Shea Butter and Aloe Vera for Stretch Marks Removal
While shea butter appears solid and thick at room temperature, it is very rich in butter, thus making it useful as a natural lip balm. eye cream, body butter and more. Shea butter, according to research, has the ability to penetrate deep into the skin and has 60% of fat, thereby making it very soothing. Shea butter has a lot of fatty acids, vitamins A and E, giving it the ability to repair defective elastin fibers that cause stretch marks. It also possesses the power to replace damaged collagen. Because it is rich in vitamin E, it helps in getting rid of free radicals from the body, thereby bringing about better and healthier skin. It likewise aids proper blood circulation, which is also important for healthy, beautiful skin.
Aloe Vera is a rich source of active components and essential nutrients effective for clearing the skin of scars, burns, stretch marks and more. It has the ability to rejuvenate defective collagen fibers of dermis. Because it has high water volume, Aloe Vera helps in skin tissues sustenance. It likewise contains anti-oxidants, making it useful in enhancing the production of new skin cells, thus removing stretch marks. Its anti-inflammatory, anti-septic and anti-bacterial properties are just some of the highlights of Aloe Vera.
Stretch Marks and Different Forms of It
The skin possesses its elastic and firm properties due to the presence of the elastin fibers on the dermis layer. The elastin fibers are responsible for producing the nutrient known as collagen in the right quantity. Stretch marks appear on the skin when the dermis layer gets torn due to overstretching of the skin. When the skin becomes overly stretched, the production of collagen is disrupted, so the skin cannot return to its original form after expanding.
There are a number of reasons why stretch marks are formed on the skin and some of these reasons include: pregnancy, weight lifting, overweight, muscle growth, hormonal changes, unhealthy diet, obesity and more. There are different types or forms of stretch marks and these include:
- Purpuric or Dark Red Purple Stretch Mark: This type of stretch mark is caused due to the consistent intake of pharmaceutical corticoids.
- Albicant Lines or Distension Stretch Mark: This type of stretch marks is seen on obese people who lost weight rapidly and on pregnant women. Some pathological conditions could likewise cause it. This type of stretch mark is found to affect the breasts, chest and abdomen regions.
- Rapid Muscle Growth: A sudden growth in muscle due to body building can also cause stretch marks. Areas where the marks will be visible include the shoulder muscles, triceps and biceps. Rapid muscle growth due to the consumption of steroids causes this type of stretch mark.
- Puberty Stretch Mark: Obviously, this type occurs due to a growth spurt during puberty. The areas this stretch mark affects are the breasts, lower extremity, upper extremity, back and hips regions.
Using Aloe Vera for Stretch Marks
There are many ways Aloe Vera can be used to aid stretch mark removal, but in this article, 2 will be discussed.
1. Aloe Vera with Vitamins A & E oils
Ingredient(s):
- 10 capsules of vitamin E
- 2 tsp of olive oil (optional)
- 5 capsules of vitamin A
- 1/2 cup of Aloe Vera gel
Procedure:
Squeeze out fresh Aloe Vera gel in a bowl. Extract the oils in the capsules of vitamins A and E, then stir the oils and extracted Aloe Vera gel together. You may add the olive oil to your mixture if you wish. That’s it, your Aloe Vera cream is ready for usage! Simply apply your mixture on the stretch marks affected areas on your skin by rubbing it in gently, then leave for some minutes. Use lukewarm water to wash off after. Endeavor to use your mixture 2 – 3 times every day.
2. Aloe Vera Gel
Ingredient(s):
Aloe Vera leaf
Procedure:
Extract the gel of the Aloe Vera leaf then apply it directly on the stretch marks affect areas by gently rubbing it in. leave it on your skin for some minutes to dry, after which you can wash off with lukewarm water. Ensure to apply it regularly.
Using Shea Butter for Stretch Marks
Because shea butter is rich in vitamins, it is an ultra-moisturizer. It can also prevent drying because it has palmitic, oleic, stearic and linolenic acids. The interesting part is that you can prepare your own do-it-yourself (DIY) shea butter cream. The ingredients to be used and the method of preparation are discussed below.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup of extra-virgin coconut oil
- 1/3 cup of untreated or raw shea butter
- 4 teaspoons of vitamin E oil
Procedure:
- Melt the shea butter and coconut oil together in a boiler until you have a liquid solution.
- Cool your mixture for some 10 minutes.
- Add your vitamin E oil afterward.
- Pour the mixture in a glass storage container and keep in the refrigerator to cool totally.
- The texture of your mixture will depend on the room temperature but under normal circumstances, it should be creamy and thick.
Although there are no hard and fast rules to its application, due to its thickness, you are advised to apply your shea butter cream when your skin is still wet. To avoid molding, do not expose the cream to moisture. For best use, the cream must be used within 6 months after preparation.
Note: This cream does not have any scent added to it because many essential oils are not pregnancy safe. So, if you must add any essential oil to improve its smell, ensure to carry out the necessary research on which oils are pregnancy safe.
Combining Shea Butter and Aloe Vera for Stretch Marks
Now, here is where the magic happens! When you combine the two superstars Shea Butter and Aloe Vera, we get a wonderful whip fondly called “shealoe” in our community.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup of shea butter
- ¼ cup of aloe vera
Procedure:
- Combine equal parts of shea butter and aloe vera gel in a blender.
- Transfer the whip into a clean container.
- Apply onto areas of stretch marks and massage in a circular motion for 2 minutes.
In my experience, if you buy 80% aloe vera gel, you’ll find that it already has preservatives added to it and so this shea-aloe whip stays good for several months. There is very little chance of mold.
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