Remove Stretch Marks with Care
Stretch marks are most prevalent during puberty and pregnancy – times when the body undergoes rapid weight changes. But you may be wondering what exactly causes stretch marks and how to reduce stretch marks appearance after they have formed. In general, stretch marks form in those body areas that store large amounts of fat, and they occur in the dermis, the skin layer which determines its shape.
Stretch Mark Basics
Stretch marks are caused by actual tears in a thinned or technically atrophic skin, with fine dermal collagen bundles arranged in straight lines parallel to the surface. These tears are a response from your own body to try to heal the damaged skin. The fact is that stretch marks are essentially scar tissue formed by the body to heal damage caused by thin skin stretched beyond its limits.
Recognized by doctors as “striae” (usually “striae distensae” or, in the case of pregnancy , “striae gravidarum”) stretch marks typically show up after a period of rapid weight gain or loss. Stretch marks are most common in pregnancy and the teenage years, when periods of rapid growth and increased levels of steroid hormones cause major changes throughout the body. The reality is that almost 90% of females who are pregnant get stretch marks.
An interesting fact is that stretch marks are the most common types of skin lesions. Stretch marks, or Striae, are most commonly located on the breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks, abdomen, and flank. You need to know that stretch marks are totally normal and are not a medical concern. The issue is that they can become an appearance issue and affect a person’s self esteem.
Preventing Stretch Marks – Your First Line of Defense
A secret to preventing stretch marks from developing is to keep the skin moisturized during periods of weight gain or loss. This will aid in the reduction of stretch marks and for those that do appear, repair themselve quicker. A regimen of exfoliation and massaging nutrient-rich natural oils into the skin ,such as wheatgerm, jojoba or vitamin E, will help fade stretch marks from your susceptible areas.
The Art of Stretch Mark Removal
The act of massaging the stretch mark affected location is critical and increases blood circulation to the affected area, also assisting the healing process. Exfoliation of the area will also help stretch marks removal by shedding dead skin cells and allowing the stretch mark removal cream to penetrate more effectively into the damaged skin. A word of caution is warranted though – be careful not to overdo with the exfoliation as it may cause your already damaged skin to become extremely sensitive. Moderation is the key to helping remove stretch marks permanently!
