Health Choices

Remove Stretch Marks the Easy Way

Stretch marks are most prevalent during puberty and pregnancy – times when the body undergoes rapid weight changes. But you may be wondering what exactly is the cause of stretch marks and how to reduce stretch marks appearance if they develop. In general, 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.

Stretch Marks Defined

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. These marks are created by your own body to heal those tears. The truth is that stretch marks are essentially scar tissue developed by the body to heal damage caused by expanding skin that is too thin.

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. They are most prevalent during pregnancy and the teen years, when periods of rapid growth and increased levels of steroid hormones cause significant changes throughout the body. The reality is that almost 90% of females who are pregnant get stretch marks.

Stretch marks are actually skin lesions and are surprisingly the most common type of lesion. Stretch marks, or Striae, are most commonly located on the breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks, abdomen, and flank. Be aware 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 forming 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, fade faster. A practice 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 susceptible areas.

The Art of Stretch Mark Removal

The practice of massaging the stretch mark area is important 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 more effectively into the damaged skin. A warning 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!