Skin Care Products & Articles

The body’s largest organ is actually the skin. Formed from collagen and elastin, it is like no other due to its ability to stretch. However when it is stretch past it’s limit it can actually tear. These small tears are commonly known as stretch marks.

The skin is susceptible to stretch marks any time there is rapid weight gain. Men do not get them as frequently as women and they are most prominently formed during pregnancy. Nine out of ten pregnant women will get them because the belly is pulled suddenly and is unable to cope.

Pregnancy stretch marks are not at all harmful. Initially, these stretch marks are red or purple in color but with time these lines fade and turn into white lines, whether treated or not. Pregnancy stretch marks could be very ugly and many pregnant women are detest these marks, which spoil the look of their belly.

As always, prevention is the best medicine, so if you are pregnancy you should try to prevent stretch marks from forming in the first place. A healthy diet and exercise will slow down the weight gain which helps to avoid stretch marks. Keeping your skin moisturized will make a big difference as well.

When it comes to treating them there are a few options. The effectiveness varies from treatment to treatment and there are no guarantees that they will be eliminated completely. Some choose herbal treatments of daily massage with cocoa butter, olive oil or wheat germ oil.

The stretch mark creams that have been touted on all the daytime talk shows are another option for dealing with stretch marks once you have them. They are not all the same and some cost more than others. They work by replenishing your skin with missing proteins and nutrients so that it can more effectively heal itself. You can also explore laser surgery with your doctor.

Stretch marks are sort of a badge of honor in being a mother, and even though they are well worth the end result of having a child, they can be discouraging to many women to look at. Although you want them to disappear, you can’t just wave a magic wand and hope they go away, but you can do something about them. Feeling ashamed or self conscious about these stretch marks is not good for your self-image or for your self esteem.

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