How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks or Prevent Them From Occurring

Stretch marks are linear-looking skin lesion that differs from healthy skin by their pink/white color and altered texture (roughness or excessive stretching).

We will analyze the causes of stretch marks, but first, let's see what is the structure of the skin.

The Skin Is Made Of 3 Layers:

• epidermis (epidermis) is the outer layer, which forms a protective barrier;

• dermis (dermis) is the middle layer, which gives the skin firmness and elasticity;

• hypodermis (hypodermis) is the deep layer of fat that supports the connective tissue.

The main cause of stretch marks is the stretching of the skin.

This process takes place in stages:

1 The skin stretches considerably in a short period, for example, during pregnancy or due to sudden weight gain;

2 The dermis ruptures in different places, accompanied by a decrease in blood pressure and sometimes painful sensations.

3 Instead of the ruptures, the lower layer, the pink hypodermis, comes to the surface. This is the primary phase, which is easy to treat.

4 Over time the stretch marks whiten (age). Then begins the 2nd phase, starting with which the only solution is to make them less visible.

A lot of myths have been formed around stretch marks:

• Warts appear in women only after birth

Stretch marks do not only occur during pregnancy but also puberty as a consequence of the accelerated growth of the body, following weight gain and even in athletes, during the increase of muscle mass.

• If my mother has a lot of stretch marks, then so will I.

True, the hereditary factor plays a 90% role in the formation of striae. But only if you do not prevent their occurrence. Start preparing your body and skin in advance to minimize the likelihood of stretch marks.

• They will go away on their own

Stretch marks do not go away on their own, as do any scars. But over time, they may become less pronounced.

• Men have no stretch marks or cellulite

Of course, men do not give birth and do not have strong hormonal oscillations, but they are just as prone to striae due to the sudden weight gain, they simply do not pay much attention to them.

• I will weaken and the stretch marks will go away on their own

It's not true, you will lose extra pounds, but the scarred skin will remain.

• Now I don't have time to take care of my skin, I'll take care of it when I lose weight/finish breastfeeding/exercise

Body and skincare is an ongoing process. The longer you postpone the fight, the less likely you are to succeed. If you start the fight with stretch marks in the early stages, then the probability of completely liquidating them is 90%.

But if the streaks are already white (they have passed into phase 2), then you have only one solution, to make them less visible and there can be no question of their complete liquidation.

How to prevent stretch marks.

Keep your weight under control, do not allow the skin to stretch.

Eat right - eat products rich in vitamin A, E, C, zinc, healthy fats, and amino acids.

Respect the water consumption regime. The formula for calculating the individual norm can be found here.

Take care of your skin - practice the contrasting shower, the baths with conifer extracts and oils, special creams, daily self-massage.

If, however, streaks have appeared, try the following solutions

Active aerobic exercise and regular exercise.

During training, the skin is actively enriched with oxygen. Its tone improves, the skin stretches, and visually does not look aged.

Balance your diet.

Maintains relatively stable body weight. When you follow strict diets, you lose a lot of weight, then you suddenly give up on them and you gain weight, then you traumatize your skin severely.

Sun the sun.

A light tan camouflages small skin blemishes, including streaks. But sunbathing is contraindicated in the case of fresh stretch marks and of course, you should not aim for an exaggerated tan, you risk dehydrating your skin and it will thin out and lose its tone.

Practice the contrasting shower.

This is one of the most effective skin toning methods, not only on the body but also on the face. Even if you do not have the problem of stretch marks, this method will help you maintain the freshness of your skin for many years.

Use stretch marks creams and oils.

You will find them in pharmacies or stores, most often in the sections for mothers. Their main ingredients are collagen, elastin (or stimulators of their secretion), fatty acids, vitamins, stimulants of regeneration, and blood circulation.

Remove the streaks at the cosmetologist.

The effectiveness of the methods depends on the age of the stretch marks. The process is reversible only in the early stages. The white streaks, which have been around for more than a year, in which the healing process has ended, are more resistant to treatment. It is impossible to remove them completely, but it is possible to make them less visible.

Try the procedures below.

LPG massage - stimulates the synthesis of collagen and elastin, intensifies blood circulation.

Mesotherapy - significantly reduces stretch marks due to the introduction of drugs directly into the damaged tissue.

Lifting - activates cell regeneration in damaged tissues, reduces the surface of striae.

Medium peeling - a painful but effective procedure that allows you to level the gap between healthy and damaged tissue.

Laser grinding - is an expensive but effective method, performed with a selective laser. Strips in phase 1 disappear almost immediately but have virtually no effect on old stretch marks. After the procedure, the skin heals for a very long time.

Fractional thermolysis (nano-perforation and micro-perforation of the skin) - less efficient method compared to laser sanding, suitable for fresh and not too big stretch marks. After the procedure, the skin heals for a very long time.

As you are convinced, sports and healthy eating help prevent many health and appearance problems, including stretch marks.