The cheaper alternative to over the counter or doctor prescribed treatments is home remedy for stretch marks. In fact, many of the products that claim to remove stretch marks can actually only diminish its appearance. Therefore, sometimes the remedies we find at home can even do a better job than the ones we pay for at the store. There are many kinds of home remedies that one can choose from. The list below will help you narrow down these choices.

- Exercise - Right diet - Natural and herbal formulas

Regular Exercise - If you want to spend little or nothing at all to remove stretch marks, then exercising would be a good choice for you. Because stretch marks usually develop in the areas like the thighs, abdomen, hips, and arms, there are some exercises to help you firm these areas. Stretch marks only appear if the skin is rapidly stretched to its limit and the elastic fibers break. Once the skin is tightened again, the appearance of the scars will be lessened.

Concentrate on Problem Areas - The exercises are easy to do and there is no need for you to hire a trainer to teach them to you. You can start the regimen by doing twenty leg raises. You can also do inner thigh exercises to firm this area of your leg. Another exercise that can firm the whole thigh is by swinging your legs. Just sit on a chair and swing your legs up and then down. These are all very safe and you can even do them while on the phone. To firm your bottom, lie face down on the floor with your arms on the side. Raise your right leg first then down, and then do the same with the other leg. You don't have to raise your leg too high; three to six inches off the floor will suffice.

The Goal - The goal for all the exercises is to do twenty lifts for each exercise, three times a week. If you are too busy to do any of the exercises mentioned above, there are also other ways to keep your body firm and fit. You can walk instead of drive, take the stair instead of the elevator, or clean your own lawn instead of hiring someone else to do it for you.

Aside from pregnancy, weight gain also causes stretch marks. Hence, managing your weight and eating a balanced diet will help you avoid the scars. Another easy home remedy for stretch marks is by eating the right foods. By eating fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants like vitamins A, E, C, and D, these nutrients will scrub off the damaging free radicals and likewise make your skin firm. Drinking a lot of water everyday will also help enhance the elasticity of your skin, therefore, keeping the stretch marks away.

However, drinking a lot of water and eating right still won't keep pregnant women from the natural expansion of their bodies. This is the reason why natural and herbal solutions are still used as home remedy for stretch marks. Here are a few examples of what you can use to reduce stretch marks. Some of these cures may already be in your kitchen pantries.

- Peanut butter ( maintains normal skin function) - Milk ( skin smoother and hydrator) - Olive oil (skin moisturizer discovered by ancient greeks) - Aloe Vera ( heals overstretched skin tissues) - Ground coffee ( exfoliates the skin) - Grapeseed oil (renews stressed skin tissues) - Vanilla extract (smoothens skin)

The Natural Mix - There is also an easy to make home remedy for stretch marks recipe using cocoa butter, wheat germ oil, sesame seed oil, apricot kernel oil, vitamin E oil, grated beeswax, and vanilla extract. Mix all of the ingredients together except the vanilla extract and heat the mixture until the beeswax and cocoa butter have melted. After removing it from the heat, blend in the vanilla extract. Once cooled, you can start massaging it into your skin, specifically on the areas with stretch marks. If you do this everyday, you can also prevent stretch marks from developing.