Stretch marks are medically known as striae. They are pink or reddish streaks that are often seen on the stomach area, the breasts, upper arms, buttocks and thighs. Its color will gradually fade and appear as glossy skin with silver or white streaks.
They are common with pregnant women. They appear on the 28th week of your pregnancy. This is the stage when the abdomen has enlarged significantly. These lines of life will remain after the delivery of the baby although some may be lucky to see them disappear.
Men are not spared from stretch marks too. This happen when they gain or lose too much weight. Building mass muscles can also contribute to the development of these clawed marks. These ugly streaks are a form of scarring. This is the result after the skin fails to restore its original shape when it is stretched beyond its limit.
These squiggly lines are not a sign of any life threatening disease. Many people hate having them because they spoil their impression. Thus, all the grievances over them are is purely cosmetic. Removing stretch marks may not be a big issue for some people, but based on the number of products available does show that most people do.
You can be lucky if your shimmering streaks fade over time without seeking any treatment. However, due to the skin structure, these scars are noticeable even after many years.
Using common remedies like creams may help to reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
Some stretch mark creams contain Tretinoin, a derivative of Vitamin A. For best results, use them on new stretch marks. However, they are not suitable for pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers.
There are other natural ingredients that are found in these creams. These include cocoa butter, shea butter, castor oil, olive oil, aloe vera, vitamin E, glycolic acid, and alpha hydroxy acids. But, more studies are required to test the effectiveness of these ingredients in treating scars.
The best stretch mark cream should stimulate the production of collagen and elastin. They are proteins found in the dermis which establish the structural integrity of your skin. As your supportive layer becomes stronger, your unpleasant badges of honor should be reduced visibly.
You can easily buy creams for treating striae at the drug stores. They don’t need any prescription. The other benefit of using them is that they would not irritate your skin provided they contain natural ingredients. But it is ideal to check with your doctor first before using them.
It is always better to prevent these horrible looking battle scars than treating them later. So, use stretch mark creams during your pregnancy. Your elasticity may extend a longer life span. careprost