Beauty 7 years ago

Let's Talk Stretch Marks

Let’s talk stretch marks, shall we?  We’ve all got ’em and they’re all in different places on our bodies. Whether you got them from weight gain or loss, pregnancy, or even genetics, stretch marks can pop up all over our bodies in all different sizes. I actually didn’t really notice my stretch marks until recently. I had gained some weight when I was pregnant with Chloe, but it wasn’t until I was in Ibiza and wearing more ‘thong’ bathing suits that it really hit me that I had them. While you should be proud of your stripes, there is no harm in wanting to find a way to reduce the appearance of them as well.

Okay, science time: stretch marks are essentially small tears in your skin. The tear happens in the middle layer of your skin (the dermis) when the tissue is stretched beyond its limit. Typically, stretch marks happen when there is a rapid change in your skin (i.e pregnancy, weight gain or loss, or a growth spurt). As I said before, I don’t mind my stripes, but I wanted to find a way to reduce the appearance of them. Fade them a little, if you will. So I’ve been doing a little research and lots of testing and have found a few methods that work for me!

1. Exfoliate 

As important as a good skincare routine is to keep your face clear and healthy, the skin on your face only covers a fraction of your entire body. So stretch marks or not, it’s important to take care of your skin all over! And just like you need to exfoliate your face once or twice a week, you should do the same for the rest of your body. I love this one for all over, but this one especially for my bootyExfoliating helps get rid of those dead skin cells that are still on your body as well as helps to reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Not to mention it leaves your skin feeling silky smooth!  Your body lotion will absorb into your skin so much better too once you exfoliate.

2. Dry Brushing

I use my dry-brush once or twice a month. Dry brushing exfoliates dead skin, stimulates your lymphatic system, reduces cellulite, unclogs pores and decongests skin! But before you incorporate it into your routine- be sure to read my post about it here.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar 

Finally, I’ve been loving using apple cider vinegar as a topical treatment. You probably already have this lying around in your pantry, too! I take one cup of apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle and spray my stretch marks every night before I fall asleep. I then I wash it off the next morning and then apply a good body butter to keep the area moisturized.

Do you guys have any tips for reducing the appearance of your stretch marks? I’d love to hear them! And please remember, I’m not a professional and I can only tell you things based off of my own personal experience.

Credits:

Photography by Karla Ticas