Did you get stretch marks after giving birth? The article contains a lot of useful information on how to get rid of them at home.
Can anything else in the world make a woman happier than motherhood? But, on the other hand, pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding are the most stressful periods for the female body, which few people pass without a trace.
Very often, immediately while carrying a baby or immediately after its birth, a young mother faces problems such as excess weight, cellulite and stretch marks. And if the first two are completely solvable, it will not be possible to completely get rid of stretch marks, at least using conservative methods. And to reduce their manifestations, it is necessary to make considerable efforts.
How to make skin elastic after childbirth?
Striae (stretch marks) are pale pink, bluish, purple, and borage scars that appear on the abdomen, thighs, calves, breasts, or arms of women, often during pregnancy or after childbirth.
Despite the fact that there is a lot of talk about stretch marks, why they appear, and how to get rid of them, some women still think that scars and furrows that disfigure the skin appear due to its sudden stretching.
For example, if a woman has gained weight sharply or during pregnancy. In fact, our skin is naturally so elastic that a mechanical factor alone would clearly not be enough for stretch marks to appear. According to cosmetologists and endocrinologists, stretch marks have a whole range of interdependent causes:
- hormonal disorders (it is known that when preparing to become a mother, while breastfeeding a child, a woman experiences a real hormonal storm)
- deterioration of blood supply to the skin
- hypoxia and insufficient nutrition of skin cells
- loss of moisture
- insufficient production of collagen and elastane
- mechanical factor (elastane fibers are torn in places where the skin is subjected to the most intense stretching, the places of these microtraumas are “bound” by connective tissue)
IMPORTANT: Experts say that a woman should think about how to make her skin elastic after childbirth as soon as she finds out that she is “in a position.”
The set of preventive measures includes:
- proper, sufficient, but not excessive nutrition
- compliance with the drinking regime
- feasible sports activities
- weight gain control
- the use of store-bought creams, lotions, and gels for stretch marks for expectant and young mothers
- washing the skin with water at a contrasting temperature
- wearing a bandage
- the use of folk remedies for firmness and elasticity of the skin, for example, mumiyo, cosmetic clay, bee products, etc.
Where do striae form?
As mentioned above, stretch marks on the body can appear anywhere on the body. Precisely the one that undergoes sudden changes in weight (increase in volume). Based on this, it becomes clear that during pregnancy, stretch marks appear on the chest, abdomen, and thighs.
In adolescents, during puberty and with sudden changes in weight and volume in different areas of the body, stretch marks appear on the hips, lower back (they are transverse in nature), chest and abdominal stretch marks.
If we talk about pathology, then long-term use of hormonal drugs (glucocorticoids, such as prednisolone, hydrocortisone, etc.), as well as Itsenko-Cushing syndrome, which is accompanied by a similar hormonal imbalance, causes skin atrophy, significantly worsening its properties. In such cases, stretch marks are widespread; they appear not only on the body, but also on the face. At the same time, stretch marks occupy large areas and are themselves longer and wider than stretch marks that occur during pregnancy and adolescence.
How to remove stretch marks on the skin after childbirth? Photos before and after
If, despite preventive measures or due to their absence after childbirth, stretch marks appear on the abdomen, hips, and chest, they can be completely removed using surgical methods. These include laser resurfacing and abdominoplasty (removal of damaged areas of skin). Other, less drastic methods can only make them less noticeable, but not completely eliminate them.
These include:
- massage
- microdermabrasion (grinding with microcrystals creates the effect of mechanical peeling)
- scrubbing
- use of cosmetic preparations (creams, gels, etc.)
- use of folk remedies
Diagnostics
You can determine stretch marks yourself by examining your body. Striae are wavy stripes from 1 to 10 cm long, 1 to 5 mm wide. They differ from the rest of the skin in color and texture. The stretch marks are located radially or parallel.
The use of corticosteroid ointments may cause stretch marks to form at the site of application, wherever it may be.
What are they like?
Striae can be colored differently depending on age. Fresh stripes are pink or red-purple in color due to injured vessels. They are called young stretch marks. Over time, the vessels heal, and connective tissue grows in places where they are broken. It does not contain melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color when exposed to sunlight. That's why old stretch marks are white and never tan.
Old stretch marks are always white and contain neither melanin nor collagen.
Symptoms of stretch marks
Since stretch marks are a microscopic injury, skin inflammation is felt at the site of their occurrence - burning and pain. The stretch mark then becomes red and itchy.
Laser for stretch marks after childbirth, before and after photos
In many cosmetology clinics today you can undergo laser resurfacing of stretch marks using a fractional laser. Judging by the reviews, this method turns out to be effective even when the stretch marks are large and old. The essence of the procedure is as follows:
- laser destroys scar tissue
- under its influence, healthy skin cells actively produce collagen
- blood microcirculation is restored, metabolic processes are accelerated, the regeneration process is more active
- Elastic young skin appears in places of stretch marks
There are almost no side effects to laser removal of stretch marks; the procedure itself is painless.
Unfortunately, young mothers cannot always resort to this method.
- Firstly, its cost is steep, and several procedures are often required
- Secondly, lactation, that is, breastfeeding, is a contraindication for laser resurfacing of stretch marks
- Thirdly, the laser will not be used if even the slightest inflammatory processes occur in the area of its influence, or if the woman suffers from dermatological diseases
Sport
Sports have a very good effect on the condition of the skin and keep it in good shape all the time. If a woman did any kind of exercise before pregnancy, and did some exercises during pregnancy, then the risk of stretch marks is low. However, when stretch marks have already appeared, sports will not help get rid of them.
Girls and women are usually advised to do gymnastics and swimming before pregnancy and while pregnant, noting that this helps avoid the appearance of stretch marks. Many also give recommendations on how to get rid of stretch marks if they appear. Young mothers give advice on a variety of methods to combat stretch marks. Many were helped by procedures in the salon in the form of wraps, peeling and others.
Massage for skin after childbirth
A massage in a salon or self-massage at home will not only help you get rid of stretch marks, but also generally improve the condition of your skin after childbirth.
IMPORTANT: Massage in the hips, legs or arms can be done no earlier than 6 weeks after birth, in the abdominal area - only after three months. You should consult your doctor first
Postpartum massage for stretch marks is a delicate procedure, during which there should be no intense impact on the skin and muscles. It requires technical awareness. You can watch the massage lesson on video. If you don’t have confidence in your own abilities, or if discomfort occurs during the procedure, it is better to entrust it to a professional massage therapist.
Remedies to combat stretch marks
It was already said above that without professional intervention we can talk about reducing the severity of stretch marks, and not completely getting rid of them, but even this, if everything is done correctly, is enough to make the skin look smooth and toned. Main. combine time-tested techniques.
Another important point is regularity, but all activities are quite simple to perform, they do not require any special knowledge, skills, or manipulations. You just need to set a goal and tune in to a successful end result, realizing that it will take more than one month to fight stretch marks.
Health. Goodbye stretch marks! (06/29/2014)
Massage treatments
An effective and effective way against sprains in the abdominal area. The only limitation is the fact that massage helps against new, that is, recently appeared stretch marks.
Massage is practically powerless against old stretch marks. This does not mean that it should be abandoned. The procedure is simply included as an auxiliary procedure, because it perfectly eliminates sagging and sagging.
Massage the skin dry or with special oils and creams. Among the former, the most popular are rosemary, almond, and citrus. There are no special instructions regarding movement technique. The main thing is to avoid overexposure. The skin needs to be pulled, pinched, patted so that the movements are noticeable, but do not cause pain.
You need to massage every day. If possible, it is best to carry out as many as two procedures daily, which will allow you to get visible results faster. The duration of the session should be at least half an hour. The minimum course must include at least 25-30 full procedures.
The massage can be combined with a shower, which is carried out according to the following scheme:
- Turn on warm water and with a washcloth made from natural fibers, begin to massage problem areas, making circular movements. Rinse with cool water.
- At a time, perform from 2 to 4 contrast showers, accompanied by a massage. When the water procedure is completed, the stretch marks are treated with cream. It is necessary to take either regenerating or moisturizing.
Cosmetic preparations and procedures
There is a whole range of measures to reduce the severity and number of stretch marks, but only if performed regularly:
- Baths. A mixture prepared from a glass of starch and two liters of water is poured into a filled bath. You need to take the procedure every other day for no more than a quarter of an hour.
- Wrap. Many women prefer to do this. Apply 10-12 drops of jasmine, rosemary, lavender, lemon and neroli oils to the body, as well as 2 tbsp. l. mixture of avocado and jojoba. Next, carry out a light and quick massage, and then wrap the problem area with cling film.
Do not allow strong tugging of the skin. If the film is tightened too much, the blood flow will be disrupted, which means there will be no effect.
Wrapped in film, they lie down, wrap themselves in a warm blanket or blanket, and remain in a horizontal position for about 30 minutes. This therapy brings results within a month.
- Ice wraps. Ideal for daily use. You should not limit yourself solely to ice obtained by freezing water. It is better to add aromatic and herbal oils to the liquid.
- Compress. Excellent for both old and new stretch marks. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice and salt per liter of hot water. It is permissible to use both sea and table fish, but large ones.
Dip a clean towel into the resulting solution and apply it to the area with stretch marks for about 30 seconds, and then change the compress to a cold one, obtained by wetting the fabric in cold water, which can be obtained by adding ice cubes.
The number of sessions should be 10-12. Compresses are done daily.
The described manipulations must be combined with diet and a variety of physical exercises, which will reduce the appearance of stretched skin when stretch marks become almost invisible.
‼️ MY BELLY a year after giving birth | Diastasis, stretch marks, umbilical hernia
