Stretch marks are very common on a person’s body that could be present there for a number of mostly harmless reasons. They may look different on everyone and can be found in different parts of the body like thighs, breast, butt, belly, arms, or chest area. They can look like long spots in the hues of white, red, blue, light pink or purple, or even a lighter version of your skin shade or undertones. They can also be identified by the way they feel as the skin feels different, more elastic or uneven, than the rest of your skin.
These unique and intriguing stripes can be caused by a multitude of reasons. Any changes in the body, like losing or gaining weight, any form of physical growth in the region, development of breasts, and pregnancy, can be attributed to getting stretch marks. Biological factors like your inherent hormones and genetics can also be one of the underlying causes of getting stretch marks. Stretch marks may gradually lose some of their visual impact. Like your stretch marks on knees can go from vibrant to faded with time.
Why I Get Muscle Stretch Marks When Losing Weight?
Both before and after weight loss Stretch marks are frequently seen. This is usually in the areas where the process of weight loss has occurred. A possible explanation for this could be that when you were bulk, your skin used to be stretched, but it was not obvious. But when you shed pounds quickly, the extra skin that is left behind can lead to you getting stretch marks in the area where you lost the weight.
A similar thing happens in post pregnancy scenarios when mothers try to get their old figure back after giving birth. Even though their hard work rids them of the weight they put on during pregnancy, the skin had already been stretched and remains even after losing the weight, manifesting itself in the form of stretch marks. General consensus in scientific research shows women in general are more prone to getting stretch marks than men. In compliance to this, majority of women get stretch marks as a souvenir of their pregnancy journey, with a very few bracket being the exception due to their lucky genes.
Preventing Stretch Marks When I Lose Weight?
How do you get rid of stretch marks? There are various methods that can be used to reduce the occurrence and growth of stretch marks. The main key to prevent stretch marks before and after weight loss is to plan weight loss journey gradually in a way that not aiming for short term changes. To be more clear, you should be more aware of the amount of weight you are losing In a week. Striving to lose one percent of your total body weight in one week is adequate if you want to steer clear of stretch marks. Along with that, it should be kept in mind that this regular exercise must be paired up with a healthy skin so that it does not permanently lose its elasticity when you lose weight. Keeping yourself thoroughly hydrated is the way to achieve that.
Preventing Stretch Marks When I Gain Weight?
It has been well established that gaining weight is one of the main factors that gives way to stretch marks because of the stretching of skin and bearing the impact of wear and tear in the affected regions. There are many things at play when you get stretch marks from gaining weight. For instance, gaining weight is not always necessarily from an unhealthy or lazy lifestyle. Stretch marks are the result of scarring when our bodies’ tissue and collagen undergo any form of detrimental change. This breaking or tearing of internal layers of skin not only happen in weight gain, but also when our bodies develop due to puberty, or when a woman gets pregnant.
While most of these processes are out of our control, the smart way of coping would be to accept and embrace these imprints on our bodies. But if one still wants to have a go at it, they can avoid irritating their skin or causing too much stress on It during these times of vulnerability for the skin when it is more likely to formulate stretch marks. A simple tip could be to not scratch or vigorously pick at your skin when it is itchy during the processes mentioned above. Other than that, some people also complain about having stretch marks after they take some sort of steroids, so be wary of their use if stretch marks are a bother to you.
Eating Nutritional Basics
With taking all these points into consideration, it all comes down to the health and zeal of your skin at the end of the day. Skin that is healthy will be less affected by scarring and would give a more radiant and tight look in all regions of the body. Fortunately, getting that flawless look for your skin does not come at a great cost. All you have to do is to make sure you maintain a balanced diet rich in nutrients like protein, minerals like zinc, and vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin D, and Vitamin E. The requirement for these components could be met by taking healthy foods or supplements.
To be more precise, scientific research has shown a correlation between low amounts of vitamin D and occurrences of stretch marks in women’s bodies. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that vitamin D is readily available to your body in order to cause fewer stretch marks. Vitamin D is very well-sourced from sunlight. there is also an abundance of other natural options for getting vitamin D through foods such as dairy products (like cheese or eggs), white meat (fish), green vegetables (broccoli), or products made from soy.
Treatment for Stretch Marks Before and after Weight Loss
- Spot Treatments: application of retinoid medicine can stop your stretch marks from developing when they begin to form, although they cannot erase already formed ones. you may also check in with your physician before the usage of tis medication in order to find out any possible side effects. More natural alternatives could be cocoa butter, olive oil or bio oil. Applying a chemical agent such as hyaluronic acid on the affected region may also be helpful.
- Cosmetic or other artificial procedures: to prevent new stretch marks from progressing further from their red and raw form, you could opt for laser therapy. Laser therapy speeds up the production of collagen in body. Abdominoplasty is procedure where you go under the needle and get excess skin surgically removed from the body. However, this type of plastic surgery could come with many treats to health. A relatively less invasive treatment could be microneedling therapy as it will boost the concentration of collagen and elastin, giving your skin a suppler look.
Conclusion
An evident insecurity among many people, especially women, originates from the questions like ‘Are stretch marks permanent?’ Are stretch marks ugly? Yes stretch marks may remain permanently on your muscles but not ugly. This is completely untrue and can be really detrimental to your self-esteem. Stretch marks are the imprints on our body that remind us of what our bodies have been through, and how they still kept us going. They are signs of beauty and evolution, instead of flaws as they make us unique in our own way.
Faqs
Why Do Stretch Marks Itch When Losing Weight?
When you lose weight tries to adapt with the change. While it is healing, itching is one of the sensations experienced in the areas where your skin is recovering from the change.
Why Are My Previous Stretch Marks Reversing Colour to Red?
Redness in stretch marks is a sign that your skin might be expanding again. This could happen because of gaining weight again in that area, pregnancy, gaining muscle, or breast augmentation.
Can Micro Needling Help with Stretch Marks?
Yes, there are chances it could assist in reducing the appearance of stretch marks on your body, or if you’re lucky enough, make them go away at all.
