The Art of Reducing Stretch Marks

Remove Stretch Marks the Easy Way

Rapid weight change during periods such as puberty or pregnancy is the common culprit in the development of stretch marks. However, you may be questioning what exactly causes stretch marks and how to fade stretch marks appearance if they develop. As a general rule, stretch marks are formed on the body in regions that store large amounts of fat, and they occur in the dermis, the skin layer which determines its shape.

What are Stretch Marks

Stretch marks begin as actual tears in a thinned or technically atrophic skin, with fine dermal collagen bundles arranged in straight lines parallel to the surface. This is your body’s defense mechanism at work in an attempt to heal these tears. The reality is that stretch marks are really scar tissue developed 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 rapid weight gain or loss. Stretch marks are most prevalent during pregnancy and the teenage years, when growth spurts and increased levels of steroid hormones cause significant changes throughout the body. The truth is that almost 90% of pregnant females develop 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. Be aware that stretch marks are absolutely normal and aren’t considered a medical concern. The dilemma is that stretch marks can become an appearance issue and affect a person’s self esteem.

Stretch Mark Prevention - Your First Line of Defense

A secret to preventing stretch marks from developing is to maintain moisture in the skin during times of weight gain or loss. This will help reduce stretch marks and for those that do appear, repair themselve quicker. A process of exfoliation and massaging nutrient-rich natural oils into the skin ,such as wheatgerm, jojoba or vitamin E, will help erase stretch marks from your high risk areas.

The Art of Stretch Mark Removal

The practice 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 eliminating dead skin cells and allowing the stretch mark removal cream to penetrate deeper 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. A little tenderness will go a long way to remove stretch marks effectively!