Stretch marks or, scientifically, striae - troublemany, many women. These unsightly stripes of purple or red color can spoil the impression of even the most beautiful figure. Yes, of course, over time they change their intense color and fade... But it doesn't get any better - after all, it's worth sunbathing a little and they appear "in all their glory". How to get rid of stretch marks and is it possible to do it? Let's figure it out. But first, you need to understand why striae appear in the first place.
Scientific reasons
What are stretch marks?Strictly speaking, these are small scars that appear at the site of micro-tears in the skin. But why does the skin suddenly start to tear? There are several reasons. To generalize, we can say that striae are formed when the skin is forced to stretch very quickly. So quickly that the epithelium simply does not have time to grow at the required speed. So it turns out that the skin simply bursts. A terrible picture, right? However, the situations that lead to this effect are quite banal and natural. One of the most common causes of stretch marks is pregnancy. This is understandable - the belly begins to grow at a fairly high speed and the skin simply does not have time to "adjust" to these changes. The same applies to the chest, which during pregnancy and lactation, as a rule, increases by several sizes. Another common reason for the appearance of stretch marks is a significant change in body weight. If you suddenly gain weight sharply, the skin on the stomach, thighs and buttocks simply cannot withstand this and begins to tear. The most annoying thing is that even if you manage to get your figure back to normal and lose weight, stretch marks will become even more noticeable. Stretch marks themselves are not dangerous to health and do not cause any inconvenience. They are just a cosmetic defect. However, if you have acquired this “decoration” not as a result of pregnancy and weight fluctuations, then it is better to “just in case” visit an endocrinologist. Stretch marks can signal some kind of failure in the endocrine system and hormonal imbalance. Excess hormones can lead to thinning of the skin and, as a result, the appearance of micro-tears in the connective tissue. It is better to check everything. It is generally accepted that stretch marks are a female “misfortune”. This is not entirely true. Sometimes they occur in men too. For example, if a person actively builds muscle mass and is involved in strength sports.
Causes esoteric
However, regarding the reasons for the appearance of stretch marksThere is another opinion. Perhaps one of the most ardent supporters of the esoteric origin of stretch marks is the Canadian psychologist, philosopher and teacher Liz Burbo. She claims that by studying your body you can learn a lot about yourself mentally, spiritually and emotionally. Liz draws attention to the fact that not all women who have given birth have striae on their bodies. Moreover, they appear in different places - for some only on the chest, for others - on the stomach, and for others almost everywhere. What is the reason? Of course, you can blame it on heredity. And think that if your grandmother and mother had this problem, then you cannot avoid this fate - these are simply your individual characteristics. However, Liz looks at the problem much deeper. So, why do stretch marks appear and what can they tell us? According to Liz, the appearance of stretch marks indicates a lack of flexibility and a person's unwillingness to accept the current situation. Moreover, the place where stretch marks appear indicates a problem area in your life. For example, stretch marks on your chest indicate that you are very worried about your upcoming and new role as a mother. You are simply not sure that you can handle it. Stretch marks on your stomach are a sign that you are overcome by various fears. This could be fear for yourself, for your child, for an uncertain future. Stretch marks on your thighs indicate that you take yourself and your role in life too seriously. The feeling of your own importance is very important to you and it is absolutely necessary for others to respect and appreciate you. You are too thorough and are not always able to enjoy life and get pleasure from it. Stretch marks on your buttocks indicate that you try to keep everything under your control, are inclined to boss others around you and always clearly know who should do what and at what moment. An interesting point of view, isn't it? Of course, whether to believe it or not is up to you. But maybe you should take a closer look at these small scars on your body and try to draw conclusions? One way or another, we have sorted out the reasons that lead to this problem. So, we can move on to the most important thing - how to get rid of stretch marks.
People's ways to deal with stretch marks
It is necessary to stipulate right away that it is necessary to remove it quicklystretch marks most likely will not work - getting rid of it will not be easy. After all, stretch marks, as we already understood, are small scars that appear as a result of skin ruptures. And removing such marks from the body is a very difficult task. It is quite possible that solving this problem will take several months - and this is with daily care! In addition, you need to clearly understand that it is quite possible that it will not be possible to completely eliminate stretch marks. This is especially true for old stretch marks. However, do not be upset! After all, it is quite possible to make this minor cosmetic defect almost invisible and stop ruining your life. Where to start? Let's first consider folk methods of getting rid of stretch marks. That is, those that you can easily try at home, having made all the necessary cosmetic products yourself. By the way, when applying any of the products - be it a scrub, mask or cream - you must thoroughly massage the problem areas. It is best to do this after a bath or sauna. This massage will stimulate the blood flow to the skin surface and, as a result, strengthen the skin tissue. How should you do self-massage? Yes, very easy! Rub all the products along the stretch marks using the pinching technique. Pinching can be done with the whole palm or with your fingers. The duration of the procedure is at least five minutes. And when treating old stretch marks - until they turn red. However, it is worth considering that such a massage is strictly prohibited on the chest! And, in general, the main thing is not to overdo it. The procedure should not cause pain or discomfort. We figured out the application method. Now - about the products themselves. Coffee scrub Scrub is an absolutely irreplaceable remedy for fighting stretch marks. Under its action, old cells exfoliate and the skin is renewed. Making a scrub at home is not at all difficult. Judge for yourself. For example, a coffee scrub. Coffee bean grains will promote skin renewal, and cream will nourish it and restore the lack of collagen. To prepare, you will need:
- cream
- freshly ground coffee
Brew freshly ground coffee in a Turk andenjoy drinking it - you will only need coffee grounds. Mix the grounds with cream in a 1:1 ratio. Did it work? Now go to the shower - the scrub should be applied to well-cleansed and damp skin. Take the resulting gruel and thoroughly massage all problem areas. Leave the composition on the skin for at least 6-8 minutes. Then rinse with warm water. You can repeat the procedure twice a week. Rice scrub Another scrub option is considered no less effective. To prepare it, you will need:
- half a glass of rice
- 4 tablespoons of cottage cheese
- one spoonful of olive oil
Place the rice in a coffee grinder and grind it.Add olive oil and cottage cheese. Mix everything thoroughly - you should get a homogeneous mass. Apply to problem areas and gently massage in a circular motion. The massage should last at least 10 minutes. Rinse everything off with warm water. Regular use of this product will make the skin soft and velvety, and stretch marks - much less noticeable. Lemon scrub You will need:
- almond oil
- lemon
- natural yoghurt
Take a lemon, wash it and grate its peelfine grater - zest is required for the mask. Add one large spoon of almond oil to the resulting zest. Pour in 150 grams of natural yogurt. Mix thoroughly. Apply to stretch marks and massage. Rinse with cool water. This scrub should be used twice a week for at least a month. Sweet and salty peeling You will need:
- half a glass of sugar
- half a glass of salt
- 5 spoons of olive oil
Take a deep bowl and pour in one by onesugar and salt. Add olive oil and mix well. Apply the resulting mass to the skin and massage for five minutes. Just do not overdo it - the massage must be done very carefully and gently. Otherwise, you can damage the skin. Rinse everything off with warm water and shower gel. Be sure to apply a moisturizing or nourishing cream. Tangerine scrub This miracle remedy is also very easy to prepare at home. All you need is half a medium-sized raw carrot, tangerine peel and four large spoons of olive oil. Grate the tangerine zest and carrot on a fine grater. Add olive oil. Stir. Apply the resulting mass to the body and massage for 8-10 minutes. Rinse off with warm water using shower gel. If you have extra scrub left, you can put it in a clean container and store it in the refrigerator - the shelf life is 3-4 days. Egg mask In addition to scrubs and peels that help the skin renew itself, it is recommended to use various masks and creams. For example, an egg mask. It is easy to make at home. This mask perfectly moisturizes and nourishes the skin. If you use it regularly, you can prevent the appearance of new stretch marks, as well as noticeably reduce and make old ones almost invisible. All you need to prepare it are chicken eggs. The number of eggs directly depends on how large an area of skin needs correction. Separate the yolks from the whites. Beat the whites thoroughly, apply this mass to the skin in a thin layer and let it dry. Keep the mask for 40-45 minutes. Then rinse everything with warm water and apply lotion or cream. Yeast mask This mask is considered very effective. But do not expect miracles - in order for the first results to appear, you will have to do it twice a week, for quite a long time. You will need:
- bunch of yeast
- honey
- cream
Measure out 1/2 cup of cream and warm it slightly.Dissolve yeast in them. Add a large spoon of honey. Let the resulting mass sit for half an hour. Carefully apply to stretch marks and wrap with cling film. However, you can also use polyethylene. It is recommended to keep the mask on for an hour. After that, you can wash it off with warm water. Cream with mumiyo Mumiyo has a beneficial effect on the skin and promotes rapid healing of tears. Thanks to this, stretch marks are reduced and become invisible. It is not difficult to prepare such a cream. You will need baby cream - however, you can replace it with your regular body cream - and three mumiyo tablets. Take a tube of baby cream and carefully squeeze it into a pre-prepared container. Dilute mumiyo in a teaspoon of boiled warm water and pour it into the container with cream. Stir. This product should be applied daily to dry and well-cleansed skin before bed. No need to wash off. Breast Oil This product can be used both as a preventative and as a therapeutic one. The only difference is the frequency of application. If there are no stretch marks yet, it will be enough to apply it only once a week. If they have already appeared, you need to use the oil every other day. To prepare one serving, you will need:
- three drops of orange oil
- three drops of geranium oil
- one large spoon of sweet almond oil
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and gently and very carefully, using soft massage movements, rub into the chest.
Modern cosmetology in the fight against stretch marks
Of course, modern cosmetology is not the same eitherbypassed this problem. There are several ways to get rid of stretch marks or, at least, make them almost invisible. Let's look at some of them. However, before deciding on this or that procedure, you must consult with your doctor - almost all of them have contraindications. Peeling Perhaps the first thing that will offer you is peeling. What types are there and how to get rid of stretch marks with its help? Essentially, it is exfoliation of the upper skin cells. As a result of the procedure, elastin and collagen begin to be actively produced, and the skin surface is significantly smoothed out. The deeper the peeling, the faster the renewal will take place. According to the degree of impact on the skin tissue, peeling can be divided into median and superficial. Superficial peeling is a mechanical effect on the skin. A special device releases a stream of air with sand. Due to this, the skin is polished. True, this method, unfortunately, is not suitable for completely getting rid of stretch marks. But making the skin smooth and visually smoothing out its defects is quite possible.
- Chemical - medium - peelinginvolves applying certain preparations that penetrate deep into the skin. Typically, these are phenolic, trichloroacetic or alpha-hydroxy acids. This procedure is usually performed under general anesthesia. And this, of course, is not very good for health. In addition, peeling often results in scars on the skin. People suffering from cardiovascular diseases are not recommended to do peeling with phenolic acid.
- Laser peelingA method using laserbeam is considered more modern. And with its help, as a rule, you can almost completely get rid of even old stretch marks. True, preparation for the procedure and postoperative skin restoration will take quite a long time. Cosmetologists recommend starting to prepare two months before the session. During this time, you will need to nourish the skin daily, using special creams with vitamin C. The procedure is very painful, so it is carried out with anesthesia. If striae are located on a small area of the skin, you can get by with local anesthesia, if the surface is large - you will have to agree to anesthesia.
Immediately after laser peeling the skin will belook very unattractive. Swelling and bright red color will create the complete impression of a burn. For two weeks, you will need to apply protective ointments and special bandages to the damaged areas. Then - use absorbable and moisturizing cosmetics. The first three months after peeling, tanning will be absolutely contraindicated for the renewed skin. Therefore, it is recommended to schedule the procedure for winter or autumn. You will be able to enjoy the effect in three to four months. Mesotherapy This is microinjections of a special cocktail that is injected under the skin. As a rule, it consists of collagen, amino acids, plant extracts, enzymes and vitamins. The exact recipe is determined individually. Mesotherapy is usually prescribed to enhance the effect of peeling. Depending on your age and the number of stretch marks, you may need from five to fifteen procedures, with a frequency of once every 10 days. Mesotherapy also has a number of contraindications. For example, gallstone disease. Algae wraps Algae can also be very helpful in the fight against stretch marks. How to get rid of stretch marks with their help? Yes, it's very simple - do wraps! Spirulina wraps are considered the most effective. Algae are applied to the affected areas, and then covered with a thermal blanket. Under the influence of high temperature, the active substances quickly penetrate the skin. After 7-12 procedures, you can get rid of recently appeared stretch marks and significantly smooth out old ones. Abdominoplasty This is the most radical and most effective way to get rid of stretch marks. The surgeon will simply remove the stretched skin. However, like any surgical intervention, abdominoplasty can lead to complications. For example, suppuration or new scars may form. As you can see, getting rid of stretch marks is not an easy task. However, it is quite feasible. Especially if you have not "neglected" your body too much. After all, it is much easier to eliminate fresh stretch marks while they are still red or purple than old ones. You just need to choose the method that suits you. And, of course, you need to be patient. If you do not do the procedures regularly, the desired effect will not be achieved. Just find some time for yourself and you will definitely succeed! We recommend reading:
