When your flesh expands quicker than your body can grow new skin, it forms stretch marks, which are scar tissue. That's one reason it's a good idea to try not to gain weigh too quickly and to nourish your skin. Dieting, disordered eating, extreme regimens, YoYo dieting and fasting/skipping meals are things to avoid. They may lead to bingeing and weight gains, as well as undernourished skin. I got stretch marks from dieting and the binges that caused. I
would not do that again. Bodybuilders sometimes get stretch marks. If you think this is happening, or is possible, or they run in your family, cut back on the weightlifting and nourish your skin. Stretch marks may itch when they are emerging.
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, protein, carbs, etc. will help nourish your skin. In addition, a good vitamin C, MSM and collagen are things that nourish the skin. I recommend Source Naturals MSM powder taken dissolved in water on an empty stomach along with some vitamin C. Some people like Great Lakes Gelatin for type I and III collagen. It's not for me. I like Swansons type II collagen, chicken sternal collagen in capsules. I open them up and take them dissolved in water with some vitamin C on an empty stomach, separate from the MSM. As for vitamin C, I like Ester C capsules without bioflavonoids. I also like Swanson's ascorbyl palmitate capsules, which I like to open up and take with the type II collagen. I also like Amazon Therapeutics Camu Camu juice extract bought in a loose powder and put into capsules.
THESE WILL NOT REMOVE EXISTING STRETCH MARKS, BUT MIGHT HELP PREVENT THEM BY NOURISHING YOUR SKIN.
FOR EXISTING STRECH MARKS, when they are still pink, if you put Retin A cream on them, you can get rid of them. Don't waste any time. Use it twice a day, if possible, for four months. The dermatologist can give you a prescription. In some countries Retin A is over the counter. Get the real stuff cause you have a limited opportunity. Once they are white, it's too late.
If you are pregnant or nursing, ask your doctor if this is safe for the baby.I have personally used Retin A on pink stretch marks and they went away. My dermatologist, who is the one of the best ones around, told me about it. She helped to run a clinical study of Retin A on stretch marks. I have tried many other things that did not work. I have consulted numerous dermatologists and plastic surgeons on this question. I have talked to one of the best plastic surgeons where I live who is a professor at the medical school. I was also a patient in a study of a certain laser on stretch marks done by another plastic surgeon. That particular laser did not work, and in fact made the problem worse, but I understand they have sorted that out now.
There are a lot of quack cures for stretch marks.
Doctors can treat stretch marks with a certain laser. When last I checked this was supposed to make them less prominent but didn't get rid of them. My dermatologist told me this.
Since they are scars, possibilities remain that something like Chinese herbs for scars might do something. Maybe there will be better laser treatments in the future.
Edited by Luminosity, 14 September 2013 - 04:38 AM.
stretch marks
