Stretch Marks Getting Under Your Skin?

"I had big, deep wide ones on my stomach. You could run your finger over them and it was like falling into a pit. They were super wrinkly and saggy. Now, the skin is more even and smooth.
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Do you avoid certain clothing styles because you don't want people seeing the silvery stretch marks that appear on your upper arms or decolletage? It doesn't have to be that way anymore! Why do I have stretch marks? Stretch marks are the result of a loss of the body's normal structural components, including collagen and elastin. There are five main causes of stretch marks: pregnancy, growth spurt during adolescence, heavy weight lifting, extreme weight gain/weight loss and medications such as steroid creams or oral steroids. Unfortunately, genetics are also responsible for determining whether you'll develop them.
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Says dermatologist Dr Sadhana Deshmukh, "Stretch marks acquired during pregnancy can be visible around the tummy area, and they grow down to thighs and even stretch further to knees and outer and inner arms." How to treat the marks It's important for mothers to understand that fully preventing stretch marks isn't possible. Dr Palshetkar says, "Stretch marks are a part and parcel of pregnancy, irrespective of age or the number of pregnancies a woman has gone through. In some cases, they take as long as five to six years to disappear." However, a strict skin-care regimen, which includes moisturising your skin with cocoa or shea butter twice or thrice a day can go a long way in reducing the severity of the marks. "Regular use of body oils and creams is mandatory during pregnancy because your skin becomes more dry at that time," she says. Adds Dr Goel, "Creams containing Tretinoin and tazarotene (prescription retinoid) can rebuild collagen within stretch marks and improve their appearance. However, they should not be used during pregnancy.
For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Worried-about-pregnancy-stretch-marks/articleshow/27674386.cms