Although not a dangerous sign, stretch marks still make many people worry and lose confidence. What is the most effective way to prevent and overcome the above condition? All will be introduced fully and in detail in the article below.

What are stretch marks? Symptoms of stretch marks

Stretch marks occur when the epidermal structure in the dermis is broken. Specifically, the links between collagen and elastin are broken, causing excessive skin tension for a long time. In addition, increased cortisol levels also affect the collagen ratio on the skin, creating stretch marks. Stretch marks appear as long, white, and gray streaks that are unsightly. Stretch marks are similar to scars, but do not cause convexity or concavity on the skin surface.

In the early stages, the stretch marks may feel itchy and rough. Over time, this feeling disappears, and the stretch marks gradually sink into the skin. Although they do not affect health, stretch marks can make women lose confidence. Stretch marks can appear on the thighs, buttocks, biceps, chest, shoulders, etc.

What causes stretch marks?

The common cause of stretch marks is the skin being stretched too much for a long time. Stretch marks can be caused by many reasons such as puberty, weight gain, pregnancy, etc.

Stretch marks due to disease: Some diseases can also cause stretch marks. For example, Marfan or Cushing’s disease. These diseases cause a decrease in elasticity in the tissue, causing the skin to stretch and crack, indirectly leading to rupture of the connective tissue under the skin.
Stretch marks appear during pregnancy: During pregnancy, hormone levels increase dramatically, causing the skin structure to change suddenly. Moreover, when pregnant women gain weight, the skin is stretched suddenly, and the appearance of stretch marks is inevitable.
Due to sudden physical changes: When there is a sudden change in the body such as weight, height, it is also the cause of stretch marks. Typically, women and men are obese, suddenly gain weight. Children grow taller, people who practice bodybuilding make their muscles develop rapidly…
In addition, some other causes such as hormonal changes, using corticoid creams for a long time can also cause stretch marks, cracked skin.

8 effective ways to treat long-term and newly formed stretch marks

Many people ask the question, can stretch marks be completely cured? The answer is no, however, if you persevere and regularly perform the treatment you have chosen, these stretch marks will fade. Below are the easiest and most effective ways to treat stretch marks:

Treat stretch marks with pure coconut oil

Coconut oil is extremely effective in treating stretch marks. This is the first name wants to mention if you are looking for a natural treatment. Coconut oil contains a lot of protein, supporting the skin healing process and improving the condition of cracks and expansion of the skin structure. Every day, rub coconut oil on the stretch marks 2-3 times and combine with massage. Do it regularly, over time the stretch marks will fade visibly.

Fade stretch marks with egg whites

Next, you can also use eggs, specifically egg whites. Similarly, this is also a food that contains a lot of protein and vitamin B, helping to brighten the skin, improve skin condition, fade dark spots and stretch marks. Use egg whites to apply evenly on the skin, about 20-30 minutes then rinse with clean water. Do this method regularly 2 times/week, stretch marks will be reduced significantly.

Combine lemon and aloe vera to treat stretch marks

In addition, fresh foods such as lemon and aloe vera are also products that many people trust. Lemon has acid that helps to fade dark spots, treat stretch marks, and even out the skin. Aloe vera has sebum and is rich in vitamins and water, to maintain moisture, increase elasticity, make the skin smooth and fill in stretch marks.

If you use lemon, mix lemon and honey in a 1:1 ratio and apply evenly on the skin. If you use aloe vera, apply aloe vera gel and massage for 10 minutes, leave it for 20 minutes and then rinse with clean water.

Olive oil – Natural skin healing ingredient

When treating stretch marks, you will need ingredients that can heal and nourish the skin from deep within. Olive oil is one of them, thanks to its nature containing large amounts of vitamin E and healthy fats that help speed up the healing process of skin cells.

First, put 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and warm it up. Then, put the olive oil in a small bowl, let it cool, use cotton to absorb the oil and apply it directly to the stretch marks. While applying, gently massage clockwise for 5 minutes

How to use potatoes to treat stretch marks

Potatoes are considered a natural skin lightening ingredient and if used regularly for a long time, they can fade stretch marks on the skin. Moreover, the nutrients in potatoes also help promote cell regeneration while providing moisture, helping the skin to be smooth and supple.

You can cut a few slices of fresh potatoes and gently massage them onto the stretch marks. Wait 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water and then apply moisturizer.

Use stretch mark cream

Skin cream is the fastest and most convenient method for this problem. The skin will be improved by directly affecting the damaged skin area, restoring balance and increasing skin elasticity. However, this method is only most effective in cases where stretch marks have just appeared.

Currently, there are many creams on the market specifically for stretch marks. They can both fade stretch marks, soften and even out skin tone, and maintain moisture, making the skin firmer. When applying, it is necessary to combine massaging the skin for better results.

When choosing a moisturizer, prioritize products with ingredients that provide moisture, soften the skin and increase elasticity for tissues and cells. Using these nutrients regularly helps the skin to be plump, healthy, and stretch marks are also effectively overcome. Some suggested nutrients include vitamins A, B and E, lavender essential oil, tocotrienol, argan, … and some other minerals.

Use prescription drugs

Use prescription drugs and internal treatments. Use drugs that have the effect of restoring balance to the skin structure, supplementing collagen, increasing skin elasticity. In addition, these drugs work from the inside, so they help to even out skin tone and fade stretch marks more quickly.

Applying oral stretch mark medications is a method that brings many benefits. Fast, convenient and easy to use are the reasons why many women choose specific medications for their problem. However, when using drugs, there are many issues you need to pay attention to (dosage, side effects, duration of use, …) Therefore, if you are in this situation, see a specialist for support, examination and prescription!

Stretch mark treatment at beauty salons

This is also a popular way to treat stretch marks. In particular, of all the above methods, this is the method that can completely cure stretch marks, restoring the natural beauty of your skin. With modern equipment and scientific therapies, uneven skin areas can be quickly eliminated.

Stretch mark treatment methods at beauty salons and spas are also quite diverse. These include: laser, ion technology, surgery. Normally, after just one treatment, the condition of patchy skin is significantly improved. However, to do that, you need to choose a reputable and quality beauty salon for yourself.

How to prevent stretch marks

Although not dangerous, stretch marks cause a lot of discomfort for women, making them lose confidence. To prevent this condition, you can refer to some of the suggestions below:

Apply moisturizer regularly

It can be said that moisturizer has long become an indispensable product for everyone, not just women. Using moisturizer regularly helps soften the skin, reduce dryness and stretch marks. At the same time, moisturizer also helps provide water and moisture to the body. Therefore, this is a great nutrient that should be supplemented and used regularly in the process of body care.

Reasonable diet

A reasonable diet is extremely important. Eating a reasonable, healthy diet helps prevent disease and protect health. Maintaining a proper diet will not put the body under pressure.

When eating a reasonable diet, weight and weight gain are best controlled. The indicators in the body are maintained in balance. Therefore, the skin structure and hormones are not affected or affected. Stretch marks are minimized.

We know that weight gain is one of the causes of stretch marks. Therefore, maintaining a stable weight with a reasonable diet is the most effective way to prevent this condition. In addition, when maintaining weight, having a balanced body, you can avoid many dangerous diseases related to obesity such as: fatty blood, high blood pressure…

Body care during puberty/pregnancy

Puberty and pregnancy have the common feature of rapid development. During puberty, the skeletal system develops, height can increase significantly within just one year. Not only that, for women, this is also the time when the buttocks and breasts become fuller. For pregnant women, the abdomen and breasts also become larger and more tense during this period.

Therefore, the above two times need more attention and care for the body to minimize stretch marks. Drinking plenty of water and using nourishing oils for areas prone to stretch marks is the first suggestion. It can be coconut oil, gac oil or vitamins applied to the body. In addition, you should also supplement collagen by drinking or applying it to the body to provide enough nutrients and limit tissue breakage.

Although not dangerous, stretch marks are still a problem that bothers many people. With the above information about stretch marks, hopefully you have the best way to treat and prevent this symptom. Wish you always live happily and healthily every day.