How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks When Lifting Weights

A great way to lose weight is to include lifting weights into your daily routine. However, the combination of the lost weight with the weighted movements of lifting can sometimes result in unsightly stretch marks on the body. There are a few ways to help reduce the look of these marks.

Things You'll Need

• Baking powder
• Cocoa butter

Instructions

1. Exfoliate the skin. Removing the dead skin cells around the stretch marks can help to decrease the dark lines of the marks. Use baking soda and water to create a paste, and rub the mixture gently in circles across the affected area. Rinse and repeat every other day.

2. Try a skin peel. A skin peel, a cosmetic procedure that can be found in most spas and cosmetic surgery centers, uses mild acids and chemicals to remove the outer layer of the skin. This process will remove some of the damaged skin layers and reduce the look of stretch marks from weight lifting.

3. Apply cocoa butter. Cocoa butter products have shown some success in helping reduce the look of stretch marks with daily application after each weight lifting session. The product also has the added benefit of hydrating and keeping your skin healthy.

4. Apply a self-tanner directly to the stretch marks. This may not work for every skin tone, but could be worth a try. Tanning in the sun will do more harm than good, as stretch marks usually don't get tanned and will therefore stand out even more in contrast to the rest of your body.

5. Try laser removal. The most proven method for stretch mark removal is laser cosmetic treatments. These treatments use a laser to focus directly on the stretch marks and remove some of the damage from the area. They cannot repair the fibers, but they can dramatically reduce the prominence of the stretch marks.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not let stretch marks discourage you from weight lifting. Many times a person will experience more stretch marks when they lose dramatic amounts of weight without doing any strength training exercise. Weight training while losing weight also helps to tighten excess skin as you lose the pounds.

References

• Epigee­™ Women's Health; Stretch Marks