In a society where your appearance and looks are given more importance than they require, you are prone to develop insecurities if you have something that is not according to the “standards” of the society. For girls and boys both, mostly girls though, growing up they seem to be concerned about acnes, blackhead, and pimples. Stretch marks are also one of the most alarming concerns that teens tend to have. But it is not just about teenagers, women and men of all ages seem to be worried about stretch marks as well.
So, what are stretch marks? Why do we have them? How to get rid of old stretch marks? These are some of the most commonly thought and asked questions that you may have. In this page, you will get the answer to all of your questions.
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What are Stretch Marks?
So, before you may feel like jumping to the part of “How to get rid of stretch marks?” let’s look at what they are in the first place. Stretch marks are like bands of lines that are parallel to each other and appear on your skin. They may vary in their texture and color in accordance with your skin type. The color of stretch marks may vary within a long range like it can be light gray or lighter than your skin tone; it can also be purple or pink.
Stretch marks when touched may feel like ridges or indentations and at times they can be itchy as well. Stretch marks can appear in any part of your body but they are more common in the areas of your thighs, stomach, upper arms, buttocks and breasts.
Why is Stretch Marks Caused?
Stretch marks happen due to the hormone called cortisone that is a natural product of the adrenaline gland. As the amount of this hormone increases, stretch marks are formed. However, too much of it results in your skin losing its elasticity.
They appear when there is some change in the body of the person like maybe due to their age, or weight or because of pregnancy. And stretch marks also disappear over a period of time and they are nothing to be alarmed about. While you cannot completely do it but there are ways of how to get rid of stretch marks.
Various Causes of Stretch Marks
Stretch marks can happen to anyone and everyone since they are a natural aspect of how our bodies cope up as we grow. However, here are some of the various other causes that lead to stretch marks.
- Pregnancy: Women during their pregnancy experience stretch marks as their growing baby allows the skin to be stretched in multiple ways. Hence, in order for the body to make room for the baby stretch marks are often caused.
- A growth Spurt: In the case of adolescent boys and girls both, a growth spurt causes their skin to be stretched and results in stretch marks.
- Weight Changes: Stretch marks are also caused due to changes in the weight of the body. If someone gains weight like in the case of obese people or loses weight, then stretch marks are also seen.
- Hereditary: Stretch marks can also happen due to being passed down to you as a hereditary factor.
- Usage of Creams and Lotions: Using various lotions, pills and corticosteroid creams may lead to the development of stretch marks as your skin loses its ability to stretch well.
- Disorders: various adrenaline gland disorders like Marfan syndrome, Cushing’s syndrome, the Ehlers- Danlos syndrome and others may cause stretch marks as the cortisone amount in the body increases.
Ways to Tackle Stretch Marks
Stretch marks are a natural aspect of our bodies but if you really feel like, how to get rid of old stretch marks, and then there are ways for that in today’s world of modern science and technology as well. If you want them gone immediately and quick, then there are various medical treatments you can seek. However, if you cannot afford that, some natural remedies at home will come to your aid.
If you plan to go to a doctor to get your stretch marks diagnosed, then they will simply look at your skin in order to diagnose them and look at your medical history. For times when stretch marks are caused due to serious illness, they will recommend various tests to get to the bottom of their diagnosis.
Medical treatments
There are various kinds of medical treatments like,
- Pulsed Dye Laser Treatment This therapy treatment helps to increase the amount of collagen and elastin of your body.
- Fractional Photothermoanalysis this treatment focuses on a smaller area of your skin and is similar to laser dye therapy.
- Excimer Laser This laser treatment allows the melanin production of your body more so that the discoloration between your stretch marks and skin is minimized.
Home Remedies
There are various home remedies you can try. In case it itches, you can try moisturizing your skin more and to decrease the skin color different you can apply self-tanning lotion as well.
- Using Castor Oil apply a thick layer of castor oil on your stretch marks, wrap a plastic or saran wrap around and apply heat to it using a heating pad for 20minutes.
- Aloe Vera you can use Aloe Vera to smoothen your stretch marks by applying its gel directly on your stretch marks and rinsing your skin with lukewarm water after 15 minutes.
- Lemon Juice Vitamin C helps to heal and reduce stretch marks due to acidity. You can rub it on your stretch marks in circular motion and allow it to be soaked by your skin. After 10 minutes, rinse with lukewarm water.
Also Read: 6 Natural Remedies to Eliminate Stretch Marks
Helpful Tips & Recommendations
Stretch marks are not marks you should feel ashamed of. However, you can do the following to lessen their effects on your skin and for how to get rid of stretch marks.
- Use lotion and cream to moisturize them.
- Maintain a healthy diet and your weight in check.
- Exercise regularly in order to prevent stretch marks in case there are any weight changes.
During pregnancy, consult with your doctor about how much weight you should gain.
