5 Dietary Home Remedies For Stretch Marks
By Catherine M, Staff Editor
Last Updated on March 6th, 2023 / Published on September 28, 2018
Stretch marks are lines that commonly appear during or after pregnancy due to sudden changes in one’s weight. They also occur due to other causes that increase the cortisone levels in one’s system. Cortisone is a hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands, and too much of it can cause the skin to lose its elasticity. There are various home remedies to reduce and prevent stretch marks. Here are five dietary home remedies for stretch marks.
Consume Vitamin A
Vitamin A helps in making one’s skin look young and smooth. It is also known to reduce the appearance of stretch marks over time. Here are some food items that are loaded with vitamin A.
- Animal-based sources: Beef liver, liver sausage, salmon, king mackerel, cod liver oil, lamb liver, goat cheese, cheddar, Limburger cheese, butter, bluefin tuna, camembert, Roquefort cheese, trout, caviar, feta cheese, and blue cheese are excellent sources of vitamin A. Consuming these foods is a simple dietary home remedy to get rid of stretch marks.
- Vegetables with high levels of vitamin A: Cooked sweet potatoes, kale, turnip greens, winter squash, collards, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, etc. are good sources of vitamin A that one can consume to reduce stretch marks.
- Fruits that are high in vitamin A: Mango, watermelon, papaya, cantaloupe, apricot, red or pink grapefruit, guava, passion fruit, and tangerine are excellent sources of vitamin A, and the consumption of these items is an effective home remedy to reduce stretch marks.
Soak in some vitamin D
Some scientific studies have indicated a correlation between vitamin D levels and stretch marks. The studies conclude that maintaining a healthy level of vitamin D helps in reducing and preventing stretch marks. Sun exposure is the easiest and simplest way to get some vitamin D. Also, food items like cereals and dairy products contain vitamin D.
Indulge in some vitamin C
Vitamin C promotes healthy skin and minimizes stretch marks. It is an antioxidant used by the body to fight toxins called free radicals, and it also aids in the formation of healthy scar tissue. Kakadu plums, rose hips, blackcurrants, lemon, acerola cherries, guava, kale, parsley, chili peppers, sweet yellow peppers, thyme, brussels sprouts, kiwi, strawberries, and oranges are excellent sources of vitamin C, and including them in your diet is the tastiest home remedy to get rid of stretch marks.
Don’t forget to consume vitamin E
Vitamin E plays a pivotal role in keeping the skin healthy as well as healing and repairing damaged skin. One of the best parts of this dietary home remedy is that most foods contain vitamin E and hence, one can consume it regularly. Some of the foods that are high in vitamin E are sunflower seeds, wheat germ oil, hazelnuts, hazelnut oil, almonds, mamey sapote, almond oil, sunflower oil, avocado, peanuts, goose meat, pine nuts, Atlantic salmon, red sweet pepper, brazil nuts, etc. Most cooking oils, nuts, and seeds are the best sources of vitamin E.
Stay hydrated
Dry skin tends to develop stretch marks more readily than soft skin. Drinking enough water and keeping yourself hydrated is the key to reduce and prevent stretch marks. Also, caffeinated beverages dehydrate the body. So, if you like drinking coffee and other caffeinated drinks, it is important to balance it by consuming sufficient water.
The dietary home remedies mentioned above aren’t enough to reduce stretch marks. One needs to use other home remedies for stretch marks on their skin as well. Some examples include rubbing the area with a coffee scrub, exfoliating with sugar, massaging with coconut oil, etc. Implementing some home remedies in one’s diet as well as using some home remedies on the body itself will help to reduce and prevent stretch marks.