Stretch marks are a kind of marks on the skin, which look like irregular lines, caused by the breakdown of the collagen, elastin and reticulin fibers that make up the dermis.
In the beginning, when they appear, they appear as reddish or violet color marks and with the passage of time they acquire a pearly whitish tone and a texture different from the rest of the skin, this being the phase in which it is much more complicated to eliminate them completely.
Although they can appear in various parts of the body, there are areas that are more vulnerable to stretch the elastic fibers of the skin than others, and these are the breasts, abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees and arms.
Why stretch marks come out
There are different factors that can favor the formation of stretch marks, among which are sudden changes in weight, which is more common in periods such as puberty, pregnancy or breastfeeding; have a dry skin or lack of elasticity; follow a poor diet in the essential nutrients to maintain healthy skin; the hormonal alterations; the rapid growth of the muscles; the consumption of some medications; have a genetic predisposition, etc.
Properties of lemon to remove stretch marks
Natural treatments are often a great solution to mitigate the unsightly marks of the skin, and when the goal is to eliminate stretch marks and reduce their visibility, highlights the lemon as one of the best home remedies for it. Next, we detail why the lemon can be used to remove stretch marks and what are its properties:
It clarifies the skin and the tone of the stretch marks
Citric acid from the lemon provides this fruit with very powerful whitening properties. In fact, it is one of the most popular treatments to eliminate dark spots and combat the darkening that is experienced in some areas of the body over time, such as elbows, knees, armpits or upper lip.
In this case, its application is able to reduce the tone of the stretch marks and unify it with the rest of the skin, making it not so obvious to the naked eye.
Exfoliates the skin
Cleanses the skin deeply and removes all the dead cells that accumulate in the surface layer of it. In addition, it allows unblocking the pores and preventing new impurities from appearing.
It favors the production of collagen:
Thanks to its high content of vitamin C, the lemon has the ability to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin in the skin.
This is essential to maintain the tissues in perfect condition and avoid stretch marks, which as we have previously mentioned, are formed due to a breakdown of the collagen, elastin and reticulin fibers.
It is a great antioxidant:
Vitamin C, on the other hand, is also a natural antioxidant, so it acts against free radicals that favor skin aging, helps cells to renew and damaged tissues in which they appear stretch marks are repaired more easily.
Treatments with lemon for stretch marks
Lemon juice
Ingredients: 1 lemon and a cotton disk (of those used to remove make-up) or a small gauze.
Steps to follow:
- Place 1 lemon in the fridge and wait for it to cool.
- Remove the lemon from the refrigerator, break it in half and squeeze it to extract all its juice.
- Pour the lemon juice into a bowl and soak the cotton disk in it.
- Pass the cotton disc through the areas with stretch marks making circular massages to reactivate blood circulation.
- Let the lemon act on the skin for about 10 or 15 minutes and, after this time, rinse with plenty of warm or cold water.
- Apply, finally, a cream or anti-stretch mark and firming oil.
Lemon and sugar
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons of sugar and 1 lemon
Steps to follow:
- Cut the lemon in half and extract its natural juice with a juicer.
- In a bowl, mix the lemon juice with the sugar until you get a homogeneous granular paste.
- Apply on the wet skin (at the time of shower) the exfoliant prepared in sugar and lemon in the parts of the body with stretch marks.
- Perform circular and gentle massage for a few minutes to eliminate all dead cells.
- Rinse the area with plenty of warm or cold water, avoiding hot water that can dry out the skin very much.
Lemon and aloe vera
Ingredients: 1 lemon and 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel
Steps to follow:
- In a bowl, mix the juice of the freshly squeezed lemon with the aloe vera and stir until the two ingredients are perfectly integrated.
- Apply the resulting mask on the skin with stretch marks doing circular massages.
- Leave on for about 10 minutes and, after this time, rinse with warm or cold water.
- In this treatment, it is possible to replace aloe vera with olive oil, almond oil or cucumber juice.
It is important that while these anti-stretching treatments are done with lemon, do not expose the skin to the sun, since they could appear new spots and marks. It is best to take them out at night so that, this way, the skin on the following day is completely recovered.
Other tips that should be taken into account in the day to day to prevent the appearance of stretch marks and keep the skin in perfect condition are the following:
- Eat a balanced and healthy diet, rich in foods with vitamins A, C and E.
- Drink plenty of water during the day (between 1.5 and 2 liters).
- Avoid sudden and abrupt changes in weight.
- Apply moisturizing creams on the skin and use anti-stretch marks as a prevention.
- Perform moderate physical exercise on a regular basis to keep skin tissues firm.