Life

Potatoes Can Get Rid Of Stretch Marks — Really

by Autumn Jones
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

There comes a point in every stretch mark's life when it must face the firing squad of products created to destroy its existence. From creams, to oils, to DIY potions, there's nothing a woman on a mission won't try. Wouldn't it be wild if the one thing you needed to do the trick was sitting in your veggie bin all along? When it comes to erasing unwanted skin blemishes, produce might be the secret weapon. But does rubbing potato on stretch marks get rid of them, or just make your skin smell like hash browns? The answer is both.

Stretch marks do not discriminate — no one person is any more likely to have them than another. They can pop up just about anywhere on the body, and range in color from pink, red, black, blue, or purple. Although, their severity is affected by several factors, including your genetic tendency, degree of stress on the skin and cortisone level, as Mayo Clinic explained. Depending on how mild or severe your stretch marks are, you could see results from trying at home remedies. So if you're feeling hopeful, grab a potato and get to work, because those little spuds are loaded with skin friendly vitamins.

To conquer stretch marks, you want something that can get rid of the discoloration as well as improve the texture of the skin, and potatoes just happen to be packed with nutrients that tackle both. According to Readers Digest magazine, if you want to even out your skin tone, turn to vitamin B. Just one potato provides 46 percent of your daily quota for B12 vitamins, as Nutritional Data's website pointed out. Cut open a potato and eek out every ounce of the starchy goodness, so your skin soak up some serious B.

Not to be outdone by B, vitamin C offers some serious stretch mark butt-kicking benefits as well. As Prevention magazine reported, aside from fighting off colds, vitamin C also helps smooth and firm skin and fade brown spots. Great news for America's favorite carb, which clocks in with over 16 mg of vitamin C, according to the potato's nutritional profile on the website for The World's Healthiest Foods.

If you're willing to try something new for treating stretch marks, a potato is a low cost, low risk option. Even if you don't see the results you want, your skin will still get some love and a little extra glow to boot. And if all else fails, take the party to the kitchen. Because when life gives you potatoes, you can always make french fries.

This article was originally published on