I know what you’re thinking. Our Grandmothers didn’t have stretch marks. Those were the good old days when life was simple, nobody even wore makeup and they all stood round the piano singing wartime songs for their evening entertainment. No one cared about getting rid of stretch marks because they simply didn’t exist.
I hate to burst your bubble, but stretch marks are not a modern phenomenon. Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers suffered the same unsightly marks on their stomachs and thighs, but they had to find simple, natural methods to fade and remove them because they didn’t have expensive cosmetic treatments at their disposal.
In my teens my brothers and I all put on a growth spurt. However, while they grew upwards I grew outwards. They developed stretch marks on their bulging biceps while mine appeared on my chubby belly and thunder thighs.
Thankfully, my grandma came to the rescue and taught me a few things about preventing, reducing and eliminating stretch marks. She may not have always understood the science behind the tips she gave me, but she knew they worked because they had worked for her and her mother and grandmother before her.
Grandma’s Wisdom #1: Drink plenty of water
Keeping your body properly hydrated will ensure your skin is always supplied with plenty of moisture from the inside. Your skin will stay supple and be less prone to stretching beyond its limits. Of course, in the old days they used to drink water from the tap. Horror! Nowadays, I suggest bottled or filtered water.
Grandma’s Wisdom #2: Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
This might have been my grandma’s way to get us to eat our Brussels sprouts and spinach, but it is good advice. Fruit and vegetables are the best sources of the vitamins and minerals that feed your skin, as well as providing another source of water for the body.
Grandma’s Wisdom #3: Use Vaseline
No need for expensive creams and treatments, simply rub Vaseline or baby oil into your skin regularly. There are many home remedies you can use that do not cost a fortune but can still give excellent results on stretch marks. Rubbing Vaseline or baby oil into the skin straight after a shower will help lock moisture into the skin. Inexpensive products such as shea or cocoa butter, or avocado, coconut or almond oil will also be effective.
Grandma’s Wisdom #4: Love Yourself Exactly as You Are
You’re beautiful just the way you are. Not what you want to hear when you are stressing over your ugly belly, right? But grandma was correct; your beauty is not linked to whether you have stretch marks or not. 90% of pregnant women will get stretch marks so you are not alone, and while they may seem glaringly obvious to you, they will go mostly unnoticed by those around you.
There is another good reason not to stress over your stretch marks. Stress plays a major role in many of our health worries and your skin is no exception. Try some stress-busting remedies and your body will thank you for it in so many ways.
Grandma wasn’t always right. My face didn’t stick in its ugly pose when the wind changed, eating my crusts didn’t turn my hair curly, and Scrabble is not the best board game in the world, but when it came to advice on getting rid of stretch marks she had a wisdom worth listening to.
