According to research from University of Michigan Health System, between 50%-90% of women have stretch marks. The most typical area for stretch marks to occur are the abdomen, breasts, hips and shoulders, and the buttock and thigh areas.
It’s literally impossible to get rid of them but there are things that you can definitely do to improve them and reduce their appearance.
If you actually want to have some sort of lasting benefit in the look of your stretch marks, all you need to do is develop collagen.
If you’re looking to minimize their appearance, below are some basic ways to do so.
1. First, understand what a stretch mark is
The topmost layer of the skin is called the epidermis and the second layer is the dermis, which contains bundles of collagen. Some people have genetically thick skin with a lot of elasticity, while others have less, making them more prone to developing stretch marks.
According to Dr. Arash Akhavan, stretch marks are caused when there is a period of rapid growth in the body that suddenly stretches the skin, and in turn, pulls on your collagen bundles in the dermis. During this time, those collagen bundles tear away from each other, and then when the skin stops growing, the epidermis appear wrinkly and stretched.
2. What Causes Them?
So, what causes this rapid growth that triggers stretch marks? Growth spurts from puberty, pregnancy, rapid weight gain, or increased muscle mass from working out can all be the culprit.
Any growth that suddenly stretches the skin will stretch your collagen bundles, he says, which then leads to stretch marks if your skin genetically has less elastin.
3. Micro-needing
This is a minimally invasive treatment — which works on all skin tones because it doesn’t cause hyperpigmentation. It is done by a dermatologist or aesthetician to create tiny punctures in the skin using micro-fine needles (from 0.5 to 2 millimeters in diameter).
This act then triggers the body’s wound healing process, stimulating collagen and elastin production.
The only drawbacks is that micro-needling require multiple sessions and a lot of patience. So from any single micro-needling session, it’s going to take about four months to see the collagen generation.
4. Laser treatment
First, one is numbed, and then the laser delivers pulses of energy into the skin, tricking your cells into thinking they’re injured. This causes your body’s natural healing process to kick in, triggering your cells to release all the chemicals they need to create new collagen in that area.
Laser treatments are more expensive and also require multiple sessions and a lot patience.
5. Retinol Creams
Retinol creams are highly recommended because they’re a vitamin A-derived product commonly prescribed for the treatment of wrinkles and fine lines on the face.
The way they work for wrinkles is by building collagen, making collagen bundles thicker and healthier. So, using the same retinol creams for stretch marks also leads to some improvement in their appearance.
You can’t use retinol while pregnant, and these creams don’t work preventatively (i.e. they only work on stretch marks after you have them).
6. Natural products
This type of remedy is less expensive and less painful. Natural products work slowly but are certainly effective. When using natural products, consistency is key.
There are different products that can be used: Egg whites, lemon juice, coconut, castor oil, potatoes and aloe vera.
7. Supplements
Zinc is for the regeneration of cells. You can eat foods rich in zinc to help get rid of stretch marks, but you can also take supplements.
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