Tips for Getting Rid of Stretch Marks
Believe it or not, getting rid of stretch marks is not completely impossible. Many people are embarrassed and self-conscious about their stretch marks, and not just pregnant women or those who have given birth. The majority of the population today is overweight and with excessive body weight comes stretch marks for both men and women. As a matter of fact, sometimes body builders even get stretch marks! So it's no wonder that many people are curious about the subject of how to get rid of stretch marks on various parts of their body.
The first step in removing stretch marks is understanding how they occur. Not everyone that gains weight actually gets stretch marks. They're caused when there is damage to the elastin of the skin. Elastin is the substance that causes the skin to bounce back into shape after it's been stretched. Every movement we make from blinking to talking, gripping with the fingers, and walking all stretch the skin. Normal skin produces and repairs elastin on a continuous basis but sometimes it gets damaged due to the skin being stretched too far or being held in that position for too long. So when getting rid of stretch marks you need to address that damage to the elastin of the skin. Trying other remedies that address other problems is of course going to be pointless, like taking aspirin for a cut on your hand. You need to address what's causing your problem to fix it properly, and this is true when getting rid of stretch marks.
So how do you repair the elastin in the skin? Typically the body has its own processes in place to do this but you need to support those processes for them to function properly. Part of getting rid of stretch marks will mean keeping the skin hydrated and moisturized properly so that this process can continue. While adding moisture to the outside is important it's also important to moisturize from the inside out. This means drinking plenty of water and eating fruits and vegetables. These foods are made up of mostly water and this will help to keep the skin hydrated as well; this is part of getting rid of stretch marks. You can also use an exfoliating agent or seek a procedure like microdermabrasion to help with getting rid of stretch marks; a skin exfoliating agent or procedure will gently remove the outermost layer of skin meaning dead skin cells and other impurities. This will help to reveal the healthy layers of skin underneath. It can also cut down on the appearance of scars and damaged skin such as those stretch marks.
Your doctor can also help you with getting rid of stretch marks. There are many topical treatments and cosmetic procedures such as laser stretch mark removal such that your doctor can recommend for you and most patients report great success with these treatments. So while stretch marks may be unsightly and even downright ugly, they don't need to be permanent. You can address them and at least reduce their appearance.