Stretch Marks

The owefull word that most woman fear, the lovely stretch marks. They happen to the most of us and what makes it so dreadfull is the fact that it stays there for everyone to see. I have found that there is  no cure for strech marks only prevention. But unfortunatly tehy appear without warning anf we have to live with the marks for life.

Here are some helpfull tips on how to make the marks lighter. I found this on All4woman.co.za.

Stretch marks are caused when skin changes shape too quickly - mostly during weight gain, weight loss, or pregnancy. This sudden change causes a tear in the middle layer of your skin, the dermis. The collagen and elastin fibres in the dermis rupture, and you end up with 'underground' stretch mark scars that look like stripes on the affected area. The sooner you treat them, the better your chances of removing them will be. However, even if you've had your stretch marks for years, it doesn’t mean you're out of options.

Start early to treat stretch marks. Once they pass the initial stage (when they are red, purple, pink, or brown) and become white or silver, it's far more difficult to minimize them.

Massage the stretch mark area three or four times a day with moisturizers that contain cocoa butter as a prime ingredient. This hydrates the skin, making it more pliant.

Apply a natural self-tanner. This will help minimize the appearance of stretch marks. Exfoliate beforehand for best results.

Educate yourself about topical treatments for stretch marks. Many are advertised to "repair" stretch marks, but few have actually been proven to be effective. Here's the scoop on what's available:

• Wheat germ oil - may help improve stretch marks in their early phase.
• Glycolic acid - increases collagen production.
• Vitamin C - certain formulations might increase collagen production.
• Relastin - the effectiveness of this product in treating stretch marks is unknown and unverified.
• Peptide-containing products - these "repair" creams are ineffective.
• Retinoids - they're fairly effective in increasing collagen and elastic production in the early stages, but they should be avoided if you're pregnant or nursing.
• Topical tretinoin can lighten stretch marks and reduce their size if applied in the earlier stages.
• Consider laser treatment. It's used to treat both red/purple and white stretch marks, and generally it works by promoting the formation of collagen. It can be expensive, with limited effectiveness.
• Vascular lasers - won't remove superficial skin, but are effective against redness by treating blood vessels.
• Fractionated laser - minimizes older, more entrenched stretch marks.
• Pulsed dye laser therapy - "remodels" the underlying layers of skin and triggers the production of collagen and elastin.
• Fractional photothermolysis also targets the underlying layers of skin.
• The excimer laser triggers melanin production so that stretch marks take on the same colour as the surrounding skin.

Furthermore

• Stretch mark removal is usually not covered by insurance because it's a cosmetic procedure.
• Other alternative therapies do exist (castor or olive oil, seaweed wraps, or combinations of botanicals, vitamins and fruit acids) but have not been proven effective.
• Surgical procedures that involve the removal of skin (e.g. a tummy tuck) can result in the removal of stretch marks.
• Without surgical procedures, it is virtually impossible to fully remove stretch marks, as they are actually tears/scars in the dermis (middle layer) of skin and the stretch marks are the results of the healing.
• When attempting to reduce the appearance of stretchmarks, always try first to use pure natural ingredients, free of harmful chemicals. Some of the key ingredients often used in natural solutions are: vitamin E, emu oil, glycolic acid, aloe vera, grape seed oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter.

Remember to

• Check carefully with your health practitioner when applying any of the above procedures - especially if you are breast-feeding or pregnant.
• Research the internet, and remember that most treatments are partially effective, at best. Keep your expectations realistic.