Many people with stretch marks want to know the best ways to get rid of them. Stretch marks are actually scars, called striae, under the top layers of skin that occur from rapid growth during weight gain such as what happens in pregnancy. If you prefer a natural treatment there are some stretch mark removal treatments that can actually help in removing stretch marks.
Natural Methods
There are topical creams and lotions that are formulated specifically for removing stretch marks. Choose products that are designed to reduce or lighten the appearance of striae and scars. These dark lines are actually small scars that appear under the skin. They can be treated in a similar way to other scars on the body. Using creams will help accomplish two main factors in stretch mark removal. First, they provide nourishing moisture so the skin regains proper tone and second they may encourage new development.
What to Look For
Stretch mark remover creams come with a wide variety of ingredients. Look for products that contain some of these key ingredients that are known to improve the skin’s appearance. Collagen and elastin are proteins that are naturally produced by the body. They provide the building blocks for new cell development and naturally help to remove stretch marks. Moisturizers such as shea butter and cocoa butter provide natural moisture to the skin cells to normalize the scar tissue. Vitamins are helpful in adding nutrition to the cells. Aloe Vera is good for softening and soothing and to reduce redness. Products with antioxidants aid with stretch marks removal by eliminating toxins in the body.
Preventing Stretch Marks
Preventing scars can be just as important as stretch mark removal.
Striae prevention consists of diet and exercise. Some people seem to be more naturally prone to getting these scars than others. This may be due in part to diet. Drinking enough water is by far the most important dietary factor for prevention. The body is made up mostly of water. It needs to replenish the water all the time. When the body is deprived of fluids the first place to suffer is often the skin. Over time not drinking enough water can cause dry and less supple skin, two factors that can make these marks worse.
Dietary Factors
Other dietary factors to consider include getting enough vitamins and nutrients through food intake. In particular, vitamin A, vitamin C and zinc are three of the most important substances to affect proper cell growth. Protein is also necessary to keep skin healthy. Exercise is also important in the prevention of striae. Toning and flexibility exercises help to keep muscles taut which in turn helps keep skin toned. Keep the body moisturized using a good quality product that contains natural ingredients. If you are pregnant check with your doctor before using any new products.
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