Stretch marks! The body bugbear of women everywhere. But what are they and how do they form?
When your skin stretches on the outside, the inside layers stretch too, causing the lower layers of your skin fibres to tear. This creates tissue damage, the red angry stripes of inflammation you sometimes see on your skin.
This often happens if you have had a baby. But don’t worry – you’re not alone. In fact, around 90% of pregnant women get stretch marks.
Stretch marks are a perfectly normal part of becoming a mum and after having a baby, most stretch marks will fade and become less noticeable, but they do not disappear completely.
However, there are thing you can do to help reduce the appearance of stretchmarks on your skin.
- Moisturise
Keeping skin supple will not only make stretch marks look less noticeable, (smooth and moisturised skin will always look its best) but some products contain ingredients that actually help reduce Stetch marks. 81% of new mums agree it improved the appearance of their stretch marks in just 4 weeks.
- Exercise
Exercise is important for good skin as it gets oxygen rich blood pumping through the body and will tone your skin helping you look and feel better. It’s also a great way to get you back in shape after giving birth.
- Disguise them
Try a self-tan to make you feel more body confident and help minimise the appearance of stretch marks. Treat yourself pto a professional spray tan or do it yourself at home. You should gently exfoliate and moisturise your skin before applying your tan.
- Drink lots of water
Hydrate your skin from the inside to help keep it looking its best. Drink around 2-3 litres a day to keep skin and connective tissues elastic and smooth. Your skin will thank you for it!