Unsightly pink or white stretch marks abound in body areas such as the abdomen, breasts, legs, and buttocks of pregnant women and people who have slimmed down or gained weight drastically. What are the causes of stretch marks, you may ask? Various factors contribute to the appearance of stretch marks:
1.Pregnancy or sudden loss or gain of weight
2.Natural growth because of adolescence
3.Depression
4.Nutrition deficiency
5.Sudden change in environmental or physical conditions
After learning the root cause of why these annoying lines suddenly have shows up, you might be contemplating on how to get rid or at least prevent them, right?
Ever considered surgery? You think it’s too bloody or painful, for you? How about drinking medications that are supposed to combat the appearance of stretch marks? How about VITAMINS? Do you know what vitamins are known to avoid the ugly stretch marks from lining one’s skin? Here are three of the most popular anti-stretch mark vitamins:
Vitamin E (Tocopherol)
Vitamin E is an antioxidant which is believed to encourage skin healing and scar reduction.
People with post-operation stretch marks attest to the fact that Vitamin E oil capsules can help in making their stretch marks fade away. Vitamin E is also a common key ingredient to lotion and creams that are said to fight stretch marks. Its anti-inflammatory effect is theoretically known to attribute to its effect in working against aggravation of stretch marks.
If you prefer eating natural source of Vitamin E, foods that have it include:
Sunflower seeds
Nuts
Seabuckthorn berries
Whole grains
Green leafy vegetables
Peanut butter
Fish
Vitamin A (Retinol)
Vitamin is known for its effect on the growth of teeth and bones, correct functioning of epithelial cells, night vision, and reproduction. Vitamin A is also regarded as one of the best vitamins guarding the skin.
The derivatives of this vitamin are known as anti-aging substances that are easily absorbed thru the skin. This elevates the turnover of the skin and temporarily boosts collagen production, which in turn produces a youthful appearance for the skin.
Natural sources of vitamin A include spinach, carrots, kale, sweet potatoes, apricots, mango, liver, broccoli, eggs, sweet pepper, winter squash etc.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Vitamin C is another antioxidant that aids in collagen production in connective tissues. It is also important in the synthesis of hormones and theoretically helps in going against cancer and in skin health and repair.
Its natural sources include papaya, lemon, melon, raspberry, cauliflower, strawberry, grapefruit, orange, passion fruit, cabbage, cucumber, mother’s and cow’s milk, goats, etc.
Vitamins A, C, and E are believed to be the best vitamins to fight stretch marks’ appearance. However, they can’t get rid or prevent stretch marks all by themselves. They are only supplements that help in making such endeavor possible. A sensible diet, regular exercise and avoiding losing and gaining weight drastically is still required to fully wage war against those unsightly skin problems known as stretch marks.
They are often included as ingredients in lotions, creams and oils to augment one’s regular skin maintenance. This is because according to studies, vitamins can’t easily penetrate the deeper parts of the skin to repair stretch marks. Vehicles like other plant and animal oils are believed to help in making that goal possible.
Posts Tagged Prevent Stretch Marks
Stretch Marks Defined
You have been hearing familiar concerns from people like how to lose stretch marks but may not be aware what they are and how they come about. Stretch marks are the visible pale white lines commonly seen in the buttocks area, the thighs, the abdomen, and the arms and legs resulting from too much stretching of the skin causing tearing of the middle layer or the dermis. They usually appear because of the following instances:
Prevention of Stretch Marks
Yes, you heard it right. Stretch marks may be prevented. The key factor in preventing formation of stretch marks is to maintain the elasticity of the skin. It has been observed that those who have been consistently moisturizing the skin over a period of time with vitamins and oils have a lesser probability to have stretch marks. A more natural way of skin maintenance is by eating a healthy diet and drinking sufficient amount of water. The different organs of the body-and that includes the skin, which is the largest of them all-need to have constant and the right amount of hydration to make it work properly and at the same time remove toxins from the body. It takes patience and persistence in taking care of the skin, but in time, you will be rewarded with a beautiful and healthy glowing skin.
Reduction and Elimination of Stretch Marks
There are times when stretch mark formation cannot be prevented. Although total elimination may not be possible, there are ways to reduce its visibility, and this includes:
The Effective Solution
Retinol has come up with a product answering the problem on how to lose stretch marks. Revitol Stretch Mark Prevention Cream works by preventing and eliminating scars. It strengthens the skin and improves its elasticity and at the same time works inward to improve cells growth and production.
Original article source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Effective-Tips-on-How-to-Lose-Stretch-Marks-Naturally&id=1925409
free information about Brainseo Website builder
Pregnancy is a beautiful thing that could happen in every woman’s life. Bringing another human life into the world is such a miracle, and it can only be done by motherhood. The nine months of carrying a life inside the womb may not be easy, but all the pain will be nothing after the birth of the child. This is also the reason why a woman accepts the fact that she has to deal with pregnancy stretch marks after giving birth.
The Sad Truth
More than the mood swings of a pregnant woman, it is dealing with weight gain that posts a problem even after the pregnancy. The abdomen has expanded and stretched so much that it caused some tearing in the skin that later on can leave marks and scar in the skin’s surface. Pregnancy stretch marks may not be found in the abdominal area only; even the breasts, buttocks, the legs and arms can be affected for as long as the elasticity limit of the skin has been reached and there is breaking of the dermis layer.
Hormonal Changes
There have been studies showing how stretch marks come about for pregnant woman. Aside from the known fact involving the stretching and tearing of the dermis, research and study show that there is another contributory factor causing pregnancy stretch marks, and that is the increased hormones in the woman’s body. These hormones cause more attraction of water to the skin, which explains why pregnant women feel and look bloated. Due to the increased water, the bond between the skin layers and the collagen fibers relaxes and loosens causing the skin to tear up easily when stretched, thus forming stretch marks. Formation of pregnancy stretch marks are usually noticeable in the late trimester, although it may be seen the moment the tummies begins to grow.
Removing Pregnancy Stretch Marks
Pregnancy stretch marks vary depending on the skin tone of the woman. Light-skinned women can have pinkish stretch marks while dark-skinned women have scars that are a little lighter than the skin tone. Although stretch marks cannot be totally removed, there is a breakthrough in stretch mark prevention creams that help greatly in decreasing visibility of pregnancy stretch marks. It works by stimulating growth of cells to come up with renewed and much healthier skin cells.
Original article source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Getting-Rid-of-Pregnancy-Stretch-Marks&id=1925429
Detailed information about web site builder
There are thousands of women, men and teens who would like to know how to prevent stretch marks. In the first place, stretch marks are scars that appear on the surface of the skin when the skin is stretched to the limit. There are various causes that play a role in determining whether a person will get stretch marks or not. One of these is genetics. Another is hormonal changes. Pregnancy, weight gain and sudden growth of the body cause the skin to stretch. The bad news is there is no way for stretch marks to disappear completely. That means they will always be with you once they have shown up. Blame it on the key factors above. What laser surgery and stretch mark lotions do is that, they reduce the visibility of stretch marks to make them less noticeable and less embarassing. Preventing stretch marks, therefore, is the best thing you should do if you don’t want them. Stretch mark products, as mentioned, can only make scars look faded. However, if you’d like to prevent stretch marks, you might be disappointed to know that it is not guaranteed that you will indeed avoid getting stretch marks since genetics play a role. If one of your family members had stretch marks, chances are huge that you will have them as well.However, I’ve read other people’s stories on how they’ve successfully prevented stretch marks, despite the fact that they’ve had them before. So, why not give the preventive measure a try and who know, you might end up being stretch mark-free later. Believe it or not, one of the best things to do how to prevent stretch marks is by changing your diet. They say that the health of skin is greatly affected by what you eat. If you keep eating fresh fruits and vegetables, your skin will be radiant, smooth and glowing. When it comes to your diet, you will need to eat balanced meals that follow along your own health needs. We all know that certain vitamins are great for your skin such as vitamin E; however it never seems to occur to most people that you can get it from food and not just lotions and creams. There are specific vitamins that you should be looking to consume that are directly related to your skin. These vitamins should include vitamin C, E, A and zinc in specific. Remember we use zinc to shield your skin from the sun; why wouldn’t we want consume it as well? So what we have is that there are specific foods that will provide these vitamins. Here is a specific foods list that you can consume to help you in battling stretch marks. Vitamin A foods include:1. Liver2. Carrots 3. Sweet potato 4. Pumpkin 5. Apricots 6. Green leafy vegetables7. Mango 8. Cantaloupe 9. TunaVitamin C sources are:1. Oranges2. Guava 3. Papaya 4. Cantaloupe 5. Kiwi 6. Strawberries 7. Chili peppers8. BroccoliVitamin E sources are:1. Polyunsaturated oils and seed 2. Sunflower 3. Safflower 4. Canola5. Corn 6. Almonds 7. Peanut butter8. Wheat germ 9. Tomato puree 10. Avocados Zinc-rich sources are:1. Bananas2. Raisins3. LegumesThese are a sample list of foods that can help prevent stretch marks. As mentioned, having a healthy daily diet is one of the best things to do how to prevent stretch marks. Hence, try to incorporate them into your daily diet.
free information about web site builder
Most women are keenly aware of the ugly, discolored scarring known as stretch marks. As a matter of fact, there is an entire beauty industry centered around the removal of these unsightly skin defects. But what about stretch mark prevention?
You may be wondering if it is just a myth or whether a person can really do something to prevent stretch marks from developing. Clinical studies tend to be inconclusive in this area, but a large number of women have learned through personal experience that certain preventive actions can help minimize the risk of getting stretch marks.
These actions are detailed below and should be seriously considered by any woman that wishes to take a proactive approach in the fight against stretch marks. But first, let’s take a look at the real cause of stretch marks.
What Causes Stretch Marks?
The surface of the skin is generally fairly elastic, but when it is stretched beyond its capacity, damage can result. It is usually during periods of rapid weight gain and subsequent loss that you are at the greatest risk of developing stretch marks.
Prime examples of this weight change cycle can be identified during:
- Pregnancy
- Weight training
- Rapid weight gain and loss
- Growth spurts in teens
During these periods of physiological change, the normal production of collagen is disrupted. It should be noted that collagen is an important protein, with an essential role in providing pliability and elasticity to your skin. As a result of this disruption, the skin loses some elasticity and when stretched beyond its limits, white or red scars may appear. These scars are what are traditionally known as stretch marks.
Will a Stretch Mark Prevention Program Really Help?
Obviously, if you had a choice, you would agree that it is preferable to prevent stretch marks from developing in the first place, rather than trying to treat them after the fact. Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed method of preventing stretch marks, even though there are a number of products on the market that will make this claim. It is just not true.
The good news is that there are products that are proven effective in increasing the elasticity of the skin. It is believed that these natural creams and oils prevent stretch marks by attacking their root causes – loss of elasticity and sudden trauma through over-stretching. To increase the effectiveness of these products, it is recommended that they be used as part of an overall skin conditioning program.
Stretch Mark Prevention Tips
As Ben Franklin so aptly put; ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!’ And no truer words have been spoken regarding an approach to stretch marks and their treatment. So, to help give you a jump start with your stretch mark prevention program, a number of helpful tips are provided below:
Tip #1
If you are thinking about getting pregnant, or are presently in the mother-to-be state, try starting an exercise program. Continue this regimen throughout your pregnancy and it should help in reducing a lot of the stretch marks that may have developed naturally during the process. An exercise program works by helping you to limit your weight gain and, therefore, limit the trauma and overstretching of your affected skin. Of course, before you start any exercise program, please check with your doctor.
Tip #2
Try using natural stretch mark products that inherently have the exceptional ability to increase the skin’s elasticity. Products made with cocoa butter and other natural ingredients are your best bet. Many women who have endured pregnancy swear to the effectiveness of this method.
Tip #3
To supplement stretch mark creams and oils, you should consider using a body brush to massage the affected areas where you want to prevent stretch marks from forming. This is usually on the thighs, breasts, buttocks, and arms. This extra effort helps increase the circulation to the skin and helps the absorption of the cream into the affected area.
Tip #4
If you are on a diet, moderation is the ‘keyword’. A diet encouraging slow weight loss will minimize trauma to the skin and allow the skin to better adjust to the weight changes. This will help reduce the likelihood of stretch marks.
At the end of the day, there really is no single fail-safe method to prevent the formation of stretch marks. But a stretch mark prevention program, based on a combination of natural stretch mark products and the helpful tips provided above, should dramatically increase your odds of reducing or eliminating stretch mark development. Give it a try – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
Stretch Marks in Pregnancy
Dec 21
One of the things women fear most is developing stretch marks in pregnancy. Stretch marks or striae gravidarum, the medical term, is something that nearly all women will have to deal with at some time during their pregnancy.
Stretch marks in pregnancy are red or blue lines that can usually appear on the abdomen, breasts, arms, legs, and buttocks. As the pregnancy develops and weight is gained, the skin is stretched beyond it’s usual elasticity. The production of collagen is affected, a protein that gives the skin it’s elasticity, and leaves the body more prone to developing stretch marks.
After pregnancy, the skin goes back to it’s original shape, stretch marks change their color and become white, smooth, shiny and flattened scars.
Although some women wear their stretch marks with pride, as a reminder of their pregnancies, most want to take what action they can to minimize the scars they leave after pregnancy and get their shape and looks back as soon as they can.
There is no hard and fast rule about which women are likely to develop stretch marks in pregnancy but research has shown that women can be more prone to stretch marks if there is a family history of them. Rapid weight gain can be another contributory factor, so can dehydration.
Women who have naturally dry skin can be more likely to develop stretch marks in pregnancy so using a good natural moisturising solution is a good idea.How to prevent stretch marks in pregnancy.
Try and eat a healthy diet. Remember although you are pregnant you do not have to eat for two.
Keep your body hydrated. Drink plenty of water to enhance the elasticity in your skin and to stop your skin from become damaged through dehydration.
Don’t put on weight quickly. Give your skin a chance to stretch gradually. You will naturally gain weight during your pregnancy but sudden weight gains or losses can contribute to stretch marks.
Skin creams and lotions are a good way of keeping your body well moisturised and enhancing skin elasticity. Natural products are the best choice. You don’t want any nasty chemicals that can be absorbed into the skin that can affect your unborn baby. Natural oils can soften and condition the skin during pregnancy, improve the elasticity of skin and underlying tissue and prevent unsightly stretch marks.Some common natural products are:
Patchouli Oil: This is a treatment that has regenerative properties and is used for healing all types of scar tissue including stretch marks.
Neroli Oil: This essential oil will treat all skin types, oily or dry and will help with the regeneration of skin cells.
Mandarin Oil: This is a soothing oil. It moisturises and nurtures the skin while enhancing elasticity.
Rose Geranium Oil: Slows skin ageing, improves skin tone, and helps remove and prevent all types of scars, stretch marks, and cellulite.
Vitamin E Oil: This oil promotes healing in the skin, prevents damage from free-radicals and ensures optimum skin health. Treats all kinds of scars and stretch marks.
Rosehip Oil: Rebuilds damaged skin tissue and can reduce the appearance of current stretch marks as well as prevent development of new ones.
All these oils can be found in StretchEasy Massage Oil
Just remember that although your stretch marks may look unappealing while you are pregnant, in time they will fade naturally and blend in more with your own skin coloring.
They can become exaggerated by lack of exercise, so start a fitness routine and a sensible diet as soon as you can after your baby is born.
Find out more about StretchEasy Massage Oil
All there is to know about free site builder