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How to Avoid Stretch Marks on Your Breasts

Stretch marks, also known in medical terminology as the ‘striae’, are a common skin issue. Skin of abdomen, thighs, arms and breasts is mostly affected by them. The main reason behind formation of these hideous marks is stretching of the skin beyond its normal limit. Skin contains collagen and elastin which keeps it elastic. On over-stretching of the skin, collagen and elastin fibers tear up resulting in the development of stretch marks. Stretch marks once formed are permanent but a number of home remedies, cosmetics and procedures can be used to lighten them.

Causes

Women are mostly affected by the stretch marks during pregnancy. This is due to abrupt weight gain associated with pregnancy. With the baby growing inside the abdomen, its skin gets over-stretched and the stretch marks form. With pregnancy, mother’s body undergo a number of changes like increase in the size of breasts. This rapid increase in their size can lead to the formation of stretch marks on breasts. In addition to this, hormones also play a role. Excessive production of cortisol, which is a glucocorticoid hormones, weakens elastin and collagen fibers in our skin, making it lose its elasticity. Thus stretch marks are formed. Genetics also play a major role in the formation of such marks, so ask your family members if they have suffered from this problem, to find out if it runs in the family.

Exercise

To prevent stretch marks you need to adopt a healthy life style and exercise is essential for it. Regular exercise helps you to keep an ideal body weight and it also ensures that sudden weight fluctuations do not take place. It improves blood flow in skin thus maintaining its vitality. Moreover, exercising keeps your muscle tone better thus preventing skin from stretching beyond limit.

Diet

Another essential component of a healthy lifestyle is to eat a balanced and healthy diet. A balanced diet contains food from all food groups like cereals, meat, veggies and fruits. A healthy diet will keep your weight in the normal weight range. Add more proteins like eggs, fish, chicken etc. to your diet because it helps tissues to repair themselves. Also include micro-nutrients like vitamin E, A, C and zinc which helps in the collagen production.

Skin Care

In addition to a good diet and regular exercise, you can try topical treatments as well. These treatments can help in rejuvenating your skin and lightening the stretch marks. You can also try using a bristle brush. Dry brushing with it can increase blood circulation in skin, remove toxins and reduce stretch marks or other skin imperfections like scars etc.

Oil of Rosehip seed can also lighten stretch marks because it contains essential fatty-acids and vitamins.

Consult a Physician

If you cannot find any obvious reasons for stretch marks on your body then consult a doctor as soon as possible. You might be suffering from a medical disorder associated with the stretch marks. Connective tissue disorders like Marfan syndrome and Elhers-Danlos syndrome can lead to the development of such marks. Diabetes interferes with the production of collagen in the skin and results in the stretch marks. You should also see a doctor before trying any new treatment for the stretch marks.

Get Rid of Stretch Marks Naturally

Stretch mark is a very usual problem faced by many men and women. Pregnancy, sudden weight gain or weight loss, growth spurt and medical disorders like Marfan syndrome and Cushing’s syndrome are some of the causes of stretch marks. Stretch marks are ugly in appearance and blemish your look.

The commercial market is full of a number of ointments and creams for non-prescription cure for the stretch marks. These treatments not only cost you a lot of money but are also unnatural. Home remedies, on the other hand, are natural, easy to use and very cheap. These remedies are not authorized by Food and Drug Administration (FDA), therefore you should always consult a doctor before you try them.

Glycerin, Honey and Salt Scrub

Make a great body scrub for stretch marks with glycerin, salt and honey. Add ½ teaspoon of honey, 1 teaspoon of glycerin and ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix these ingredients well and store in an airtight container. Rub it over your skin and leave it on for five to ten minutes. Wash it off with tepid water and a cleanser. Let your skin air-dry and moisturize it. Use this body scrub twice daily. Leftover scrub can be preserved in the fridge for 48 hours.

Vitamin E and Vitamin A

Blend of vitamin E and vitamin A can help in lightening stretch marks when used regularly. Make this mixture by combing 1 teaspoon of ointment of vitamin A and 1 teaspoon of oil of vitamin E and stirring them well. Store this mixture in a container. Rub a little quantity of this blend on the area affected by stretch marks. Wash off that area after thirty minutes with warm water and a mild cleanser. In the end moisturize your skin. This process should be repeated twice daily. Leftover mixture can be stored in a dark and cold place for about a week.

Aloe vera with Vitamin A and Vitamin E

Aloe vera has many soothing and healing properties and it is used in many beauty products and cosmetics. Mix 1/4 cup of Aloe vera gel with oil from ten vitamin E capsules and oil from five vitamin A capsules.

Massage this mixture onto the skin until it is fully absorbed. Use this blend on a daily basis. Another way is to apply Aloe vera directly over your stretch marks for 15 minutes. Then wash that area with some tepid water.

Carrot Scrub with Olive Oil and Tangerine Peel

Stretch marks can also be removed with a body scrub made by mixing tangerine peel, olive oil and fresh carrots.

To prepare this scrub, mix 4 teaspoons of olive oil, peel of one tangerine and one half of a carrot in a food processor or a blender and purée for twenty seconds at a high speed. Use this mixture when you take a bath. Apply on damp skin and massage well. Then wash it off with warm water. Dry off your skin and moisturize the area. Use this treatment once daily. Left over mixture can be stored in a fridge for up to 5 days.

Pregnancy Stretch Marks on the Thighs

Pregnancy is the major cause of the stretch marks in women. More than ninety percent of expecting mothers develop such marks. Stretch marks are bluish or purplish colored striations formed on our skin due to overstretching. In pregnant women, abdomen expands as the baby grows in size leading to the formation of stretch marks. Other areas of body affected by these marks are breasts, arms, thighs, buttocks etc. Weight gain is also a contributing factor for the development of such marks.

Importance

Stretch marks which are located on the inner aspect of thighs are formed around 6^th or 7^th month of pregnancy. This is due to the baby’s weight which puts pressure on the mother’s skin, overstretching it, thus leading to tears in the supportive tissue of skin. This, coupled with rapid weight gain during pregnancy increases the risk for the development of stretch marks by many folds. In addition to that, genetics also play a vital role in the development of such marks. So if your sister or mother have stretch marks, you are prone to them as well.

In the beginning stretch marks are reddish, brownish or purplish colored streaks. These marks look gross and you are inclined to hide them by wearing pants instead of shorts etc. But with time these marks become silvery or white in color thus becoming less noticeable. Their final color depends on your skin tone, however they are generally more light-colored compared to the skin next to them. After the birth of baby, it takes 6 to 12 months for the stretch marks to fade into a lighter color.

Preventive Measures

There is no such exercise, cream or lotion which can absolutely prevent stretch marks from developing. But keeping your weight in a healthy range can decrease likelihood of the appearance of stretch marks on the inner aspect of your thighs. Gaining weight is something inevitable for pregnant women but they can consult a dietitian or a doctor to formulate a plan to make this weight gain steady and consistent. Keep your body hydrated by drinking at least 8 to 10 glasses of water daily.

Treatments

If the stretch marks disfigure your appearance, even after they have faded out, then you can consult a dermatologist to get advice for reducing these marks. You can try topical treatments like glycolic acid or tretinoin cream. You can also rub vitamin E gel over the stretchmarks on your thighs.

Vitamin E will help you to get rid of these stretch marks by increasing the rate at which your skin cells are produced. Other option is the laser treatment which can alter pigmentation of these marks and improve skin elasticity.

Expert Advice

Experts recommend using a good moisturizer over the affected skin to avoid dryness and itchiness. Scratching can further disfigure the stretch marks, so abstain from it. If you are going to the beach on a vacation or some other occasion, you would want to hide these gross marks. In this case, you can use tanning products to mask the stretch marks on your inner thighs.

Methods of Exfoliation for Stretch Marks

Pesky looking, purplish, reddish or whitish colored streaks which appear on your skin are called stretch marks or striae. This happens when your skin is stretched too quickly by factors like weight gain, pregnancy, growth spurts etc. A number of products and treatments have made huge claims about eliminating such marks but in reality, nothing can completely cure these marks. You can try various tricks to lighten them. For that, rejuvenation of skin is needed which, in turn, depends upon collagen production. The latter process can be accelerated by exfoliation of skin regularly. Your body sheds dead skin cells at an alarming rate and simply washing your body with the soap does not help in the removal of the dead skin cells at all. It’s important to apply an exfoliator to the wet skin, so exfoliating in the shower or a bath is the best way. There are many kinds of exfoliators: creamy, salty, and oil-based. Experiment with different methods of exfoliation until you find the one that suits you the most and stick to it. Do not use different exfoliating treatments at once because it can irritate your skin.

Method # 1

Brushing your skin on a daily basis will improve its texture and reduce the stretch marks. You can use a natural bristle body brush for this purpose. Brush your skin when it is dry. Best time to do so is before you take a shower. Brush your skin 5 times using firm strokes, starting at the feet and moving upwards slowly. This will improve the blood flow of the skin and exuviate dead skin cells.

Method # 2

You can also use a scrub for exfoliation. Use it in the shower on a daily basis. Prefer a scrub that has granules or beads in it. When you will rub this scrub on the skin, it will feel coarse. Exfoliate you skin in the area of stretchmarks in a gentle and circular motion. Wash off any excess scrub from your body.

Method # 3

Another simple method is to use a loofah when you take a shower. Using the loofah with shower gel or a soap, gently scrub your skin. Pat your skin dry and moisturize it with a good moisturizer. This will not only lighten your stretch marks but also give your skin a nice glow.

Method # 4

Use a cream which contains Retin-A, such as tretinoin cream. Retin-A is a chemically active exfoliator. It accelerates turnover rate of your skin thus speeding up the collagen production. Increased collagen level in the skin makes it appear tighter and strong.

Method # 5

A more aggressive way is to get microdermabrasion treatment. This treatment is available at either a dermatologist’s office or a spa. This procedure involves spraying of ground crystals on your skin under pressure of pressurized air. The pressure aids powdered crystals to scrub away dead skin flakes in its top-most layer. The newer skin which replaces the old skin is way more elastic and healthy and it makes your stretchmarks seem lighter and smaller.

Things you will be needing

Natural bristle body brush

Moisturize

Loofah

Shower gel or a soap

Exfoliating scrub

Tretinoin cream

Vitamin C & Stretch Marks

Stretching of the skin usually happens because of one or two reasons. The first are usually diets that result in fast weight loss or rapid weight gain and the second is pregnancy. Women are not alone in suffering from stretch marks on their bodies, men can also get them if they put on weight or muscle very quickly. However, women typically have thinner skin than man and therefore they often struggle with these marks more than men. Stretch marks start out as brightly colored red,pink or purple marks that look almost like stripes. Over time, the marks turn white or silver in color but this does not decrease their visibility. The body can not heal stretch marks completely and so far there is no proven way to rid them from the body but it is possible to minimize these marks using topical medications and especially a diet which is high in vitamin C.

Eating oranges or other citrus fruits will not cure stretch marks however vitamin C promotes healthy skin which may minimize the damage to your skin and the appearance of stretch marks. This works because vitamin C is what is called an antioxidant and the body needs it fight off toxins that enter the body. Some of these toxins can actually prevent healing in the body and they result in unhealthy scar tissues in the body. Vitamin C can be found naturally occurring in many foods including citrus fruits like oranges, strawberries and grapefruits as well as in many other fresh, natural foods like broccoli, leafy greens and peppers. You can also take vitamin C in supplement form however it is best to get as much as you can from natural foods first.

It is possible that a doctor may suggest or prescribe treatments with vitamin C for patients who are going to have a dermatological procedure. This is because vitamin C may help the body produce collagen and promote healing. However, topical treatments that include vitamin C have not undergone enough study to have any proof of its effectiveness. Over-the-counter vitamin C ointments and other options are still popular in stores and there are some naturopaths and other specialists who believe that vitamin C can promote the growth of healthy skin and may even improve stretch marks while they are in their early stages. However, it is generally agreed that there is not much to be done for late stage or white stretch marks because the skin has been too altered to be able to heal it.

There are other treatments available for stretchmarks such as creams that use tretinoin as an active ingredient. These creams and ointments usually remove layers of your skin and are good for skin conditions however if they are to be of any use for stretch marks they must be used in the appearance of stretch marks. Stretch marks never disappear completely but they may be improved in appearance with the use of these creams. It is possible to even consider laser therapy as a treatment for stretch marks but not even lasers can entirely heal them.

The best thing to do for stretch marks is to prevent them by keeping your skin healthy. You can do this by eating a balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables and vitamin C so that you skin is strong before it undergoes any trauma. Keeping your skin moisturized will also go a long way in keeping your skin healthy and minimizing the appearance of stretch marks. Even though nothing can prevent them entirely or make them disappear, these steps can help you achieve healthy skin.