Most new moms have a lot to deal with, and some of them find themselves dealing with pregnancy stretch marks for the first time. Although a woman can develop stretch marks at some point in her life from weight gain or quick growth during puberty, most women first experience them during pregnancy. Getting rid of stretch marks can be a priority if they are seriously affecting the health, but if they are not, a woman should seriously consider why she feels her stretch marks are so unattractive.
Basic Treatments
Many treatments out there claim to get rid of stretch marks, so it can be very confusing to choose the right one for you, as not all treatments are effective for everyone or for all marks. Stretch marks are scar tissue and should be treated as such, but scars react differently for different skin types, and pregnancy stretch marks often react like keloid scars. Some of the best treatments for pregnancy-related stretch marks are bio oil, Mederma scar gel, barmon, striate, and Revitol.
Additionally, there are many traditional and folk medicine treatments for stretch marks such as cocoa butter, diaper rash cream, petroleum jelly, and olive oil. These help to treat the skin after elasticity has been lost by helping to retain moisture. They can work, but a person’s genetics must also be addressed, because the effectiveness of any treatment is related to ethnicity and genetics. For instance, a fair-skinned person does not always have success with cocoa butter, while someone with a dark complexion may not respond well to thinning lotions and will do better with Shea butter, beeswax, and cocoa butter.
How are Lasers being used?
You may have heard of surgical treatments for stretch marks. Laser therapy has become popular in the past decade for women who are concerned about their stretch marks, but not all women are helped by the treatment. Some women did not see a significant reduction in marks, while others found the minor skin burns, blisters, and possibility for skin pigment changes to be off-putting. Lighter complexions respond better to the treatment than do darker complexions, although there are lasers for dark skin.
Related Problems
Pregnancy-related stretch marks most often affect the breasts and stomach, but there can occasionally be unexpected complications with stretch marks. If you have other skin conditions, stretch marks can affect them and sometimes create new traumas. As an example, if you have a tattoo you have been thinking of being removed with laser treatment, if it is altered by stretch marks, the tattoo may not be as easy to remove once the marks have altered it. Some of the most common skin conditions aggravated by stretch marks include cellulite, moles, keloid scars, hypopigmentation (skin lightening), and tattoos that you wish to have removed.
Empowerment
While many women are worried about their stretch marks, some women are beginning to turn the tables and are embracing them. They do not allow their marks to affect their self-image in a negative way and show pride in them. Some of them even celebrate their pregnancy stretch marks by getting tattoos that follow the pattern of the marks – some of them are even calling the stretch marks their “tiger stripes” and are getting tattoos that incorporate them in that way!
Pregnancy stretch marks marks will affect most women over the course of their lives. Embrace them and love your body as it is made!
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