The Art of Removing Stretch Marks

Remove Stretch Marks the Easy Way

Stretch marks are most common during puberty and pregnancy - times when the body undergoes rapid weight changes. But you may be wondering what exactly the cause of stretch marks is and how to reduce stretch marks appearance once they form. In general, stretch marks are formed in those body areas that store large amounts of fat, and they occur in the dermis, the skin layer which determines its shape.

Stretch Mark Basics

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. These tears are a response from your own body to try to heal the damaged skin. The fact is that stretch marks are really scar tissue created by the body to heal damage caused by expanding skin that is too thin.

Known by doctors as "striae" (usually "striae distensae" or, in the case of pregnancy , "striae gravidarum") stretch marks typically appear after rapid weight gain or loss. They are most common during pregnancy and the teen years, when growth spurts and increased levels of steroid hormones cause significant changes throughout the body. In fact, almost 90% of pregnant women get stretch marks.

An interesting fact is that stretch marks are the most common types of skin lesions. Stretch marks, or Striae, are most commonly located on the breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks, abdomen, and flank. The good news is that stretch marks are totally normal and aren't a medical concern. The problem is that they can become an appearance issue and affect a person's self esteem.

Stretch Mark Prevention - Your First Line of Defense

A secret to prevent stretch marks from developing is to keep the skin moisturized during times of weight gain or loss. This will help reduce stretch marks and for those that do appear, fade faster. A process of exfoliation and massaging nutrient-rich natural oils such as wheatgerm, jojoba or vitamin E will help rid stretch marks from your susceptible areas.

The Art of Stretch Mark Removal

The act of massaging the stretch mark area is key and increases blood circulation to the affected area, also assisting the healing process. Exfoliation of the area will also help stretch mark removal by eliminating dead skin cells and allowing the stretch mark removal cream to penetrate deeper into the damaged skin. A word of caution is warranted though - be careful not to overdo with the exfoliation as it may cause your already damaged skin to become extremely sensitive. Moderation is the key to helping remove stretch marks permanently!