How to get rid of stretch marks after childbirth?

How to get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? Perhaps the most relevant question that many women are asked during pregnancy. How beautiful a woman is while carrying a child. For many, this period of life is one of the most touching and memorable. Bearing a child and understanding all the responsibility for his health, it is worth remembering that the health of the mother is also very important. After all, her emotional calm depends on how a woman feels at this time, on how she looks.

One of the problems that women face during pregnancy and after childbirth is stretch marks on the body. Another name is striae (translated from Latin — stripes). Such an unpleasant phenomenon can cause feelings, many are shy of striae and hide them under their clothes, do not like to undress on the beach. Therefore, the solution to this problem is very relevant. Nowadays, hardware cosmetology has a wide range of effective procedures and medications for striae. It is worth noting that folk remedies to combat them, when used correctly, are no less effective.

What are stretch marks, and why do they appear?

Striae appear due to ruptures of the subcutaneous layers of the epidermis. As the fetus grows, the abdomen stretches and if the body lacks collagen and elastin, then a rupture occurs. Despite the fact that the ruptures are internal, there are also noticeable traces on the surface. The tears have different shapes and lengths, forming a peculiar pattern of scars.

New striae are usually pink, purple or light purple, their color depends on the size and depth. The unhealthy color is due to the fact that internal ruptures are filled with connective tissue permeated with small capillaries. There is no collagen and elastin in the connective tissue, so striae cannot disappear spontaneously.

After some time, the dermis, where the scars have formed, acquires a normal shade, but it will still differ from the main surface. Due to the absence of melanin in the filled tissue , the scars do not tan.

Who is at risk?

Many girls are concerned about what factors contribute to the formation of gaps, and whether it is possible to avoid them.

There are many reasons why the natural functions in the epidermis are disrupted. Scars can be hereditary: if your mother or grandmother has tears on her body, then you can also encounter them. You can check with mom when they appeared, what measures she took to get rid of stretch marks after childbirth.

There are also some factors, affecting the process of stretch marks formation:

1. Age. After 30 years the body slows down the process of collagen production, respectively, increases the likelihood of striae on the body.
2. Overweight. Girls who have gained weight dramatically while carrying a child have a higher risk of scarring.
3. Vitamin deficiency. Insufficient intake of vitamins during gestation negatively affects the overall condition of the body.
4. Endocrine diseases. The density of the skin and its elasticity depends on the amount of collagen and elastin, the hormones progesterone and estrogen are responsible for their production.
5. Bad habits. Smoking has a very detrimental effect on the condition of the skin and hair, so you should refrain from a bad habit.

Scars appear on the abdomen, thighs and buttocks. On the breast, due to the rapid growth of glands, from the arrival of a large amount of milk for feeding.

Do not despair, and believe that breaks are inevitable, and there are no options to prevent or remove them.

During pregnancy , it is necessary start caring for the most vulnerable areas of the body from the first months, especially if there is a hereditary factor. The skin needs maximum hydration and nutrition. At the same time, only approved and hypoallergenic products containing a large amount of vitamin E should be used as a preventive measure.

The most secure ones include:

• almond oil;
• olive oil;
• avocado oil;
• peach oil;
• special lotions for pregnant women (it is better to buy in pharmacies).

You need to use 2 apply twice a day, morning and evening, immediately after a shower, to the abdomen, thighs, buttocks and chest. The oil or lotion should be rubbed in with gentle, massaging movements until it is completely absorbed. You should not apply too greasy a layer, everything should be in moderation, success is guaranteed not by the amount of the product, but by its regular use.

Not an unimportant factor in the prevention of striae is sufficient water intake during pregnancy. Do not forget to drink clean water, it is necessary for cell renewal in the body and maintaining skin elasticity. Proper nutrition and taking vitamin complexes developed for pregnant women is also an excellent prevention.

Using a bandage in the third trimester of pregnancy, to maintain the abdomen, and to relieve the muscles of the back. It is necessary to choose the right size of the bra to avoid lacerations on the chest. It is mandatory to wear specially designed nursing bras, since during this period the size of the mammary glands especially increases.

Is it possible to get rid of stretch marks at home?

It will be quite problematic to overcome existing scars at home. If it does not work out to remove them completely, then you can reduce the manifestation. Home care methods include wraps, peeling, scrubbing using natural oils and honey.

It is worth remembering that it is most effective at home to deal with early manifestations of striae while they are pink or pale purple. Striae that have acquired a whitish color are more difficult to treat at home.

Let’s consider several ways of home care for problem areas

Wrapping is a procedure in which a special gel or body cream is applied to the body in a dense layer, then wrapped in food wrap to create a “greenhouse effect”. This unusual method allows you to quickly deliver nutrients deep into the epidermis, for its speedy recovery. The wrapping time should not exceed 60 minutes. After wrapping, remove excess lotion with a clean towel, without rinsing.

Scrubbing and peeling is advisable to apply on the hips and buttocks, the skin there is not as sensitive as on the abdomen. Scrubbing increases blood circulation in the tissues of the buttocks and thighs, thereby triggering the process of cell repair. As a scrub, natural ground coffee, fine sea salt, sugar are also used, pre-mixed with the base. Olive or almond oil, as well as honey, can serve as a basis. With caution, you need to use ground pepper or ginger in homemade scrubs. Despite the favorable, warming properties, there is a high probability of allergic reactions.

Regular use of wraps, peeling and massage have a positive effect on the condition of the skin, helping to prevent age-related and postpartum changes

How to properly deal with stretch marks

Many girls are interested in how to properly deal with stretch marks, and what methods are most effective to get rid of this problem once and for all. Work on getting rid of scars you should start as early as possible after giving birth. The ideal option is via 2 weeks, thus increasing the chance of getting rid of the problem as soon as possible.

The first way. The use of oils and various cosmetics at home, which are rubbed into problem areas.

To effectively fight stretch marks at home, you will need patience and perseverance. To do this, the following methods are used:

1. 1. Daily massage of problem areas with the use of almond oil, wheat germ, peach or olive oil. Massage should be performed without stretching along the massage lines from bottom to top. For greater efficiency, it is worth using massage brushes with natural bristles, the so-called “dry massage” effectively warms up, speeding up metabolism, preparing for further care. It is not necessary to use massage brushes on very sensitive skin, the risk of microtrauma and irritation is high.

• Self-made scrubs. The basis of home scrubs can be crushed coffee beans, ground apricot kernels and even sugar.

Scrub recipe: 100 grams sour cream mixed with 2 tablespoons ground coffee and mix thoroughly. The resulting mixture should be used on problem areas of the body for 10-15 minutes before taking a shower, rubbing it into problem areas with massage movements.

Creams from striae, which are sold in stores and pharmacies, can also be useful, provided they are used regularly. In such creams and gels, it is necessary to pay attention to the components.

The active ingredients in the composition are:

• essential oils;
• fruit acids;
• extracts of medicinal plants;
• elastin and collagen;
• mummy ( bee production product)

The second way. Physical exercises. Sport promotes early recovery after childbirth and helps to regain its former shape, besides has a beneficial effect on the elasticity of the skin. It has been proven that physical activity prevents the formation of new striae, but unfortunately, it will not get rid of existing ones. Developed by a lot of complexes and exercises that are aimed at maintaining physical fitness during pregnancy and childbirth itself, for example, yoga. For those who were actively engaged in sports before giving birth (at least it is 2-3 days per week), the skin is toned and more elastic, which means that the probability of ruptures during pregnancy is less. There are various ways to recover after childbirth with the help of physical exercises, but you can start them no earlier than after 3 months and only after the doctor’s permission.

The third way. Professional methods of eliminating stretch marks cosmetologically. Modern cosmetology helps to solve the problem of ruptures by resorting to proven methods. Before you start the procedures, you definitely need to consult a cosmetologist. Each method has its own contraindications.

1. Mesotherapy. The procedure is as follows: nutritious cocktails and special mixtures are injected under the patient’s skin through injections. These injections are individually selected for each patient. They contain nutrients: amino acids and vitamins, enzymes and collagen. This technique is highly effective, but it will take at least 10 sessions to significantly improve the relief.
2. Laser grinding. This method is suitable for the treatment of both fresh scars and old scars. It allows you to significantly lighten new striae and make small breaks less noticeable. As for old stretch marks, sanding smoothes and adds pigment, hiding the damage. This technique affects the skin it consists in the evaporation of its upper layers, due to which the skin is renewed and the relief is smoothed. Removal of stretch marks with a laser is an excellent method that brings a positive result, but it is impossible to resort to it immediately after childbirth, at least after 3 or 4 months . Depending on the volume and depth of the striae, one procedure may not be enough, so several more sessions may be needed for a visible effect. The interval between the procedures is 1 month. After laser grinding, crusts appear on the treated area, but later they will disappear, and in their place there will be a smooth body.
3. Vacuum massage. The effect is achieved due to the study of problem areas by a professional apparatus, whose work consists in retracting the problem area with a certain force. This technique strengthens muscles and blood vessels, and also enhances blood circulation, thereby accelerating the regeneration of subcutaneous cells.
4. Laser nanoperforation. The procedure is less traumatic for the skin, it is based on laser treatment with a nozzle that splits the beam into nano rays. During the treatment , the surface, visible layer of the dermis is completely renewed. The scars become almost invisible.
5. Fractional thermolysis. Under the influence of heat, the layer with striae is removed. For this purpose, thermal lasers are used, splitting the beam stream into a lattice in the form of microbeams. The technique removes even deep and long-standing striae and scars.
6. Chemical peeling. This is a procedure for removing dead particles with the help of acid, so that the dermis is refreshed and becomes more taut. The type of remedy is selected individually depending on the volume and size of the scars. Simply put, chemical peeling is a specific acid burn, which is carried out by an expert, as a result of which the regeneration of the skin and the production of collagen begins.
7. Diamond microdermabrasion. A variant of mechanical grinding of the skin, in which the upper layer is removed, which is subject to the formation of striae, thereby leveling the relief.
8. Ozone therapy. It consists in conducting atomic oxygen together with an ozone mixture under the skin. Problem areas are pricked with a syringe with a very thin needle. Ozone therapy allows you to start the processes of renewal of the epidermis, by saturating tissues with oxygen.

All of the above tools will work only when they are systematically used and preferably in a complex. Remember that it is always easier to prevent a problem than to deal with its consequences.

Therefore, it is necessary to pay special attention to nutrition during gestation and after childbirth, adding to your diet products that promote the active synthesis of elastin and collagen in the body. These products include: eggs, lean meat, unsalted cheese, nuts and vegetable oils. It is also necessary to control your weight, try not to overeat and reduce your sugar intake.