Ways to Prevent and Reduce Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are almost unavoidable during pregnancy. When you gain a lot of weight over a comparatively short period of time, the top layer of your skin stretches to accommodate the extra mass. But the layer immediately below, called dermis, is not so elastic. It cannot stretch as much and often breaks. Hence a scar of off color hue is formed on the skin. Stretch marks appear when you gain or lose a lot of weight over a short period of time. They are most common on fatty areas of the body like abdomen, breasts, hips, thighs and upper arms.

Reduce stretch marks at home

Once formed, it is very difficult to get rid of stretch marks. So, it is better to take precautions beforehand to reduce stretch marks. You should initiate a system of skin care from the early days of pregnancy to reduce stretch marks. Your skin requires care and nutrition to retain its elasticity. One of the golden rules of skin care is proper nutrition. You should drink plenty of water, about eight to ten glasses per day, to keep your skin sufficiently moist and supple. Vitamin E and A are necessary for maintenance of a good skin. So eat a diet rich in vitamins and nutrients. Also, food containing fatty acids help to prevent stretch marks. So, make sure to include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and fish and other light protein to prevent stretch marks from appearing.

Whatever precautions you take, stretch marks will probably appear during pregnancy. In order to keep them to a minimum, start a routine of regular massage of your abdomen and your breasts with several oils and lotions. Many people swear by cocoa butter while recently there have been some support of bio oil also. Aloe Veras almost always work well. There are many creams available in the market, rich in vitamins and oils to tackle stretch marks. You can try any of them but it is better to choose those lotions which use more natural ingredients. Just remember to be patient. It may take close to a year to completely get rid of your stretch marks.

Surgical procedures

Apart from these time consuming home remedies, there are plastic and laser surgeries which remove stretch marks. If they are becoming serious blemish on your beauty and are refusing to respond to massages, you can consider these options. Just keep in mind that they are quite expensive.

You can use laser surgery to burn the fatty tissues and generate the growth of new tissues. After a few sessions, the stretch marks will fade or become smaller in size. However there is no guarantee that all your stretch marks will completely vanish after a laser surgery. In fact, quite a few doctors opine that laser is not very effective in dealing with stretch marks.

You can consider tummy tucks to get rid of stretch marks. Here the abdomen is opened and the inner layer of muscle, called fascia is tightened by surgical procedures. The fat in the lower abdomen disappear, taking the stretch marks with it. However, the procedure is not cheap and it cannot deal with the stretch marks in upper abdomen or other parts of the body.

Considering all the alternatives, you have to know that it is far easier (and less expensive) to prevent stretch marks than to get rid of them once they appear. So eat well and apply lotions regularly as soon as you see the tell tale sign of a stretch mark.

About the Author

Prevent, reduce and get rid of stretch marks with Mederma Stretch Mark Therapy, a dermatologist tested and clinically proven cream that will effectively prevent and reduce the appearance of stretch marks in 12 weeks. Read the full review at: http://www.stretchmarkshelp.com/mederma-stretch-mark-therapy

Plastic Surgery for Stretch Marks

What are stretch marks?

Stretch marks are pale colored scars occurring on the fatty part of the body. When you gain a lot of weight (or lose it) over a short period of time, your skin has to stretch to accommodate the extra fat. But the layer just below the top layer of the skin, called dermis, is not that elastic. It cannot stretch as fast and therefore is torn. The scars of these torn tissues show up against the skin as stretch marks. They are almost unavoidable during pregnancy.

How to remove stretch marks?

Stretch marks are very difficult to avoid or remove. Several skin care regimes are suggested over considerable period of time to deal with the problem. A number of creams and lotions are present in the market to get rid of stretch marks. If you have not got desired results from using such remedies, you can consider opting for plastic surgery to get rid of stretch marks.

A word of caution! You must know that even plastic surgery is not one hundred percent effective all the time. Moreover, it is a surgical procedure and thus involves some pain and medication. If you are thinking of laser removal, you will have to visit the doctor for several sessions. If, on the other hand, you are considering a tummy tuck you will need complete rest for seven to ten days and light physical activity for a month afterward. Finally, these are elective procedures. They are not very cheap and will not be covered by your medical insurance.

However, plastic surgery has a better chance of removing stretch marks. As they fade noticeably, it will do wonders for your self confidence. You will be able to wear swim suits and clinging dresses again without self consciousness and it will definitely boost your social life. so why not at least try to get rid of this unsightly blemish on your beauty?

Laser removal

One option is to remove stretch marks by using the laser treatment. Here concentrated rays of yellow and green light lasers are send on the targeted area. These types of lasers work the best, probably because they are most easily absorbed by the collagen and elastin molecules of the skin. It is claimed that the laser promotes the growth of new collagen and elastin molecules. As a result, after repeating the session for four to six times, usually over a period of a year, the stretch marks appear flatter. They may also appear to fade in hue.

Some experts point out that lasers are good for destroying cells and so cannot remove stretch marks. You should know that there is no guarantee that stretch marks will be eliminated by laser. They may come back after some time, or may never fade completely. But many people report that they do fade perceptively. So you should not completely ignore this option.

Tummy tuck

Many plastic surgeons claim that tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is the only way to get rid of stretch marks. This works for your lower abdomen. The fascia or the inner girdle which gives shape to your abdomen, stretches during pregnancy, but cannot resume its shape easily. The surgeon tightens up the fascia. Your lower abdomen becomes firm. So, the unsightly stretch marks often fade almost to invisibility. However, it is quite a painful and expensive procedure. It also leaves surgical scars on your belly. They generally fade over time, but not always.

If your stretch marks are seriously affecting your self confidence, you can opt for any of the above methods. Get a firm smooth skin and regain your joy in your body and your life.

About the Author

Get more information about laser stretch mark removal and how it can help reduce and eliminate stretch marks at http://www.stretchmarkshelp.com/laser-stretch-mark-removal

Tanning Bed Dangers And Deceptions

Back in the middle of the last century, before we realized the ozone layer had huge holes in it and incidences of melanoma and skin cancer began to rise, people laid out in the sun frying in tropical oils because a deep tan was supposed to be attractive. Tanning bed dangers similar to excessive sun exposure and can lead to a number of issues.

Although some exposure to sunlight is good for the skin, it should be in very small doses, the rest of the time we should be wearing a high SPF sun block. Luckily in June of 2011, the government passed a law that means that the consumer can understand the ingredients and effectiveness of sun blocks better, as we should all wear it if exposed to the sun for more than a few minutes daily.

The tan from a tanning bed is supposed to be more beautiful because you avoid all the lines that clothing would normally leave when sun bathing outside in a public place. Even with increased public education about tanning bed dangers and the dangers of sunbathing, the public still insists on doing it. Tanning causes DNA damage within skin cells, and the more you exposure yourself to intense sun or UV rays the higher the risk of melanoma and squamous cell cancer. Some people also with sensitive skin may get a rash.

If you are ever tempted by an ad from a tanning salon that says anything about it being safe, think again. Some salons are offering spray on tans as an alternative, but if you were to run those sprays through a test, they too contain toxins and carcinogenic ingredients that may not by law have to be disclosed.

One of the other tanning bed dangers is wrinkles. Sun exposure and UV exposure via a tanning bed causes the skin to wrinkle quicker, especially in Caucasians and those with pale skin. Again, if the tanning salon says that their beds use UVA rays and not UVB, research is showing that these are equally dangerous and caution is important.

Victorian women wore large hats, long sleeves and gloves in the sunlight, tanned skin was considered something lower class people had from working outside. It's probably something the Victorians were actually right about – not the class part of course which is silly and wrong, but the idea of covering up completely in the sun.

About the Author

Learn more about Sun Rash Problems and Itchy Skin Rashes

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