Although stretch marks tend to fade and become less noticeable over time, many people (both men and women) are distressed by their unattractive appearance. Wearing a bikini or shorts in the summer can become just a dream for people who don’t want their stretch marks on show.
Stretch marks are usually caused by a change in your weight, but hereditary conditions can also play a part – you are more likely to have stretch marks if your mother did. Skin type can also affect the likelihood of you developing stretch marks – dry skin tends to be less elastic so keeping your skin well hydrated can help.
When the middle layer of skin (the dermis) is stretched, the blood vessels under the surface become visible and purple or red stretch marks appear. The skin then tries to reinforce itself with collagen (a protein produced by the body) which results in the stretch marks changing to a silvery-white colour.
Stretch Mark Removal the most common culprit.
Although stretch marks are most commonly associated with weight gain, lots of people who start dieting to lose weight don’t realize that this can also result in stretch marks appearing. The common sense approach to this is that if you lose weight slowly you can lessen your chances of this happening.
Although, there are a multitude of advertisements telling people how to get rid of stretch marks, it’s as well to remember that age, skin-type and diet can affect the results. Common sense dictates that if you keep your skin healthy, it will help retain its elasticity and will reduce the risk of stretch marks.
Removing Stretch Marks lotions and creams.
The appearance of early stage stretch marks can sometimes be reduced with certain moisturizing creams however it’s worth remembering that clinical studies have not proved that these sorts of creams can prevent stretch marks (although they may improve the look of them in the short-term).
Diet and lifestyle can play an important role in reducing the appearance of stretch marks – if you drink plenty of water and maintain a healthy and hydrated skin, it remains more supple and softer and you are less likely to develop stretch marks. A diet including plenty of foods high in zinc, vitamins A, C and D and protein can also help keep your skin more supple.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom – no matter what you think not everyone gets stretch marks! There’s still a lot of medical speculation about this but the theory is that the hormone corticosteroid plays a part by reducing the amount of collagen produced by the body.