Stretch Marks And Pregnancy

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How To Get Rid Of Stretch Marks After Pregnancy.

As you hold your tiny newly delivered bundle of joy tightly in your arms for the first time, your heart melts as they lovingly gaze up at you with those big baby eyes.

Words haven’t yet been invented to describe how you feel.

You have just gone through months of carrying around a huge weight, constantly feeling tired, sick and having to rush to the toilet every five minutes. Not mentioning the sleepless nights and your body stretching until you thought you might go ‘pop’!.

After the euphoria dies down and your friends and relatives fade away into the background – eventually your thoughts turn to getting back into shape.

You look at yourself in the mirror to see how much you have changed and what needs to be done to get back into shape. You then notice stretch marks that seemed to have appeared like a squatters in an empty building overnight and you are sure they weren’t there before or that bad and your thoughts turn to evicting them!. So what can be done?.

What Are Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks or striae are small tears in your skin. They occur due to your body changing size in a short space of time due to the rapid expansion of your uterus alongside the sudden weight gain during pregnancy.

Don’t worry about 90% of women are affected by stretch marks during pregnancy.

They can usually be found around the

• stomach
• breasts
• thighs
• buttocks

If you have stretch marks after your pregnancy don’t be too upset as the majority will fade over time.

Stretch Marks During Pregnancy

If you got through to your second trimester and were stretch mark free and were beginning to feel optimistic you could avoid them altogether and were regularly massaging oils and lotions into your skin, it is surprising to learn that stretch marks during pregnancy usually form during the last trimester and usually on the belly. These types of pregnancy stretch marks are known as striae gravidarum.

Stretch marks occur in the dermis, this is the tough middle tissue layer that lets the skin keep its shape.

Immediately after pregnancy you may not like the look of your stretch marks, especially if you have never had them before, they may be quite visible and quite red or very dark depending on your skin tone or ethnicity.

Within the next year they will look vastly different and their colour will become more consistent with the rest of your skin tone.  If you are looking for a cosmetic solution to reduce their appearance there are several options available on the market.

Do Creams Work For Stretch Marks?

Unfortunately, cosmetics such as oils and creams will not be able to heal the marks, entirely they can provide the skin with moisture that can help make the skin feel softer and smoother. Oils like

• olive oil
• coconut oil
• aragan oil
• bio oil
• almond oil

are popular but require you to really spend time massaging the oils and creams in.

Vitamin C usually have the best effect of stretch marks as does hyaluronic serum which is available without prescription.

This may give you greater body confidence and ensure that if you are constantly touching the marks they will be less identifiable.

Concealer can be used to mask the stretch marks themselves on any skin that is visible although this is a short term response, as hot weather in summer could lead to increased sweating and may lead to rashes or acne forming on the marks as it clogs the skin and therefore this is not recommended.

It also should be removed daily and can cause a mess it you get it on your clothes or bedsheets!

Can Exercise Improve Stretch Marks?

Some people think a more vigorous exercise routine can rid themselves of stretch marks. Exercise, solely cannot remove stretch marks but it can help to tone the area, which will make them less visible. The same rule applies for employing healthier diet following birth, as it’s been proven that this can give you a better mindset and a more positive outlook regarding your stretch marks.

Stretch Mark Treatment

Alternatively, whilst stretch marks are nothing to be ashamed of, people do seek out solutions to them and therefore there are many cosmetic treatments that can help remove the marks, and Premier Laser offers such below:

Dermapen Micro Skin Needling

This is a two-part procedure which combines 12 microscopic needles and an electric handpiece. The needles oscillate at an incredibly high frequency and make small punctures in the tissue. The microneedling creates a minor trauma which encourages the immune system to respond and create new and healthy collagen. The new collagen then works with third-party topical nutrients to prevent dermal tearing. Dermapen has grown in popularity over the years and is a popular treatment of stretch marks and many people have reported excellent results from.

Radio-Frequency Skin Resurfacing

This is a non-laser approach to repairing the skin tissue affected by stretching. The device stimulates collagen growth before the top layer of skin and therefore attacks the damaged tissue ‘inside out’.  It sends radio frequency into the skin and is a non invasive procedure and can be performed quickly with no downtime.

Infini 3D Skin Tightening

The technique is also non-surgical and instead harnesses the power of light energy, ultrasound and radiofrequency to allow individuals to get younger and firmer looking skin, removing the visibility of stretch marks. This three pronged approach really attacks the stretch marks and good results have been reported from the infini 3D skin tightening.

Next Steps

So the good news is that something can be done about your stretch marks.

Today treatment has moved on from recommending creams and oils.

Our understanding and knowledge of skin has grown and the new technology available means treatments have advanced. Many people are now experiencing great results from the new technology and prices are now affordable to most.

The best way to approach your stretch marks is not to panic, try to accept that they are part of you and a reminder that they are a small price to pay for the delightful bundle that has come into your life!

Before you pick up the phone and book an appointment at your local clinic firstly focus on your diet, stay hydrated and moisturised and look to slowly get back to exercising gently, when your GP recommends its safe to do so.

You can then look into exploring your options with a clinic and arrange a consultation to speak to an experienced practitioner who will understand what you are going through and can advise the best course of action.

When you are ready and If you would like to discuss your stretch marks with an expert practitioner why not book a free consultation and speak to us about your skin goals and how we can help you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]