What Helps Against Stretch Marks On The Skin?

Stretch marks are not only caused by pregnancy. Rapid weight gain can also promote the development.

Stretch marks on the skin are viewed as unsightly blemishes, but are completely harmless to health. These streaks, for which some creams are offered in stores, appear especially after weight gain or pregnancy. But what really helps?

How do such skin stretch marks arise?

Contrary to popular belief, stretch marks on the skin do not only develop in women during pregnancy, men can also develop stretch marks. These strips are still popularly called “stretch marks”, although they usually have nothing to do with pregnancy.

They always arise in the same way: By stretching, the connective tissue of the skin is stressed too much and the collagen fibers tear. They then shimmer reddish, blue or purple, which is due to the blood vessels shimmering through. This damage to the subcutaneous tissue is irreparable. Although they heal, they then remain visible as visible scar tissue as lighter strips of skin.

What promotes the creation?

The root cause of any kind of such stretch marks  of the skin is always a weak connective tissue. In addition, there is weight gain from an unhealthy diet, medication, or pregnancy that causes the skin to stretch.

During pregnancy there is also the fact that the elasticity of the skin is reduced due to the hormonal changes and an existing weakness of the connective tissue is made worse. Other causes of stretch marks include:

Sports

Exercise can cause stretch marks for two reasons: on the one hand, because rapid muscle growth (for example in bodybuilding) always goes hand in hand with stretching the skin and, on the other hand, because the female breast is exposed to tensile loads when jumping if a sports bra is not worn .

Women with medium to large breasts should therefore make sure that they always wear a well-fitting and effectively supportive sports bra when exercising!

Obesity

Strong weight gain also leads to disproportionate stretching of the skin tissue. The stretch marks occur particularly in the thighs, abdomen and hips. Stretch marks can appear in women of all ages without pregnancy and also in men.

People who have weak connective tissue and who also have cellulite, for example, are particularly susceptible to such stretch marks due to being overweight.

Medication

Some medications cause water retention (such as cortisone) and thus temporary weight gain, often with stretch marks of the skin Is “acknowledged”. Some hormonal supplements can also cause streaks by either causing weight gain or connective tissue weakness – or both.

How can you prevent the streak?

It is difficult to give a general recommendation because, as already mentioned, the causes of stretch marks are diverse. But we can give you the following advice:

Avoid being overweight

The simplest answer for anyone who doesn’t want to get pregnant: keep your own body weight constant! Since overweight is also responsible for a large number of secondary diseases and health risks, you should not only pay attention to a healthy diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and little fat for visual reasons.

Women who are pregnant can only prevent stretch marks to a certain extent. Statistically, every second woman gets stretch marks during her pregnancy. Pregnant women should always take care not to put on excess weight during pregnancy. This has more than just visual advantages for the mother-to-be and the unborn child!

Strengthen connective tissue

Connective tissue is made up of collagen fibers. The more solidly these structures are built, the less likely the chance of getting stretch marks of the skin arise. The collagen fibers need certain nutrients and vitamins to be built up well: Vitamin C is one of them. For the sake of your figure and your love handles, you should pay attention to a lot of fruit and vegetables in your daily diet anyway. Your connective tissue is also happy about it!

Move

It doesn’t have to be competitive sport to tighten your connective tissue, but chips on the sofa haven’t prevented stretch marks! Try to incorporate more exercise into your everyday life. No extreme sports, no club sports, just do it on the way to work!

Even if you’re not thinking about sports, you can still do sports: How about squats in front of the sink while brushing your teeth? Park the car further away from home or work? Impose an elevator ban? Inflate the bike again? It doesn’t have to be a sports studio, you don’t need expensive sports equipment: it is only important that the blood circulation is stimulated through movement and that the connective tissue is tightened as a result.

Skin care

You now know that stretch marks are tears in connective tissue. However, no body lotion or special cream penetrates into the connective tissue. Now that you know what stretch marks are and how they arise: do you still believe in creams that tighten connective tissue by rubbing them in?

Skin care is important, especially during pregnancy, to keep the skin elastic; you don’t need expensive special creams against stretch marks. It is sufficient to give the connective tissue a better blood supply and thus strengthen it with a light massage. And that also works with your everyday body lotion!