There are plenty of ways to lose stretch marks, which is just as well, for when these nasty little scars show up, getting rid of them, for most of us is a high priority. The social stigma attached to them, the embarrassment, the battering to your self confidence, the not being able to wear what you want, all combine to make stretch marks the No. 1 dermatological complaint of women, even though they are not harmful in any way.

This article examines a natural way to help you lose stretch marks – with exercise. Other natural ways include diet and arguably the easiest method, using a topical cream.

Exercise to lose stretch marks falls into 3 categories: cardiovascular, firming and stretching.

Health professionals recommend 30 minutes of cv exercise per day. This is considered a minimum to provide health benefits. As well as maintaining a healthy heart, exercise helps with losing weight (remember they most commonly occur in areas where fat is deposited – thighs, buttocks, abdomen and breasts).

The exercise need not be strenuous, there is no requirement for you to sweat it out in the gym, a brisk walk or gentle jog is sufficient. As well as the heart and weight loss benefits, cv exercise increases blood flow and circulation to the skin resulting in more nutrients being delivered to the skin which helps to lose stretch marks by repairing, toning and conditioning the skin.

Firming exercises will also help you to lose stretch marks. Once again there’s no need to join a gym, these exercises can be completed in just a few minutes a day in the privacy of your own home.

There are four basic exercises to help you lose stretch marks:

• Ab crunches/ sit-ups (for tummy stretch marks): lay on the floor on your back. Place your feet flat on the floor and knees raised so that thighs are at 45º to the floor. Slide your hands up your thighs until they touch your knees. Repeat.

• Lunges (for thighs and buttocks): walk across the floor taking big steps until the thigh of your leading leg is parallel to the floor and the knee of your trailing leg is about 2 inches off the ground. Repeat.

• Leg raises (for tummy and thighs): Lay on your back with your legs straight out in front and your hands tucked in under your lower back. Keeping your legs straight, lift your legs up to a 45 degree angle then lower. Repeat. A variation on this is to lift one leg at a time.

• Plank (tummy, thighs and buttocks): lay on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders then raise yourself up until your arms are fully extended and your body is held straight with your tummy tucked in. Hold this position for as long as you can.

Aim for 20 to 25 repetitions of these exercises once a day; it’s all you’ll need. If you’re not up to 20 reps from the get go, then start with as many you are comfortable with and build up. These exercises help you by firming up the underlying muscle structure which in turn stabilizes the skin making it less likely to scar in the first place.

Finally, it is very useful to do some stretching, say once a week. This can be few simple stretches carried out in your home, YouTube is a good place to check these out, or you could join a yoga class if you prefer.
Remember, exercise offers all round health benefits, not just as a methodology to help you prevent and lose stretch marks.