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Stretch marks are no fun for anyone, they are unsightly and when they are on the stomach, they are easier for everyone around to take notice. Many people, especially women, want to learn how to prevent and get rid of the stretch marks on their stomachs.
Learning how to get rid of stretch marks on the stomach is important; this can help improve the appearance of the skin and can increase your self-confidence as well. The good news is there are a few different ways that can help greatly diminish their appearance.
In this article, we will look at some of the ways you can use to get rid of stretch marks on the stomach, as well as some tips to prevent them from happening in the first place.
What Causes Stretch Marks On the Stomach?
Stretch marks can happen for anyone over time. A change in weight, a pregnancy, or some other factor like aging can cause the skin to stretch and leave some of these marks behind.
Some of the most common reasons that people will get stretch marks include:
- Many women find that they get many of their stretch marks during pregnancy. The skin stretches within nine months (and usually during the end of that nine months the most) to make a lot of room for that new baby. The growth of the baby along with the stretching and tugging can easily cause stretch marks, even with proper weight control and using other methods to prevent them.
- Rapid gain or loss in weight: Some people experience these stretch marks when they quickly lose or gain weight. If you have gained a lot of weight recently or even lost a lot of weight recently, then this may be the cause of your stretch marks.
- Corticosteroid creams, pills, and lotions can cause these marks in some cases. These are known to decrease the ability of the skin to stretch so when it does need to stretch, that will be a problem.
- Adrenal gland disorders: There are a number of these that will be able to increase the amount of cortisol in the body and will cause some more stretch marks for you.
Pregnancy and weight fluctuations are the two most common reasons that you will deal with stretch marks. Taking care of your body during the pregnancy and avoiding rapid weight gain or loss are the best ways to deal with this.
How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks on the Stomach
There are many different treatment options available to help you handle some of the stretch marks on your stomach. Some of the most effective include:
Chemical Peels
The first option we will take a look at is known as a chemical peel. This is a skin resurfacing treatment that is often done to help exfoliate the skin and reveal the smoother, healthier skin underneath. The chemical peel will also help boost collagen production and cell renewal, which works to repair and restore the skin.
Chemical peels are great for treating stretch marks, and also all kinds of skin damage. The best chemical peels that help fade stretch marks are TCA peels and Glycolic peels.
Stretch Mark Removal Creams
One of the simplest ways to deal with some of the stretch marks on your stomach is to work with stretch mark removal creams. These often contain some nutrients that are so good for the skin, along with helping to smooth and moisturize.
You can also use some stretch mark lotions and oils based on your needs. There are a lot of great choices to go with based on the brand and the nutrients that you would like to use.
Vitamin A or Retinoids
Vitamin A or Retinoids are a good option to use. This is a type of cream that you can use to help provide some more smoothness and nutrients to the stretch marks and can make the skin look a lot better.
A 2014 study has found that prescription tretinoin, a vitamin A derivative, can produce a noticeable improvement in the appearance of stretch marks.
Note, however, that these creams can irritate the skin. If you are pregnant, it is best to avoid this type of treatment option because it could have some adverse effects on your baby.
Microneedling
The next option to use for your stretch marks is microneedling, aka Collagen Induction Therapy. This is a process that stimulates collagen and elastin production by puncturing the skin with small needles.
Microneedling devices are widely used on the face to address facial wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and acne scars, but they are great for hair loss and stretch marks.
The most common microneedling devices are the dermaroller and the microneedling pen.
Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is a good option to use on almost any type of stretch marks you may have, though it will work the best with mild-to-moderate stretch marks.
This treatment will work because it buffs away the outer layer of the skin. This helps to stimulate some new healthy cells in the process and you shouldn’t feel any pain.
Again, this treatment is commonly used for skin rejuvenation but has also been proven to help with stretch marks.
Laser Therapy
Another option that you may want to consider when dealing with stretch marks is laser therapy.
During this procedure, laser beams will be concentrated to help encourage the new growth. While it isn’t necessarily able to get rid of all the stretch marks, it will help to make them smoother so their appearance is less.
Two main types of lasers are used including ablative and non-ablative. The ablative lasers will treat the marks by destroying the top of the skin, revealing newer, smoother skin. The non-ablative will target more of the underlying parts of the skin instead.
How to Prevent Stretch Marks on the Stomach During Pregnancy
One of the most common times when you may get deep stretch marks is during pregnancy.
The skin grows and changes quite a bit, whether you have a big baby or a small baby or even if you gain a lot of weight during the pregnancy or not. It is not uncommon for women to end up with some unsightly stretch marks when the pregnancy is done.
The good news is that there are a few steps that every pregnant woman can take to make sure their stretch marks are kept to a minimum.
While everybody is different and there isn’t a guarantee that no stretch marks will show up at all, following these steps will help keep your stretch marks to a minimum.
Exfoliate
Exfoliating is a great option to use while you are pregnant to help keep the stretch marks away. These will help to keep all the dead skin away and allow the fresh and new skin to grow. The more that your skin can renew itself and stay fresh, the easier it is for you to prevent those deep stretch marks from showing up.
It is important to pick out a good exfoliating option that isn’t so rough that it will damage the skin but will get the job done. You also need to be careful about picking one that has natural and organic ingredients that are safe to use while you are pregnant.
Use Moisturizers
During your pregnancy, it is a good idea to use some moisturizers along the way. There are a lot of great options that you can choose that are safe during pregnancy.
Using these on your stomach and other areas during the pregnancy can help keep the skin moisturized and healthy, which will slow down the growth of stretch marks.
Massage With Oils
Some oils, such as almond oil and argan oil, have been proven effective in controlling pregnancy stretch marks.
A 2012 study has found that combining almond oil with massage during pregnancy helps in reducing the development of stretch marks.
Control Your Weight
Gaining a little weight during pregnancy is natural. And when you do it slowly and consistently throughout the pregnancy, the stretch marks will be minimal. However, if you take the eating for two ideas to heart, then you are more likely to get deep stretch marks that are hard to fight off later.
Gaining weight too quickly can be a big factor in how many stretch marks you have, a slow and steady weight gain during pregnancy, following the recommendations of your doctor, will help to keep these stretch marks to a minimum.
Eat a Healthy Diet
While you are pregnant, you should eat a diet that is full of lots of healthy foods. Having an occasional treat is fine and won’t cause a lot of issues. But eating a diet full of healthy fats and proteins, whole carbs, and fruits and vegetables is the best.
There are several reasons for this. First, this helps you and your baby get all of the nutrients necessary to stay healthy during the pregnancy. You will need those nutrients to make it through all of the changes that happen during the pregnancy, and your baby will need the nutrients to grow and develop.
Eating a healthy diet is also a great way to make sure that you keep the stretch marks at bay. When you eat a healthy diet, you can easily provide your body with the right nutrients that will help promote collagen production and skin repair by keeping skin moisturized and fighting free radicals.
Stay Hydrated
Hydrated skin is healthy skin. Drinking plenty of water during pregnancy and all through your life is critical to making sure you can keep the stretch marks away.
Dry skin will stretch and deal with these marks more than hydrated skin. When your skin is hydrated and getting enough water, along with other important nutrients, it can stay soft and can heal itself. When the skin is dehydrated, it may struggle to replenish itself or do a good job healing. And this will often lead to some of the stretch marks you want to avoid.
So, during your pregnancy, take some time to drink plenty of water. Eight to nine cups at least are recommended, but always listen to your body and drink plenty to keep you healthy.
Conclusion: Stretch Marks on Stomach
Stretch marks are a part of life. Sometimes even with the best care and attention, we will see some stretch marks start to show up.
However, if you follow the tips presented in this article, you will visibly reduce the appearance of stretch marks on your stomach and even prevent them from forming in the first place.
