My Fitness Edge

If you have suffered from stretch marks, it was probably during puberty or a pregnancy where the skin underwent fast weight changes. However, you may be questioning what exactly causes stretch marks and how to fade stretch marks appearance once they form. In general, stretch marks develop on the body in regions that store large amounts of fat, and they occur in the dermis, the skin layer which determines its shape.

Stretch Marks Defined

Stretch marks are caused by actual tears in a thinned or technically atrophic skin, with fine dermal collagen bundles arranged in straight lines parallel to the surface. This is your body’s defense mechanism at work in an attempt to heal these tears. The truth is that stretch marks are actually scar tissue created by the body to heal damage caused by expanding skin that is too thin.

Referred to by doctors as “striae” (usually “striae distensae” or, in the case of pregnancy , “striae gravidarum”) stretch marks typically develop after a period of rapid weight gain or loss. They are most prevalent during pregnancy and the teen years, when growth spurts and increased levels of steroid hormones cause radical changes throughout the body. In fact, almost 90% of females who are pregnant form stretch marks.

A little known fact is that the annoying stretch mark is really the most common form of skin lesion. Stretch marks, or Striae, are most commonly located on the breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks, abdomen, and flank. You need to know that stretch marks are perfectly normal and are not a medical concern. The issue is that they can become an appearance issue and affect a person’s self esteem.

Preventing Stretch Marks – Your First Line of Defense

A secret to prevent stretch marks from forming is to maintain moisture in the skin during periods of weight gain or loss. This will help reduce stretch marks and for those that do appear, fade faster. A practice of exfoliation and massaging nutrient-rich natural oils into the skin ,such as wheatgerm, jojoba or vitamin E, will help rid stretch marks from your high risk areas.

The Art of Stretch Mark Removal

The practice of massaging the stretch mark affected location is key and increases blood circulation to the affected area, also assisting the healing process. Exfoliation of the area will also help stretch marks removal by shedding dead skin cells and allowing the stretch mark removal cream to penetrate deeper into the damaged skin. A warning is warranted though – be careful not to overdo with the exfoliation as it may cause your already damaged skin to become extremely sensitive. Remember, the skin is already damaged so remove stretch marks with care!