Tips For Handling Stretch Marks

A stretch mark is a type of scar that develops when our skin stretches or shrinks quickly. For many, stretch marks can be a beautiful reminder of what your body has gone through. The majority of women will develop these marks at some point of their life or during a pregnancy.  

Science has very little proof on how to prevent their appearance, or how to get rid of them completely. Researchers have found that products containing centella or hyaluronic acid may help prevent stretch marks. For those looking to fade stretch marks there are a couple of tips to keep in mind.

What Causes Stretch Marks?

• Rapid change causes the collagen and elastin, which support our skin, to rupture. The following can cause your skin to stretch at a fast speed including: pregnancy, weight gain or loss, muscle gain and growth spurts during puberty. Additionally, Genetics and your level of the hormone cortisol also might play a role. Cortisol weakens elastic fibers in the skin.

Best Practices To Fade Stretch Marks

• Patience. Stretch marks often fade over time, with or without treatment. Young stretch marks can be red, purple, pink, reddish-brown, or dark brown but over time they become lighter and turn into a more silvery, inconspicuous color. Regardless of any treatment, stretch marks will take time to fade and may never disappear completely.
• SPF. While sun exposure fades most things in life, stretch marks unfortunately are not one of them. When you tan your skin obviously gets darker, however your stretch marks tend to actually stay the same color -  becoming more and more noticeable with each day at the beach. We aren't advising you to stay out of the sun, but when tanning just be sure to use caution. Applying a sunscreen at least 30 SPF every 1-2 hours will help tremendously.
• Avoid Stress. People tend to think they are alone and they worry too much if they don't reach desired results immediately. Everybody and every skin is different, so do not feel bad if your stretch marks are deeper, more red or fade later. Most women are in the same shoes as you are. Although, there are many factors influencing your skin condition such as genetics and hormone levels. If you choose to use treatments to fade your marks, use it consistently and don't panic if it takes longer to see improvements.
• Use of creams and serums with the right ingredients. All treatments and creams require a consistent use in order to see real results and lighter scars. The younger the marks, the faster you will start to reach improvements. Although, it is very difficult and in some cases impossible to get rid of stretch marks entirely, there are a handful of key ingredients that will help.
• Hyaluronic acid is a substance that is naturally produced by your body. It is already in your skin, connective tissue and eyes. Its main function is to retain water to keep your tissues well lubricated and moist. Using extra amount of hyaluronic acid can possibly help treat burns, bed sores, wounds, and skin ulcers when applied topically.
• Tretinoin is a retinoid (Vitamin A derivative), which may also make early stretch marks less noticeable. 
• Finally, RecoverX is known to promote healthy connective tissue growth. Its hygroscopic formula features a unique micro-silica (Si) compound that promotes an increase of orthosilicic acid, helping to treat stretch marks and other types of scarred tissue.

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, check with your doctor before using treatments on your stretch marks. Some products contain ingredients, such as retinol, that can be harmful.

The most important note on the topic of stretch marks is that they are amazing proofs of what your body has gone through. Whether you choose to embrace your stretch marks or fade them out, the decision is yours and your skin is beautiful any way you present it.