced by the technique used to heal problem areas of the skin.

To eliminate stretch marks, it is not enough to use just one method; it is advisable to carry out a whole range of necessary measures. “Old” stretch marks can be made more invisible with the help of cosmetic procedures - laser peeling and a number of other salon techniques. Gels and creams are not able to completely eliminate the problem and turn stretch marks into healthy skin cells.

Stretch marks on the skin do not pose a threat to human health, but their appearance causes a lot of inconvenience to a person. Formations can arise due to a number of both external (mechanical damage to the skin) and internal (pregnancy, endocrine pathologies) factors. At the first sign of a problem, it is necessary to carry out a set of measures to eliminate it as soon as possible.