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Stretch Marks: Why They Occur And How To Get Rid Of Them

ByLauren Guthrie
Stretch marks

Our skin has the magical power to expand and contract when needed. This expansion and quick contraction develop stretch marks on your skin. Some stretch marks, like pregnancy marks, make us feel proud. But when wearing specific dresses like crop tops, these marks make us feel more uncomfortable. So, treating it and wiping it off our skin is essential.

Here, learn more about stretch marks and find the easiest ways to manage, treat and vanish them.

Table Of Contents

A Stretch Mark: What Exactly Is It?

Stretch marks have a medical name, striae distensae (SD).

Stretch marks are common in

  • Women during pregnancy and after delivery (Striae gravidarum).
  • People who have gained or lost a considerable amount of weight due to certain diseases or steroids.
  • Teens in growth spurts (duration when a child experiences quick physical growth in weight and height)
  • People whose family members have stretch marks
  • People who do excess workouts

People who use corticosteroids for a long time and have Cushing’s disease or Marfan syndrome may also notice stretch marks on their skin.

Generally, there are two types of stretch marks based on their formation and appearance. They are

  • Striae Rubrae – This is the earliest representation of striae distensae. Here, the characteristic is pink and red stretch marks.
  • Striae Albae – Striae rubra evolve into striae albae. It appears atrophic, hypopigmented, and scarred.

Stretch Mark Warning Signs

Initially, your skin becomes thin and pink even before the stretch appears. You may experience an irritated and itchy feel in that area. Next, wrinkly, raised streaks in red, purple, pink, reddish-brown, or dark brown color pop up (based on your skin tone). These streaks fade and flatten over time and change to a silvery color.

Finally, it becomes less noticeable over time. But it often takes years. Usually, these marks appear on your arms, back, breasts, buttocks, hips, shoulders, and stomach.

Tips to Help Prevent Stretch Marks

You can lessen the formation of stretch marks with less effort.

Healthy Lifestyle

  1. Keep your weight under control to avoid stretch marks due to sudden weight loss and gain.
  2. Keep your skin hydrated by drinking more water because dry skin develops more stretch marks than hydrated skin.
  3. Control your smoking habit, as it reduces blood flow to the skin and depletes nutrients in the body.

Healthy Food Habits

  1. Include vitamin C in your diet for the development of collagen. It prevents stretch marks.
  2. Get more vitamin D through sun exposure or foods. Vitamin D deficiency can escalate the risk of stretch marks on your skin.
  3. Eat more zinc-rich foods, such as nuts and fish, as it has a minor role in stretch marks.
  4. Exercise regularly to keep your muscles and skin firm and improve blood circulation.
  5. Eat foods enriched with omega-3 that help your skin stay supple.
  6. Discuss with a gynecologist for suggestions about weight gain and food routine during pregnancy.

Skincare

  1. Moisturize your skin regularly to keep the skin hydrated and supple and prevent stretch marks due to skin dryness.
  2. Avoid using anabolic steroids to increase muscle mass and decrease fat. It may weaken your skin’s structure and increase the risk of stretch marks.
  3. Avoid using steroid creams or corticosteroids to control inflammation and itching.
  4. Wear sunscreen protection when heading out because UV rays damage your skin’s collagen and elastin levels and increase the chances of stretch mark formation.

How Can You Make Stretch Marks Less Noticeable Naturally?

Regular massage with essential oil and other natural ingredients can make your stretch marks less noticeable. We have given a list of both here.

Essential Oils For Stretch Marks

Essential oils can create a positive impact on the stretch mark. You can use it alone or after diluting it with any carrier oil. Some of them are given below.

  • Frankincense Essential Oil: Ferulic acid, vitamins, and antioxidant properties in this oil minimize the appearance of stretch marks and keep your skin soft and healthy.
  • Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica): It is an excellent source of phytonutrients called flavonoids that increases collagen production and improves skin tensile strength.
  • Argan Oil: Vitamin E in argan oil improves skin elasticity and clears stretch marks.
  • Rosehip Oil: The high concentration of fatty acids regenerate skin cells and repair damaged tissue.
  • Lavender Oil: This oil increases collagen production and encourages wound healing.
  • Neroli Oil: Lightens your skin and reduces imperfections. The antioxidant properties improve the appearance of skin by helping the cells to regenerate.

Natural Ingredients

Here are some ingredients that can help stretch marks and lighten their appearance. You cannot vanish the complete traces of stretch marks with these ingredients. To achieve it, you must stick to a regular skincare routine.

  • Aloe Vera: Aloe vera’s skin-repairing properties, vitamins, nutrients, and enzymes improve skin elasticity and lighten stretch marks when you apply it topically.
  • Shea Butter: Shea butter reduces the redness of new stretch marks and strengthens damaged skin cells.
  • Sugar: As a natural exfoliant, sugar scrubs away the dead skin cells accumulated on the skin and reduces the appearance of stretch marks.
  • Coffee: The natural exfoliating property of coffee clears away dead skin cells, dirt, and impurities. It also improves collagen production to lighten and tighten the skin.
  • Apricot: Apricot scrub exfoliates dead and damaged skin tissues on stretch marks. It also tones and firms up the skin to wipe off these stretch lines.

What Is The Quickest Method To Get Rid Of Stretch Marks?

Go for smart makeup tricks or in-office treatments to quickly fix stretch marks. You can cleverly use good makeup products for a special event tomorrow. Cosmetic treatments help you lighten stretch marks in significantly less duration.

Makeup Tricks To Cover Stretch Marks

  • Color Corrector: With color correctors, you can quickly neutralize unwanted tones on your skin. The only essential thing is considering their color. For example, if the stretch marks are new and purplish, use a yellow color corrector to cancel them.
  • Foundation: Use a full-coverage foundation that can cover stretch marks.
  • Settling Powder: If you want to protect your makeup from smudging throughout the day or keep everything in place for a long time, use a settling powder.
  • Use Self-Tanner: Self-tanner with natural gold or bronze glow keeps your stretch marks out of sight for as long as possible.

You can also use topical retinoids (tretinoin) in your regular skincare routine to rebuild collagen in the skin and make the stretch marks invisible.

In-Office Treatments

  • Chemical Peeling: A chemical peel can minimize the appearance of your stretch marks. But this peeling method cannot make your stretch marks completely unnoticeable.
  • Laser Skin Resurfacing: This method is effective but cannot eliminate stretch marks 100%. It reduces the stretch mark’s appearance by smoothing it out.
  • Microdermabrasion: The method increases your skin elasticity and helps the visible marks contract into thin scars.
  • Micro-Needling: This method encourages the wound-healing ability of your skin. It also increases collagen and elastin production, making stretch marks less noticeable.
  • Platelet-Rich-Plasma: PRP is a non-invasive treatment that eliminates stretch marks by encouraging new collagen and elastin production.
  • Plastic Surgery: Cosmetic procedures like a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and thigh lift remove stretch marks and fat from the area you need to give an even-toned look.

Get Rid Of Your Strength Marks

Here, the concept is positivity and self-love. Accepting your flaws and working on being a healthier version of yourself is essential in life. If the stretch marks stop you from wearing your beloved clothes, try natural remedies and makeup tricks first. If your case is severe and you are not interested in waiting so long for the best outcome, the last hope is cosmetic treatments.

FAQs

Q: What are the reasons for stretch marks in skinny people?

A: It can be anything. Some reasons can be a rapid growth spurt or side effects of the medicine they take.

Q: Can tight clothes create stretch marks on your body?

A: No, stretch marks are completely connected to the expansion and compression of your skin fibers. There is no direct connection between your stretch marks and tight clothes. One thing is, wearing tight clothes for an extended period may leave a mark on your body.

References

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