Stretch marks can be described as one of the beauty woes which normally come during pregnancy. This normally comes on the waist, thighs, lower backs, hips, breasts, arms, and buttocks. When the skin of our body gets stretched then some marks appear on our skin, which are known as stretch marks. This is not only the problem of women but sometimes men also face the problem due to sudden weight gain or genetic problems. Stretch mark comes because of many reasons but that doesn’t mean something is wrong with your health.
The stretch marks are of two types. One is white stretch marks and the other is red stretch marks.
Red Stretch marks: The red stretch marks are also known as striae rubra and when they are new they appear reddish or purplish. This is formed when the dermal layer of the skin is stretched, letting the blood vessels show. You can easily get rid of such stretch marks because they are new and in their initial stage.
White stretch marks: These stretch marks are also known as striae alba. This occurs on the skin when the blood vessels reduce in size, thus making the fat under the skin visible. The white stretch marks take a longer time to be treated and sometimes they stay on the skin forever if treated late.
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Causes of stretch marks
There is not always the pregnancy that gives our body the stretch marks but there is also some other reason which can be the cause of the stretch marks. In simple language, we can describe that when the dermal layer of the skin is suddenly stretched and the strong, inter-connected fibers of the dermis let your skin stretch as your body grows. Let’s have a look at some of the major reasons which are serious causes of stretch marks:
Pregnancy: During pregnancy, the fiber in the skin becomes soft and stretches with the development and growth of the baby in the womb. With the increasing weight and baby bump, stretch marks appear on the tummy, thighs, and breasts due to the continual tugging and stretching.
Weight gain: When suddenly someone gains weight and the body stretch then also the stretch marks appear. These also appear when your body weight fluctuates very frequently.
Puberty: During puberty, the youngsters get a sudden growth spurt and sudden stretching and contracting of skin. This leads the stretch marks on hips, thighs, and breasts.
Body Building: During Body Building a person gets rapid growth in muscle mass and faces the problem of stretch marks. Sometimes the misuse of anabolic steroids to accelerate the growth of muscle leads to the appearance of stretch marks.
Genetics: Our body condition normally depends on our parent’s bodies. It is seen that if our parents have stretch marks, then we are most likely to have them too.
Skin disease treatment: Sometimes the Skin disease treatment cream, lotion, and pills can also cause stretch marks as they bring down the collagen levels in your skin which decreases the skin’s ability to stretch and makes you prone to developing stretch marks.
Health conditions: Some major health conditions such as Cushing’s syndrome, Marfan’s syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos, and other adrenal gland disorders cause stretch marks. During this disease, the body tends to overproduce the hormone cortisol, which causes these marks.
Ayurveda treatment for stretch marks
Stretch marks are not permanent if it is treated in their initial stages. If naturally, you will treat it regularly then surely you will get some positive results. Check out some of the best natural treatments to cure stretch marks:
Argon oil: Argon oil is enriched with Vitamin E which increases the elasticity of the skin. The regular rubbing of the stretch marks will heal the broken tissues gradually making the marks fade.
Lemon Juice: This is known because of its natural bleaching properties, so it helps reduce the visibility effectively. Apply it daily to get rid of the marks. simply rub a sliced lemon wedge on your marks to get some effective results.
Egg white: The egg white is high in proteins and amino acids. When the white portion of the egg will be applied to stretch marks it will help lighten the marks while also tightening the skin.
Potato juice: This contains starch and other skin lighting enzymes which helps to remove the marks on the skin. It is often used to lighten dark circles, spots, and blemishes on the skin. It is a very effective remedy to reduce the visibility of stretch marks.
Olive oil: Olive oil is rich in moisturizing properties and is full of antioxidants and other nutrients. Olive oil is good for repairing skin damage.
Sugar: Mix the sugar with olive oil, and lemon juice to form a scrub. Apply it to the stretch marks. Rub for 10 minutes and rinse with lukewarm water.
Castor oil: Castor oil is very good to reduce stretch marks. Simply apply the oil to the stretch marks and massage it in a circular motion for 15-20 minutes. After that cover the area with a thin cotton cloth and apply some heat using a heating pad.
Aloe vera gel: Take out the Aloe vera gel from inside the leaf. Use this aloe vera gel on stretch marks and wash off with water after 2-3 hours.
Apricots: Make a smooth paste and apply the paste directly to the stretch marks. Leave it for 20 minutes. Then, rinse it with lukewarm water.
Black tea: Black tea has lots of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin B12, which helps to control skin pigmentation. Boil the black tea and add some salt to it. After cooling, apply the mixture to the marks and repeat the process until they disappear.