Stretch marks are at best, fine pink lines that appear around the fourth month of pregnancy. They can appear on the arms, thighs, buttocks, breasts and most commonly the abdomen.
They occur in 50 to 90% of women for a variety of reason and can range from the silvery pink color mentioned above to bright red or purple lines.
*So what causes them to form in the first place? The weight gain is stretching the dermal collagen and elastin beyond breaking point and what you see are the scars formed as the fibres separate.
*As I mentioned above, stretch marks are forming deep within the skin, so massaging the skin with oils and creams will make you feel better, but unfortunately, you can't prevent them from occurring.
How to get rid of stretch marks
Technically, no. However, there are things you can do to greatly fade their appearance.
Ways to fade stretch marks:
+ Laser therapy
uses intense wavelengths of light to help grow collagen, elastin or melanin in your skin.
+ Tretinoin cream
(also called Retin-A, Renova,
Avitaca) can help rebuild collagen and make the stretch marks look more
like your normal skin. Just make sure you are treating the stretch marks
early on, when they are still pinkish or purple.
+ Microdermabrasion
involves a device that blows
tiny crystals onto your skin. These crystals gently polish your skin’s
surface. This is an option for older stretch marks that have faded to
white.
Are there natural ways to reduce their appearance?
Yes! But it’s not cocoa butter – even though it’s been commonly associated with getting rid of stretch marks, this study proved it’s ineffective in preventing and treating stretch marks. Try vitamin E instead – this study showed
that pregnant women who used a cream with a form of vitamin E in it
developed fewer marks than those given a placebo. Here’s a great
homemade recipe to reduce and prevent stretch marks:
DIY Stretch Mark Reducing Oil:
Ingredients:
2 tbsp vitamin E oil
½ cup jojoba oil
½ cup almond oil
¼ cup sugar
Instructions:
Pour oils into a container and shake vigorously.
Add sugar and gently massage over affected areas daily. This works best
for prevention or right after they develop!
Vitamin E promotes skin elasticity, jojoba oil is full of fatty acids that easily penetrate deeply into the pores, almond oil gives a big dose of moisture and sugar exfoliates.
*Actually, the amount of stretch marks you will have is genetically decided for you. If your mother and grandmother had stretch marks, chances are, you will too.
Hope you you enjoyed reading my post & found it
useful
You may be also interested in
