YOUR SKIN: DOES STRETCH MARKS CAUSE WEIGHT GAIN?
We often see people relate stretch marks to weight gain. Many believe that when stretch marks appear on your skin, the subsequent result is fat and increase in weight.
What are stretch marks?
Stretch marks are scars that appear when your skin stretches or shrinks rapidly. Stretch marks are itchy when it appears early. They are not harmful to your health and are quite common.
Stretch marks appear often times during or after pregnancy or after sudden changes in weight (gain or loss). When felt under your fingers, stretch marks feel like indentation.
Stretch marks can appear anywhere but are commonly found in your stomach, thighs, breasts, upper arms, and buttocks.
Why do I have stretch marks?
You have stretch marks due to;
Your skin stretching
When there's an increase in cortisone production as excess cortisone can cause loss of skin elasticity.
During pregnancy, your skin stretches to accommodate the growing foetus.
When there's a sudden weight gain or loss.
Your chances of developing stretch marks also increase if:
You have a higher weight
You are a woman
You are pregnant
Stretch marks runs in the family
You take cortisone containing medication
You have Marfan's syndrome
How do I get rid of stretch marks?
A self tanner can be used as it can temporarily minimize the color of the stretch marks and make it look more like your skin tone.
Creams such as hyaluronic acid and tretinoin may help the stretch marks become less noticeable.
You can visit your dermatologist for professional advice.
It is important to note that stretch marks cannot disappear completely even with medical treatment. Though it's appearance can be minimized.
Can I prevent stretch marks from appearing?
Eating healthy, staying hydrated, regular exercise may help reduce your chances of developing stretch marks.
Know that stretch marks cannot be completely prevented, sometimes it runs in families.
Stretch marks are natural scars and pose no threat to your health.