What Causes Stretch Marks And How To Get Rid Of Them?

Stretch marks are a very common condition among both women and men. In fact, it is estimated that during pregnancy, up to 90% of women will develop stretch marks. Additionally, the majority of adolescent girls and a large percentage of men will also experience this problem. Stretch marks are a type of skin lesion similar to scars. In women, they typically appear on the breasts, the abdomen, the thighs, and buttocks and in men on the upper arms and underarms, usually after rapid muscle growth.

What causes stretch marks?

Pregnancy:  pregnancy leads to weight gain and causes hormonal changes, which increases the likelihood of developing stretch marks.

Muscle growth: rapid muscle gains can cause the skin to overstretch, which means that it would be a good idea to build muscle slowly.

Genetic factors: if your mother had stretch marks, you are also more likely to experience the problem. There are some defects of connective tissue that are hereditary.

Unhealthy diet: a diet lacking in essential nutrients can reduce the ability of your body to produce collagen.

Hormones: hormonal influences can greatly contribute to the appearance of stretch marks. In fact, scientists were able to create stretch marks artificially, by applying corticosteroid creams on the skin.

How to get rid of stretch marks

Even though, stretch marks don't pose any health risks, they can be a source of embarrassment and people usually try to find a way to get rid of them. There are many different methods you can use to combat this problem. Some of these methods are only moderately effective and some others are extremely expensive. For example, laser can cost about $5,000.

As for trying to eliminate stretch marks by improving your diet, it may take a very long time before you see any results. By far, the most affordable and effective method to treat this problem is to use a stretch mark cream, which can be used directly on the afflicted areas of the body. The best stretch mark cream should certainly have aloe vera among its ingredients. Aloe vera can increase the secretion of collagen and help the skin cells heal faster.