Tips on how to remove stretch marks

When a person gains weight suddenly, the skin expands to accommodate the increase in body weight and the change in shape. It is true that the skin is elastic and can be stretched to a certain limit. However, once this limit is crossed, the innermost layer of the skin tears. Once that underlying layer is no longer intact, the skin appears to be streaked. As soon as the skin tears, pink or purple lines appear as the capillaries burst, and after some time these lines look silvery white. These lines, known as stretch marks, are in fact scars. As you might conclude, they are a result of skin tearing.

Stretch marks occur in the dermis, which is the middle layer of the skin. This layer is elastic and hence allows the skin to retain its shape. When repeatedly stretched, the dermis breaks, causing stretch marks. Most commonly, men and women have stretch marks on their thighs, abdomen, hips, breasts, and upper arms. Once stretch marks appear they are practically permanent, or at least difficult to get rid of. Products that claim that their use can either prevent or remove stretch marks are misleading. The only thing possible is to reduce their visibility, which is also hard. [1] 

Causes of stretch marks may include any of the following [1]:

•    Cushing syndrome
•    Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
•    Pregnancy
•    Puberty
•    Obesity
•    Overuse of cortisone skin creams

Using Lotions: Lotions for the treatment of stretch marks contain alpha hydoxy acid. This substance removes the skin cells on top, allowing healthier skin cells to grow. [2]

These lotions work very gradually and must be used over a long period of time, so if use is discontinued the results will be lost. Formulations with vitamin A, C and E help in diminishing the appearance of visible stretch marks.

Surgical Treatment: Probably the most effective is chemical peeling or lasers. These treatments can guarantee the removal of stretch mark scars. They can be used only to a certain depth, which allows skin to be removed without causing scarring. Results will vary depending on age and skin color.

This treatment is not used on people with dark skin. This is the only sure shot way of getting rid of visible stretch marks at the moment.
       
Nutrition and Diet: If you want to try a diet you should eat foods rich in zinc (nuts and fish), foods with a high content of vitamin A, C, and D (citrus fruits, dairy products and carrots), and protein-rich food (eggs). This can improve the overall quality of your skin and prevent stretch marks. [3]

It is recommended to drink plenty of water, at least 8-10 glasses per day. Adequate water intake will make your skin soft and supple, thus preventing it from tearing. At the same time you should reduce the intake of tea, coffee, and carbonated drinks.

Breast augmentation and stretch marks

Although there is no way to guarantee that stretch marks will not occur with breast augmentation, you can try to prepare the skin for the procedure. 

The breast skin must be massaged twice a day with moisturizing agents, ideally for 2-4 weeks pre-op. 

Massage the breast skin twice per day with lotion and, if possible, oil containing Vitamin E and cocoa butter. [4] Lavender or other aromatherapy oils might help as well. Palmer's oil, found in many stores, contains Vitamin E and cocoa butter. You might add a couple of drops of lavender oil to each application. This technique is also useful for preventing stretch marks that might occur in some other situations besides breast augmentation. It is a common problem in people who have experienced pregnancy, weight gain, muscle building, and growth during puberty. [4] 

Remember, the skin preparation here is done in order to help prevent the formation of stretch marks, and not cure already made stretch marks. It is impossible to remove stretch marks once they are present. There are some treatments available for reducing the appearance of stretch marks, such as microdermabrasion [5], but none that will remove them. This or any other approach must be started well before the condition that causes the stretch marks occurs. 

Besides, the only true way to really prevent stretch marks is to lose or gain weight slowly. Stretch mark lines start out red and then evolve to a white depressed scar advancing differently to the adjacent tissue. They are caused by the breaking of collagen which then heals with a scar.

Actually, you do not have to have breast augmentation, be pregnant, fat, or big, to get stretch marks. As a matter of fact, it is a very common skin condition, but most people who have stretch marks are embarrassed and keep it to themselves. Some people have good genetic predisposition and some do not when it comes to skin elasticity, which is why some have stretch marks.

How to reduce stretch marks

There are some tips that might help you reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Surgery is always a last resort, so following these tips, you might avoid it. However, you should know it does take time to get visible results. Also remember that secrets of success are found in your daily routine. If you try some of these tips, you could improve the appearance of your stretch marks over time.

Massage cocoa butter into the stretch marks [4], or a cream such as Barmon Stretchmark Cream, which has Cocoa butter as one of the ingredients.

Exfoliate your skin with a loofah or skin brush when you shower to stimulate circulation, because doing this removes dull skin and the dead cells in the scars that show as stretch marks.

Massage Vitamin E oil or cream on your stretch marks by rubbing it into your skin after a shower. [1]

Tretinoin is a valuable ingredient, so you might speak to your doctor about prescribing this cream to you. Tretinoin is used to treat acne, aged skin, and sun-damaged skin, as well as stretch marks. In some studies, tretinoin significantly improved the appearance of early stretch marks. Tretinoin works best on stretch marks that are new or enlarging. [6]

Eat foods high in vitamins A, E, C, which might help form collagen, the supporting fibers in the skin. Zinc is also valuable, so eat foods high in this as well, or use a supplement. Essential Fatty Acids help make cell walls, and those can be found in many vegetables, vegetable oils and fish oils.

Drink lots of water, and make sure that you keep your skin hydrated.

Laser surgery has shown to be useful in reducing the appearance of stretch marks, and it seems to work best on stretch marks that are still fairly new, red or purple in color. [7]

Research also proves that hop (Humulus lupulus L) extract is helpful in the prevention of stretch marks, as well as skin aging and sagging. [8] 

How does Xtreme Cream’s or Ultra Concentrated Stretch Mark Repair work?

The micro emulsion formula in Ultra Concentrated Stretch Mark Repair penetrates the skin and helps the stimulation of skin cell renewal. It may reduce the length, depth, and texture of existing stretch marks. Concentrated Stretch Mark Repair helps correct discoloration from damaged skin with its key ingredient, palmitoyl pentapeptide. It is a compound originally used to heal wounds, but was recently shown in clinical studies to dramatically improve skin smoothness and decrease wrinkle depth as it increases collagen and elastin. It has been proven to be even more effective than retinol or vitamin C in reducing fine facial lines and wrinkles, diminishing the signs of aging.

To understand this process, we have to know the skin has two major proteins that help make up its structure, collagen and elastin.
Collagen is the connective tissue that binds skin structure together, while elastin is the component that gives it elasticity. Ultra concentrated Stretch Mark Repair can help provide the skin with its essential elements.

How Long Does it Take for the Cream to Work?

The healing process for each individual’s skin is different. That is why it is hard to provide a specific time frame regarding the length of time it will take for you to see results. However, it is generally found that people begin to see results after about 3 weeks of constant use of stretch mark cream. The results differ from person to person and depend on the severity of a person’s stretch marks and their health habits. Besides, the effectiveness of the cream can be influenced if you smoke, drink alcohol, or sunbathe. These factors are very harmful to your skin and can slow down the healing process and scar appearance improvement.

People always wonder if they need to use the cream forever once the stretch marks are gone. Stretch mark cream helps the skin to heal, so once the stretch marks are gone, they are gone forever. However, if you are planning a pregnancy, you could use it again to prevent this problem from occurring a second time. However, research about the development of stretch marks in pregnant women proved that topical preparations played no significant role in their development whether women applied topical preparations, placebo or had no other stretch mark prevention strategies. [9] 

Does it Matter How Old the Stretch Marks Are?

This is a common question. It is not important how old the stretch marks are. There are many women who developed stretch marks 15 years ago, or even further before. They had results comparable to other people.

Not only women use stretch mark creams, because over the years there were many male customers, especially body builders and weight lifters. Men experience the same results as women. Also, it works the same way for all skin types. Skin is skin, and stretch marks do not seem to differ from one type to another.