by Tony Isaacs

Before opting for cosmetic surgery, chemical peels or botox, consider these safer options:

l     Vitamin K.  Apply Vitamin K cream topically to stretch marks or other scars (this vitamin is not normally taken orally except through a physician). Depending on the severity of your stretch marks or scars, skin type and activity levels, you will see results in as little as 8-14 days to 6-8 weeks when used twice daily.  Major food sources for Vitamin K include green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, green cabbage, kale, Swiss chard, turnip greens, broccoli, tomatoes, liver and lean meats and dairy products.

l     Lavender Essential Oil.  Putting Lavender Essential Oil directly on scars will help them fade. Newer injuries will also heal faster with the application of this oil.

l     Coffee bean grounds, regular hand lotion.  Grind coffee into a powder substance and mix it with any regular hand lotion. Rub into stretch marks for about 60 seconds and wipe off the coffee grounds with a warm moist towel.  Do this about twice a day if possible.  You should see noticeable results in about two weeks.

l     Olive Oil, Vitamin E oil.  To help prevent stretch marks while you are pregnant, put olive oil and vitamin E on all areas that could be affected by stretch marks twice a day, after a shower and before going to bed.

l     Castor Oil, plastic wrap and a heating pad.  First rub plenty of castor oil on the area where you have stretch marks.  Then wrap it with plastic wrap. Place a heating pad turned on as hot as you can comfortably stand and leave on for 20 to 25 minutes. Noticeable results in as little as a week.

l     Peanut Butter and Crisco.  Mix together two tablespoons of peanut butter and one tablespoon of Crisco. Apply to the affected area and leave for 15 minutes or longer, then wash off. Repeat two to three times per week. Diminishes old stretch marks and scars.

l     Flaxseed oil is a great way to fade scars and stretch marks. You can buy it at any health food store. Also great for new scars, helps to heal them faster and the scar will not be as noticeable.  Rub the flaxseed oil on old scars and stretch marks after you shower and once more before going to bed. On new scars, rub in a few times a day.

l     Virgin, unrefined hempseed oil.  Use once or twice a day and you should see improvement and fading within a few weeks. 

l     Olive Oil.  Apply Olive oil (100% extra virgin) to scars and stretch marks at least twice a day. Within a week you should start to see scars and stretch marks starting to fade.

l     Vitamin E.  Buy vitamin E in gel caps and take a needle and poke a hole in a few of them. Squeeze the liquid out and rub it on your stretch marks or scars