Is There a Home Remedy for Stretch Marks on the Breasts?
Stretch marks are white, gray, red or purple fine lines that can form on the breasts as the result of skin distension that happens with pregnancy, weight gain, and sometimes even tumors. Stretch marks on the breasts can make you self-conscious, and even though they fade over time, they won't completely go away without surgery. There are, however, some home remedies that may help to lighten stretch marks on the breasts so they are less noticeable.
Olive oil with an olive branch (Image: izzetugutmen/iStock/Getty Images)Step 1
Lay down flat on your back in a comfortable position. Rub a thick layer of castor oil over the stretch marks. Cover the oil with a piece of plastic wrap, then apply heat from a heating pad for 20 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and wipe the excess oil from your skin with a wet washcloth. Repeat daily for at least a week, then repeat a couple of times a week until the marks fade to the degree that you desire.
Step 2
Combine 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup aloe vera gel in a bowl. Rub the mixture onto the stretch marks each night before bed. Wipe off the excess in the morning with a wet washcloth. Store the extra mixture in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Lay an old towel or sheet down where you sleep, and don't wear your favorite pajamas to bed; the olive oil and aloe vera gel may stain your bedding and clothes.
Step 3
Put 2 teaspoons of grated beeswax into a microwave-safe bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds, then stir. Keep heating it in 10-second intervals, stirring each time, until the beeswax is melted. Add to the melted beeswax 1/2 cup cocoa butter, 1 tablespoon each of wheat germ oil and apricot kernel oil, and 5 drops each of rosemary and cedar wood oil. Thoroughly combine the ingredients with a spoon. Massage the mixture onto the stretch marks twice a day without rinsing it off. You can buy beeswax at most health food stores, as well as from various online retailers.
Step 4
Rub a small amount of bath oil, almond oil, lavender oil, shea butter or safflower oil onto your skin right after shower. Do not rinse the oil off; let it soak into your skin to help fade the stretch marks.
Things You'll Need
Castor oil
Plastic wrap
Heating pad
Washcloth
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup aloe vera gel
Bowl
Air-tight container
Old towel or sheet
2 teaspoons grated beeswax
Microwave-safe bowl
1/2 cup cocoa butter
1 tablespoon wheat germ oil
1 tablespoon apricot kernel oil
5 drops rosemary oil
5 drops cedarwood oil
Spoon
Bath oil, almond oil, lavender oil, shea butter or safflower oil
Tip
To help prevent stretch marks from forming, practice daily skin brushing with a stiff skin brush. In the morning, move the brush over the skin in a firm, upward motion. Start at the feet and work your way up to the belly and chest. Be more firm at the thighs and butt area, but be gentler at the belly, moving the brush in a clockwise motion. For the breasts, brush gently around the entire breast, including the underside. Brush the body once daily, going over trouble areas twice.
Another way to help decrease the chances of stretch marks forming is to expose the skin to alternating water temperatures every day. Start with a cold shower for a minute, then switch to hot water for a minute, and end your shower with a blast of cold water. Ideally, the difference in temperature should be at least 60-degrees Fahrenheit. The hot water will encourage proper blood flow, while the cold water contracts the small vessels and pushes out excess debris and fluid into the lymphatic channels.
Take a vitamin E supplement and rub vitamin E topically onto your skin to further help prevent stretch marks. Check with your doctor before taking vitamin E and to determine the proper dosage.
