Avoid Those Stretch Marks

By Helen Wang

Scientifically stretch marks are known as a form of scarring - No Stretching Allowed.

They usually rear their ugly heads during puberty, or as the result of excessive weight gain, such as during pregnancy.

They are the result of skin being stretched beyond its natural elasticity. Examples are people who engage in body building.

Disruption of the body' s collagen production caused by this stretching. Collagen is a special protein that helps keep the skin elastic and, therefore, able to stretch when we gain weight.

The skin loses its elasticity when this collagen production is disrupted, which makes it more prone to this skin condition.

They are usually found in a series as small, indented streaks, and are generally rough and uneven. In women with light skin, they are usually a pink or reddish-brown color.

They might sometimes almost look purple. For darker skinned women, they are usually brown.

Genetics plays a larger role in whether or not a woman will develop stretch marks

So, if a woman's family member, particularly her mom or her sister, has stretch marks, she is more likely to get them as well.

It is important to note that monitoring weight gain closely will help avoid getting stretch mark.

As a natural part of the childbearing process, pregnant women need to put on weight. However, they should be careful not to gain more weight than what is recommended by the doctor.

Pregnant woman should not, of course, starve themselves in order to avoid stretch mark. They should, however, take care to watch their diets and put pregnancy weight on slowly.

This gives the skin more time to gradually stretch to accommodate for the growing baby inside. The last trimester of a pregnancy is when women generally put on the most weight.

This is when the baby is doing most of its growing. To help avoid stretch marks during this time of the pregnancy, and at any other time, be sure to regularly apply lotion to the skin.

However, because some lotions can be harmful to unborn babies, make sure to consult your doctor first. Lotion helps decrease the likelihood of developing stretch marks because it helps keep the skin flexible.

Likewise, to help maintain the skin's elasticity, drink plenty of fluid.

Therefore, a pregnant woman should be sure to drink plenty of fluids. Fortunately, after weight loss, they generally fades.

For women who gain stretch marks during pregnancy, they usually fade to a slightly lighter color than the surrounding skin, though the etching will always remain.

Quickly adding on muscle mass will force the skin to stretch beyond its ability. So or women who are bodybuilders, it is important to put on muscle mass slowly.

Therefore, a bodybuilding program should be designed to slowly add on bulk. For women who are not pregnant and who are not bodybuilders, the best way to avoid stretch marks is to simply monitor your diet and maintain a healthy body weight.

Drinking plenty of water is still recommended, as they helps keep the skin more pliable. If you still develop stretch marks some how, which many women do during puberty as their bodies rapidly grown, there is little that can be done to get rid of them.

Although there are many lotions and creams on the market claiming to be able to get rid of them, there is no proof that they work. There are surgeries to help with lessening their visibility but they can't get rid of them completely.

Instead, the best option is to cover them up. Many women used over-the-counter sunless tanning lotions to do this, or they get a sunless tanning treatment from a salon.

Since the pigmentation of stretch marks is lighter than the rest of the skin, these lotions help even out the skin color.

Getting a real tan, however, does not have the same effect because stretch marks are scarred tissue and scarred tissue does not tan the same as healthy tissue.

Women can avoid getting them through precautions and a healthy lifestyle. Some of life's big life-changes, such as childbirth and puberty, however, can make avoiding them nearly impossible.

Therefore, it's important to drink plenty of fluids and apply lotions to keep the skin elastic and, if all else fails, cover up those stretch marks and chalk it up as just another part of being a woman.