Stretch marks are not exactly something one gets proud of. These ugly looking lines on one’s body are like a stain on a perfectly ironed shirt.
No matter how small, you feel absolutely sure people will notice and you become self-conscious. It bugs you and it keeps bothering you.
The good news is, you live. No matter how much stretch marks you have, it won’t kill you. And a better news? Just like stain, some stretch marks can be avoided and may be removed.
If you want to know how, you first need to learn where stretch marks come from. Stretch marks come most commonly from 2 reasons which are:
- Pregnancy
- Weight Change
PREGNANCY
Women are prone to stretch marks during pregnancy because of the sudden changes the skin endures in a fast period of time. Stretch marks are often found in the abdomen area because as the baby in the womb grows within 9 months, the skin stretches with it. The skin endures sudden changes in these 9 months and because of this, stretch marks appear.
WEIGHT CHANGE
There are two types of weight changes that cause stretch marks. The first of which is sudden weight gain. Similar to pregnancy, the quickness of the stretching of the skin causes the marks to appear.
These marks could show up in the abdomen area, arms, thighs, buttocks, and other areas. Stretching causes the skin to weaken and therefore causes stretch marks to appear.
The second type of weight change that causes stretch mark problems is weight loss. Sudden weight loss to be exact. You think dieting should be good for you, right? If you do extreme and abrupt dieting then you are wrong. Gradual weight loss should be your goal. Crash diets and starving yourself to fit into that dress in 1 week is not good for you and your skin.
So if you are planning to lose weight, plan it, and plan it well. Let yourself and your body get used to a gradual change in what you eat. Exercise and eat healthy – these are the answers.
GET RID OF THE STAIN
Just as I have mentioned earlier, stains may be prevented and maybe removed. This is true too for stretch marks. Let’s look into how it is done. Prevention is always the easier route to take.
Women on their first trimester of pregnancy for example, should begin to give extra care to their skin. Different stretch mark preventive creams and oils are available in the market to do this.
If on the other hand stretch marks have already appeared, know that removing fresh marks is easier. Meaning marks that are still red rather than those that have been there for months and years are easier to remove.
WHAT TO USE
Pick creams and oils that are made from natural ingredients. Argan oil for example is a good source of skin protection from stretch marks.
Its components help to keep skin elastic which is important in both prevention and removal of stretch marks.
It is also all-natural, making it safe to use in vast quantities. You don’t have to use much of this oil though because it works extremely well even with just a few drops.