How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks

Or Prevent Them From the Start!

Stretch marks. What are they and most importantly how does one avoid getting them? If you are pregnant for the first time, or you are a veteran at caring a child, you can still be concerned about how your skin will look when this whole process is through.

We will explain how stretch marks form, what you can do to prevent them and some of the specialty moisturizers you can use to get rid of stretch marks or prevent them all together. If you already have stretch marks, consider jumping to our “how to get rid of stretch marks”

First in order to really understand how to prevent and get rid of stretch marks we need to fully understand what they are and how we get them.

What are stretch marks?

Stretch marks are the scaring that is left when your skin stretches.  The dermis, or middle layer has fibers that can break.  Pregnancy is the most common time for stretch marks to occur in most women’s lives because your belly will stretch the skin a great deal in a short amount of time.  At first stretch marks will appear as red lines on the skin, but will fade to a light even white color on the skin.

Preventing Stretch Marks During Pregnancy

Here are a few tips you can follow to help prevent stretch marks as you grow your belly (and shrink it back down!)

It is all about allowing your skin to be elastic. This is what will keep the fibers from breaking as the skin stretches to fit that beautiful belly of yours.

Stay Hydrated

Drink a LOT of water.  Stay hydrated!  Remember “pinch the skin on the top of your hand, if it stays “up” then your dehydrated” trick? This is a perfect example as to the effects that water has on your skin.  Keeping hydrated will allow your skin to stretch in a healthy fashion.

Massage the Skin

Massage the area that is stretching (this means your belly, especially the sides).  Using a warm washcloth you can massage the skin while your bath.  This is also a good time to relax, which you should be doing as much as possible.  This will mostly increase the circulation to that part of your dermis and allow your body to take over the repair of the skin.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a core support for skin health.  Taking it orally can help your skin repair any damages.  This also works great for burns and other kinds of scaring that the skin can sustain.  Interestingly enough, Vitamin E is naturally occurring on the skin, so rubbing it in (or taking it orally) is simply adding to the natural occurrence.

Eat a Balanced Diet

Your diet is VERY important, not just for you, but also for the little one on the way.  Luckily, by eating healthy you can prepare yourself to withstand the stretching that will soon occur.  A diet full of veggies (especially raw/steamed leafy greens) can help your skins over all health.  So next time you pass the spinach, consider how popeye managed the avoid stretch marks with all that body building.

Moisturize Your Skin

Be liberal with this one.  Moisturize the skin on a daily (even more frequent) basis.  There are many specialty creams out there than you can use to help guard you against damaging your skin.  The technology that goes into these creams is amazing.  Many are loaded with vitamins and minerals that fortify the skin and body.  Nutrients are absorbed in the skin and can enter the entire system.  Powerful creams are a great way to medicate.

When picking a proper cream to use, you should consider the goals.  If all you want to do is moisturizer, then many over the counter solutions should be fine (including coconut butter).  But if you want to use a more powerful solution meant specifically for preventing and getting rid of stretch marks than a number of creams are available.

How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks

If you already have stretch marks then your options are limited.  At this point you are dealing with damage control and trying to repair already broken fibers in your dermis.  Luckily you have a few different options, all of which are valid.

Good Diet and Hydration

These are important factors in getting RID of Stretchmarks, but they won’t be enough by themselves.  Rather consider that it is important your body is as naturally prepared to repair as possible.  This way the remedies you pursue will have a better chance of working.

Vitamin E (there it is again)

This stuff does wonders for the skin, especially when getting rid of unwanted stretchmarks.   Apply it directly to the skin daily and you may notice results in a matter of weeks.  Although this method is not ALWAYS going to work, a bottle of Vitamin E oil should only run you $12 at the local pharmacy.

How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks with Specialty Creams

Now it’s time to bring out the big guns. As we mentioned before, a lot of specialty creams exist that have been tested and developed specifically for stretch marks.  The combination of natural skin enhancement with targeted fiber repairing techniques make these creams and pastes worth looking into.

Some specialty creams can run as much as $100, however it is possible to find special discounts or online trials that will run you significantly less money.

Good luck with your fight against stretch marks. Remember that a healthy diet will go a long way both for this and other aspects of your pregnancy. Eat well, stay hydrated and relax as much as possible.

Blessings!