• Stretch Marks Home
• TriLastin Review
• Barmon Review
• Revitol Review
• ZENMED Review
• StriVectin Review
• Privacy Policy

Prevent Stretch Marks The Smart Way

May 11th, 2009    Subscribe To Our Feed

Most women are keenly aware of the ugly, discolored scarring known as stretch marks.  As a matter of fact, there is an entire beauty industry centered around the removal of these unsightly skin defects.  But what about stretch mark prevention?

You may be wondering if it is just a myth or whether a person can really do something to prevent stretch marks from developing.   Clinical studies tend to be inconclusive in this area, but a large number of women have learned through personal experience that certain preventive actions can help minimize the risk of getting stretch marks.

These actions are detailed below and should be seriously considered by any woman that wishes to take a proactive approach in the fight against stretch marks.  But first, let’s take a look at the real cause of stretch marks.

What Causes Stretch Marks?

The surface of the skin is generally fairly elastic, but when it is stretched beyond its capacity, damage can result.  It is usually during periods of rapid weight gain and subsequent loss that you are at the greatest risk of developing stretch marks.

Prime examples of this weight change cycle can be identified during:

• Pregnancy
• Weight training
• Rapid weight gain and loss
• Growth spurts in teens

During these periods of physiological change, the normal production of collagen is disrupted.  It should be noted that collagen is an important protein, with an essential role in providing pliability and elasticity to your skin.  As a result of this disruption, the skin loses some elasticity and when stretched beyond its limits, white or red scars may appear.  These scars are what are traditionally known as stretch marks.

Will a Stretch Mark Prevention Program Really Help?

Obviously, if you had a choice, you would agree that it is preferable to prevent stretch marks from developing in the first place, rather than trying to treat them after the fact.  Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed method of preventing stretch marks, even though there are a number of products on the market that will make this claim.  It is just not true.

The good news is that there are products that are proven effective in increasing the elasticity of the skin.  It is believed that these natural creams and oils prevent stretch marks by attacking their root causes – loss of elasticity and sudden trauma through overstretching.  To increase the effectiveness of these products, it is recommended that they be used as part of an overall skin conditioning program.

Stretch Mark Prevention Tips

As Ben Franklin so aptly put; ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!’  And no truer words have been spoken regarding an approach to stretch marks and their treatment.  So, to help give you a jump start with your stretch mark prevention program, a number of helpful tips are provided below:

1.  If you are thinking about getting pregnant, or are presently in the mother-to-be state, try starting an exercise program.  Continue this regimen throughout your pregnancy and it should help in reducing a lot of the stretch marks that may have developed naturally during the process.  An exercise program works by helping you to limit your weight gain and, therefore, limit the trauma and overstretching of your affected skin.   Of course, before you start any exercise program, please check with your doctor.

2. Try using natural stretch mark products that inherently have the exceptional ability to increase the skin’s elasticity.  Products made with cocoa butter and other natural ingredients are your best bet.  Many women who have endured pregnancy swear to the effectiveness of this method.

3. To supplement stretch mark creams and oils, you should consider using a body brush to massage the affected areas where you want to prevent stretch marks from forming.  This is usually on the thighs, breasts, buttocks, and arms.   This extra effort helps increase the circulation to the skin and helps the absorption of the cream into the affected area.

4. If you are on a diet, moderation is the ‘keyword’.  A diet encouraging slow weight loss will minimize trauma to the skin and allow the skin to better adjust to the weight changes.  This will help reduce the likelihood of stretch marks.

At the end of the day, there really is no single fail-safe method to prevent the formation of stretch marks.  But a stretch mark prevention program, based on a combination of natural stretch mark products and the helpful tips provided above, should dramatically increase your odds of reducing or eliminating stretch mark development.  Give it a try - you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Using Cocoa Butter for Stretch Marks

May 26th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

This has been one of the oldest home remedies for stretch marks I can remember. Using coca butter for stretch marks has its roots in the belief that the richness of the cream, or butter, has healing properties. It is believed that the butter softens the skin and encourages the skin tissue to repair itself. This leads to the eventual reduction in the appearance of the stretch marks.

Does Cocoa Butter Fade Stretch Marks?

While some in the medical community still question whether cocoa butter is an effective stretch mark remover, cocoa butter has a very loyal following. Many women have used this cream for stretch mark prevention and swear that it helped them avoid getting stretch marks as a result of their pregnancy.

But the truth is that the overwhelming numbers of women who have tried this stretch mark remedy are staunch believers in its healing powers.

How to Use Cocoa Butter for Stretch Marks

When using cocoa butter, it is best to make sure that the skin to be treated is clean and dry. If you prefer, you can gently massage your stretch marks with a loofah or other sponge made specifically for exfoliation. Don’t overdo – it can cause further damage of the skin. The final step is to gently massage the cocoa butter into the stretch marks.

Where Can You Find Cocoa Butter?

Cocoa butter is one of the primary ingredients in Barmon Stretch Mark Cream. Barmons is an all natural stretch mark solution that has been in existence for over 25 years. This cream has been used by 100’s of thousands of women as both a preventative and remedy for their scar damaged skin. It is also one of the few stretch mark products that has been proven safe to use during pregnancy. The company has an extremely loyal following of satisfied customers and their testimonials can be viewed on the Barmon’s website.

So, if you are a believer that using coca butter for stretch marks is an effective option, give it a try. You have plenty of company!

Tips to Prevent Stretch Marks in Pregnancy

January 24th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Most mothers-to-be say that there is nothing as satisfying and fulfilling as the sensations of their baby growing inside of them during the pregnancy.   They know that their body is nurturing and slowly giving life to their child, while the miracle of pregnancy brings many dramatic changes to their physiology.  Along with the wonderful experience of pregnancy, comes the aftermath of physical changes to your body.   One of these is the stretch marks that result from over-stretched and damaged skin.

Many women believe that the best defense is a strong offense, so they attempt to prevent stretch marks in pregnancy as an ongoing preventative practice.  Unfortunately, you can almost guarantee that you will get at least a few stretch marks on your body during pregnancy.  But there are ways to help prevent stretch marks during pregnancy, if you are determined to avoid them.

Before you start to develop a skin care program to prevent stretch marks in pregnancy, you should first know what causes this skin damage.

What is the Cause of Stretch Marks?

Collagen and elastin are two types of skin tissue that help to keep the skin stretchy and flexible. Basically, stretch marks occur the skin tissue is stretching so much that it tears, thus creating streaks reflecting this stretch. This occurs due to weight gain either during pregnancy or excessive weight gain. The amounts of stretch marks you get depend quite a bit upon genetics. The elasticity of your skin is in your genes. If your mother or father got stretch marks after gaining weight, then chances are you are susceptible to them as well.

How to Avoid Stretch Marks

Doctors state that almost 9 out of every 10 pregnant women will get some level of stretch marks. The areas where this most often occurs are: thighs, hips, buttocks, and breasts.  These are the areas that experience the most weight gain during pregnancy.

There are some women who choose to allow there skin to stretch out, showing their pride in carrying a baby.  We have found that these women are in a small minority.  Most women want to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy as much as possible.

Most doctors will agree that while no process is guaranteed, there are a few ways to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy.

Limit Your Weight Gain
Keep your pregnancy weight gain between the normal 25-35 pounds. Any weight gain past the normal amount will cause stretch marks to appear even more.

Watch Your Diet
Drinking a lot of water and eating right during your pregnancy will help keep your skin healthy and enhance elasticity.

Use the Best Stretch Mark Cream
Using the best stretch mark cream available will keep your skin soft and supple.  A lotion for pregnancy stretch marks will usually contain Vitamin E or cocoa butter to help maintain the health and appearance of your skin.

These tips on how to prevent stretch marks in pregnancy will give you the foundation for your own stretch mark prevention program.

Copyright © 2007 Stretch Marks