Stretch marks are sort of a mystery – at least why some women get them and some don’t is the mystery part, but we know for a fact that pregnancy and extreme weight gain and or loss is what causes skin to lose its elasticity and end up, well, as unsightly stretch marks.

Is There Really a Cure for Stretch Marks?

For decades, women, dermatologists and doctors alike have been trying to solve the mystery of preventing and reducing stretch marks. Many, many substances have been used, some successfully, and some, not so much. One woman can use the same thing, for the same amount of time and see different results. There is obviously a genetic connection to stretch marks, but having a mother who had stretch marks doesn’t assure you that you will or will not have them.

Nature vs. Nurture

I have a friend who used a 100% cocoa butter during both of her pregnancies, and has no stretch marks. Her mother and sister have seven children between them and neither have stretch marks either. So is their good luck heredity or the cocoa butter?

There are several other remedies that incorporate cocoa butter into stretch mark remedies. One is mixing vitamin E oil with 100% cocoa butter. Also, over-the-counter creams with olive oil and other oils with cocoa butter are sold as stretch mark remedies.

Popular Home Made Stretch Mark Prevention

One remedy that can be found all over this internet is a concoction of ½ cup body scrub (pick your favorite), ½ cup olive oil, ½ cup cod liver oil, 10 capsules of vitamin E, and a dollop of aloe vera gel. During your shower, take the scrub and rub in circular motions toward the heart.

The caffeine found in ground coffee has long been recognized as an enemy of cellulite and stretch marks. Mix a cupful with your favorite body cream or lotion and rub onto area for 60 seconds in a circular motion and wipe off with a wet cloth.

Apart from the concoctions, using a body brush to stimulate circulation and awaken your lymph system is thought to help reduce the look of rippled and dimpled skin. Always brush toward the heart, and apply a lotion to moisturize the skin after brushing.

Massage is also considered a valuable tool to stimulate skin’s circulation and encourage the breakdown of fat cells.

Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed preventative solution for stretch marks, but all of the remedies here rely on the basic principles of circulation and intense moisturizing of the skin.

Image Credit: Mujitra, Flickr