subject: Ways To Prevent And Reduce Stretch Marks [print this page] Stretch marks are almost unavoidable during pregnancy. When you gain a lot of weight over a comparatively short period of time, the top layer of your skin stretches to accommodate the extra mass. But the layer immediately below, called dermis, is not so elastic. It cannot stretch as much and often breaks. Hence a scar of off color hue is formed on the skin. Stretch marks appear when you gain or lose a lot of weight over a short period of time. They are most common on fatty areas of the body like abdomen, breasts, hips, thighs and upper arms.
Reduce stretch marks at home
Once formed, it is very difficult to get rid of stretch marks. So, it is better to take precautions beforehand to reduce stretch marks. You should initiate a system of skin care from the early days of pregnancy to reduce stretch marks. Your skin requires care and nutrition to retain its elasticity. One of the golden rules of skin care is proper nutrition. You should drink plenty of water, about eight to ten glasses per day, to keep your skin sufficiently moist and supple. Vitamin E and A are necessary for maintenance of a good skin. So eat a diet rich in vitamins and nutrients. Also, food containing fatty acids help to prevent stretch marks. So, make sure to include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and fish and other light protein to prevent stretch marks from appearing.
Whatever precautions you take, stretch marks will probably appear during pregnancy. In order to keep them to a minimum, start a routine of regular massage of your abdomen and your breasts with several oils and lotions. Many people swear by cocoa butter while recently there have been some support of bio oil also. Aloe Veras almost always work well. There are many creams available in the market, rich in vitamins and oils to tackle stretch marks. You can try any of them but it is better to choose those lotions which use more natural ingredients. Just remember to be patient. It may take close to a year to completely get rid of your stretch marks.
Surgical procedures
Apart from these time consuming home remedies, there are plastic and laser surgeries which remove stretch marks. If they are becoming serious blemish on your beauty and are refusing to respond to massages, you can consider these options. Just keep in mind that they are quite expensive.
You can use laser surgery to burn the fatty tissues and generate the growth of new tissues. After a few sessions, the stretch marks will fade or become smaller in size. However there is no guarantee that all your stretch marks will completely vanish after a laser surgery. In fact, quite a few doctors opine that laser is not very effective in dealing with stretch marks.
You can consider tummy tucks to get rid of stretch marks. Here the abdomen is opened and the inner layer of muscle, called fascia is tightened by surgical procedures. The fat in the lower abdomen disappear, taking the stretch marks with it. However, the procedure is not cheap and it cannot deal with the stretch marks in upper abdomen or other parts of the body.
Considering all the alternatives, you have to know that it is far easier (and less expensive) to prevent stretch marks than to get rid of them once they appear. So eat well and apply lotions regularly as soon as you see the tell tale sign of a stretch mark.
