Stretch Marks: Common Causes And How To Get Rid Of Them

Stretch Marks: Common Causes And How To Get Rid Of Them

Stretch marks are a common type of skin problem, nowadays. Although they are not harmful to one's health, they are still not very nice to look at either. Those little lines or grooves in your skin are difficult to get removed completely, but they can fade ofver time either on their own or more quickly with the help of certain products and procedures.

Stretch Marks: Common Causes And How To Get Rid Of Them

[ photo: unsplash by  sharon mccutchen ]

Common causes of stretch marks

A stretch mark will typically develop when our body suffers from some abrupt change. That change will normally cause the collagen and elastin that support our skin to rupture. The most common changes that can occur during our lifetime and that is capable of making the appearance of stretch marks visible to everyone are the following: sudden weight gain or loss, growth spurts in puberty, pregnancy, and consumption of certain medications, like steroids. Lastly, there are certain diseases capable of creating some stretch marks in the human body, including Cushing's syndrome and Marfan syndrome.

How to get rid of them

There are different stretch marks treatment (also known as estrías tratamiento in the Spanish language) methods that can help in dealing with the problem. The use of certain products is the first option. Products that can increase the production of collagen in the human body, like creams with tretinoin can help in fading the existing stretch marks.

Shea butter, cocoa butter, and olive oil can also help in moisturizing your skin and therefore, preventing your body from developing stretch marks. Some people prefer to just hide them with the use of makeup.

Moisturize your skin

  

Apart from the products mentioned above, there are nowadays some even more effective treatment options performed by skin doctors or plastic surgeons that can really help you deal with that problem. Microdermabrasion includes the use of tiny crystals that can peel off the top layer of your skin. 

There are actually some home-based devices in that category that can be used safely at home by everyone. PMD stretch marks is a method that should be used once every 7 days for optimum results. The process results in an increase in the production of collagen and therefore, it provides a long-lasting positive result in your body.

Another option is the use of fractional CO2 laser therapy in the areas of your body suffering from stretch marks. That method is capable of fading existing stretch marks more quickly than by using topical creams. 

You could also, opt for cosmetic surgery that can fully remove areas of the body where stretch marks have been developed. However, that method can be painful and leave some other scars, as well.

People with stretch marks usually wish to get rid of them as quickly as possible. It's true that existing stretch marks can not actually really go fully away, but they can surely fade with the help of certain procedures. 

The specific characteristics of each skin, along with the available budget will determine the type of treatment you wish to undertake. It is also, important to prevent the appearance of future stretch marks by moisturizing your skin daily and by drinking sufficient quantities of water. After all, prevention is always preferable to treatment.