While some women might feel self-conscious about their ‘tiger stripes’ it’s important to remember that there is absolutely nothing wrong with having stretch marks.
Stretch marks are a reality for between 50 and 90 per cent of people on the planet according to research from the University of Michigan. While they most commonly appear on the abdomen (from pregnancy or weight gain) other common areas include the thighs, hips, bum and arms.
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With hundreds of different oils, creams and treatments available to get rid of stretch marks – you might be wondering, do they actually work?
What Causes Stretch Marks?
To understand what causes stretch marks you need to consider that your skin is made of up of several layers. The top layer is called the epidermis and the dermis lies beneath that. Your dermis is what determines your skin’s elasticity and where your body stores and produces collagen.
Stretch marks are tiny tears in your collagen bundles which occur during periods of rapid growth. The common thinking here is that when the skin returns to its natural growth rate it can appear to be wrinkled and loose because “it’s not supported by the same collagen structure underneath,” dermatologist Dr Akhavan explains to Cosmopolitan.
How To Get Rid Of Stretch Marks?
Dermatologists agree that almost impossible to 100 per cent get rid of them however you can build up the collagen and reduce their appearance with a body serum containing retinol. Try, Paula’s Choice Resist Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment.
As well as 0.1% retinol, this smoothing body cream also contains skin softening shea butter and soothing evening primrose oil to leave dry limbs suppler and better hydrated
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How To Prevent Stretch Marks?
There are many rich body oils designed to strengthen the skin and boost elasticity. Look for a formula with vitamin E like Weleda Stretch Mark Massage Oil.
Miranda Kerr opened up about how she avoided stretch marks during her pregnancy, explaining: “I used the Noni Glow Body Oil throughout my pregnancy, and I didn’t get one stretch mark, even though I had a 10-pound baby,” she tells W Magazine. “If you use it religiously morning and night, it really helps prevent stretch marks. It also helps minimise the appearance of stretch marks you may already have.”
Can stretch marks be treated with laser and needling?
Laser treatments and skin needling are two methods that can reduce the appearance of stretch marks by up to 70 per cent.
Face Plus Medi Spa in Sydney explains skin needling as: “topically stimulating the skin via gentle surface needling; this process creates tiny vertical penetrations in the skin which then acts as channels for deeper infusion of hydrating and skin stimulating ingredients.”
Laser treatments use high-powered light and radio frequencies designed to penetrate the epidermis, reach the dermis and boost collagen. So while these expensive treatments might minimize the surface-level appearance of stretch marks you can only repair the scar tissue to some degree.
RELATED: The Natural Product Miranda Kerr Uses To Avoid Stretch Marks
It’s important to remember to love the skin you’re in. We might all have different body shapes yet, stretch marks are one of the things that we all have in common. In a beautiful way, they unite us.
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