One of women's biggest concerns when dieting is the appearance of stretch marks.
They usually happen when the skin is stretched a lot over a short period of time. They can appear during pregnancy and during general weight gain or weight loss. The medical term is stria.
For women they normally appear on parts of the skin where fat is stored like the stomach, breasts, thighs and buttocks.
Stretch marks start as red lines and are slightly lifted on the skin. They are formed in the dermis which is the middle layer of the skin. This part of the skin is actually elastic and helps the skin keep its shape.
However, if the dermis is constantly stretched and has reached its limit, it will break and form into stretch marks. They may become pink, reddish brown or dark brown depending on skin colour and are usually formed in lines similar to scars.
There is no definitive cure for avoiding stretch marks but the following recommendations will help you to avoid them or fade the ones that have appeared:
• Eat foods or take supplements high in vitamins A, E and C in addition to your normal diet. (Note. Pregnant women should avoid taking more than 25,000 IU of vitamin A).
• Add foods or supplements to your diet that are high in zinc and silica which helps form collagen, the supporting fibres that are good for your skin. Foods like beetroots, brown rice, soy beans, leafy green vegetables, whole grains and bell peppers will help.
• Essential fatty acids found in many vegetables, vegetable oils and fish oils help to make cell walls.
• Brushing your skin with a loofah or skin brush when you bathe will stimulate circulation which helps to avoid their formation.
• Massage cocoa butter or vitamin E onto your skin or stretch marks after bathing.
Moisturizer creams containing AHAs (Alpha Hydroxyl Acid) can help reduce their appearance although creams won't necessarily prevent them.
More extreme methods can include:
Laser Treatment: May not remove them but it can help make them less noticeable.
Cosmetic Surgery: Is an extreme and expensive option but it can successfully remove stretch marks.
As a general rule you should massage your skin everyday with a moisturizer in order to improve the blood circulation to encourage new tissue to appear, and to eat healthy foods.
Finally, pregnant women can avoid stretch marks by simply eating enough to nourish themselves and their unborn child with a healthy, well balanced diet of advisable foods.
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