How to Stretch marks: why they appear and how to prevent them

If there is something around which there are countless myths, those are stretch marks and cellulite. The rumor mill insists that stretch marks are things of a few that are not cared for properly. However, the reality is that almost all of us - men and women - are susceptible to suffering them in our own flesh. Having a clear understanding of why these stretch marks appear and trying to ignore the myths could help us, if not to never have them, but to avoid them as much as possible or make them less intense than they can be. Why do stretch marks appear? Stretch marks appear as atrophied areas of the skin, which have an irregular and normally thin surface. These are usually red when they are recent and white when they have been around for a while. Among other characteristics, they do not turn brown when we sunbathe, but rather remain the same color. Stretch marks usually appear due to prolonged distension of the skin. They tend to appear more commonly in women, but men also tend to suffer from them. The main reason for the appearance of stretch marks is distension in the skin. When the skin is stretched abruptly, the collagen and elastic fibers break, forming stretch marks. This distension is usually intense and prolonged and can be due to sudden weight gain - or loss - or, in many cases, pregnancy. The areas of the body most susceptible to these injuries are the chest, arms, buttocks, abdomen, and hips. Causes for the appearance of stretch marks The reality is that the exact mechanism by which stretch marks appear is not yet known, but in addition to sudden weight gain, we can find other causes: Pregnancy, due to the distension that occurs in the abdominal area, is likely to cause stretch marks in that area. Rapid development at puberty. In some people, especially men, at puberty, there can be a sudden change in muscle mass, so the skin has to stretch a lot and very quickly. The consumption of corticosteroids. Some diseases must be treated with this drug, which can cause the degeneration of collagen fibers. What can we do to prevent the appearance of stretch marks? The ideal way to prevent their appearance is to maintain an adequate and stable weight, trying not to go on diets that are too extreme and fast, which can lead to the appearance of these stretch marks. In any case, it is not always enough to try to maintain our weight, since there are things that we cannot avoid, such as weight gain during pregnancy. Other preventions that we must take into account are trying to do physical activity on a daily basis, avoiding staying in a specific position for a long time, and moisturizing our skin on a regular basis, even several times a day. Consuming water, foods rich in fiber, and trying not to eat too much fat can also help us prevent its appearance. In addition to this, when the first red stretch marks appear, we must try not to touch them roughly or scratch them since the skin could be further damaged.