{"id":3202,"date":"2018-08-07T12:48:04","date_gmt":"2018-08-07T17:48:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/?p=3202"},"modified":"2018-08-07T12:57:04","modified_gmt":"2018-08-07T17:57:04","slug":"prevent-reduce-stretch-marks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/prevent-reduce-stretch-marks","title":{"rendered":"Can You Really Prevent or Reduce the Appearance of Stretch Marks?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Can<\/a><\/p>\n

Google \u201ccelebrity stretch marks\u201d or search for #LoveYourLines on Instagram, and you\u2019ll find that stretch marks can happen to anyone. The long, narrow streaks, stripes, or lines occur when the collagen and elastic tissue in the skin is damaged<\/a> from stretching quickly, such as during puberty, pregnancy, or during rapid weight gain. Rapid weight loss<\/a> can also cause stretch marks if excess skin pulls on healthy skin. Stretch marks are more common in women than men and frequently occur on the stomach, thighs, hips, breasts, upper arms, and lower back. They\u2019re typically red or purple at first and later fade to pale white.<\/p>\n

Stretch marks are not dangerous, and you can embrace them just the way they are. For some women, stretch marks are a reminder of growing another human being. But if you\u2019d rather prevent them or reduce their appearance, there\u2019s nothing wrong with that either. Let\u2019s dig into the research on who\u2019s most likely to get stretch marks and the best ways to avoid getting them or how to minimize their appearance.<\/p>\n

Risk Factors<\/h3>\n

Stretch marks occur in as many as 70 percent<\/a> of girls in puberty and somewhere between 50 to 90 percent<\/a> of pregnant women. Up to 40 percent<\/a> of men may get them as well, although it\u2019s difficult to tell exactly how many.<\/p>\n

During pregnancy, stretch marks are more likely to occur in younger mothers, perhaps because they have firmer, tighter skin. In one study<\/a> of 800 pregnant women, 84 percent of teen moms got stretch marks compared to 24 percent of moms older than 30. Furthermore, 20 percent<\/a> of teens got severe stretch marks that weren\u2019t seen in mothers older than 30.<\/p>\n

Stretch marks are also more common in mothers<\/a> who have a higher body mass index before pregnancy, who gain more weight during pregnancy, who have bigger babies, and who have a family history of getting stretch marks. Women with certain skin types, including very fair skin, are also more likely<\/a> to get stretch marks.<\/p>\n

\"Can<\/a><\/p>\n

How to Prevent Stretch Marks<\/h3>\n

Bad news: If you\u2019ve been shelling out big bucks for topical creams, lotions, or ointments to prevent stretch marks, it may be money wasted. Most topical remedies advertised for preventing stretch marks aren\u2019t evidence based, according to a Cochrane Systematic Review<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So what can you do? These solutions may help.<\/p>\n

1. Stay hydrated<\/h4>\n

In one study<\/a>, women who avoided stretch marks drank an average of 8.3 glasses per day, about one cup more per day than women who got stretch marks. It\u2019s unclear whether hydration made the difference, but it doesn\u2019t hurt to drink more water.<\/p>\n

2. Eat well and exercise<\/h4>\n

Studies on diet and stretch marks are inconclusive and more research is needed. But diet and exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight, which may help prevent stretch marks. Make sure your diet is rich in the nutrients your body needs to produce collagen, the main structural protein found in skin and connective tissue. Critical nutrients include protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, and silica. Women with lower vitamin D levels are more likely<\/a> to get stretch marks, so be sure you\u2019re getting enough either through sun exposure, diet, or supplementation. Mushrooms, egg yolks, and fatty fish are good dietary sources<\/a> of vitamin D.<\/p>\n

Many people swear taking collagen prevents stretch marks. Collagen naturally occurs in gelatin powder, chicken stock, and bone broth, or you can take it in a supplement. There are no studies on collagen\u2019s impact on stretch marks, but several studies suggest<\/a> collagen supplements improve skin elasticity and hydration in the short term. (Pregnant women should talk to their medical care provider before taking any supplements.)<\/p>\n

3. Massage your belly<\/h4>\n

In studies, natural topical remedies, including cocoa butter, olive oil, and collagen hydrolysates, have not been shown to prevent stretch marks in a statistically significant way. However, simply massaging the expanding areas of your body may invigorate blood flow and spur skin growth. In a study, 20 percent<\/a> of women who massaged their skin with bitter almond oil got stretch marks, compared to 38.8 percent who applied bitter almond oil without massage, and 41.2 percent of women in a control group. Clearly, self-massage was the winner in this study, and there\u2019s no downside.<\/p>\n

4. Avoid cortisone treatment and manage stress levels<\/h4>\n

Cortisol is a hormone made in the adrenal glands and released into the blood to control the body\u2019s blood sugar levels and regulate metabolism. When too much cortisol circulates in the blood stream (such as when someone takes a corticosteroid medicine), stretch marks are more likely<\/a> to form.<\/p>\n

Frequent stress<\/a> elevates cortisol levels and thus may also make your skin more prone to stretch marks. More research is needed on the topic, but in the meantime, it doesn\u2019t hurt to manage chronic stress by getting enough sleep, eating regularly, exercising, going out in nature, enjoying social activities, and limiting nerve-wracking undertakings.<\/p>\n

How to Treat Existing Stretch Marks<\/h3>\n

Your stretch marks may not go away completely, but it\u2019s possible to minimize their appearance, New stretch marks respond<\/a> better to treatment than older ones, so get started early and investigate these research-backed methods.<\/p>\n

1. Topical treatments<\/h4>\n

Treatment with tretinoin, an ointment made of a vitamin-A derivative, shows positive results<\/a> in reducing the severity of stretch marks in clinical trials, but it should not be used by pregnant<\/a> or breastfeeding moms. A topical treatment containing hydroxyprolisilane C, rose hip oil, Centella asiatica<\/em> triterpenes, and vitamin E was shown to reduce the severity of early stretch marks in another study<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2. Laser therapy<\/h4>\n

Dermatological treatment with pulsed lasers<\/a> induces the formation of new collagen and reduces the appearance of early stretch marks.<\/p>\n

3. Other dermatological therapies<\/h4>\n

Microdermabrasion, micro-needling, and different types of radiofrequency therapy may also reduce the appearance of early stretch marks.<\/p>\n

Medical interventions can be expensive<\/a> and come with risks. If you\u2019re interested in minimizing your stretch marks, talk to a dermatologist about the pros and cons of different therapies.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h3>\n

Nearly half<\/a> (45 percent) of women in one study said their stretch marks don\u2019t bother them. If you think of stretch marks as your tiger stripes or a badge of honor, keep celebrating them! If you\u2019d prefer to prevent or minimize them, give these research-backed methods a try.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Google \u201ccelebrity stretch marks\u201d or search for #LoveYourLines on Instagram, and you\u2019ll find that stretch marks can happen to anyone. The long, narrow streaks, stripes, or lines occur when the collagen and elastic tissue in the skin is damaged from stretching quickly, such as during puberty, pregnancy, or during rapid weight gain. Rapid weight loss […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":3204,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\r\nCan You Really Prevent or Reduce the Appearance of Stretch Marks? - Health Perch<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/prevent-reduce-stretch-marks\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can You Really Prevent or Reduce the Appearance of Stretch Marks?\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Let\u2019s dig into the research on who\u2019s most likely to get stretch marks and the best ways to avoid getting them or how to minimize their appearance.\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/prevent-reduce-stretch-marks\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Health Perch\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/healthperch\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-08-07T17:48:04+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2018-08-07T17:57:04+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Can-You-Really-Prevent-or-Reduce-the-Appearance-of-Stretch-Marks_og.jpg\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"628\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Abby Quillen\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Can You Really Prevent or Reduce the Appearance of Stretch Marks?\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Let\u2019s dig into the research on who\u2019s most likely to get stretch marks and the best ways to avoid getting them or how to minimize their appearance.\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Can-You-Really-Prevent-or-Reduce-the-Appearance-of-Stretch-Marks_og.jpg\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@healthperch\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@healthperch\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Abby Quillen\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/prevent-reduce-stretch-marks\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/prevent-reduce-stretch-marks\",\"name\":\"Can You Really Prevent or Reduce the Appearance of Stretch Marks? 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