What are Stretch Marks?

What causes stretch marks?

Stretch marks, are scars caused by hormonal changes or rapid and excessive weight gain which damages the epidermis. They usually appear as bands of lines on the skin which range from a purplish, pinkish to silvery hue. When pressure is placed on the skin’s connective tissues in the dermis layer, the collagen matrix support system and the elastin structure tears, which results in bruising, swelling and scarring of the dermis. In women, hormonal changes can not only result in weight gain but also in slowed collagen regeneration and a weaker collagen support structure, so the epidermis displays the damage done at a cellular level, in the form of stretch marks. Stretch marks are often seen on the belly after pregnancy or sudden weight gain, and are also commonly found on the legs, upper arms, breasts, hips and buttocks.

How can you prevent stretch marks?

Ideally, the best prevention for stretch marks is to avoid sudden weight gain. While this can be difficult when it is caused by hormonal issues or pregnancy, preparing your skin in the early stages of weight gain may help to prevent stretch marks from forming later.

Eating healthy – Choosing to eat a balanced diet which is low in sugar, salt and saturated fats is a good start. Eat fresh produce enriched with vitamins, antioxidants and minerals, and foods that contain essential fatty acids Omega 3 and Omega 6. Nuts, fish, and healthy vegetable oils are all good sources.
Drinking water – Drinking plenty of fluids so that your skin is well hydrated can help to retain elasticity and prevent stretch marks.
Exercising regularly – Exercising daily to prevent or minimise weight gain can also help.
Moisturising – Moisturising your body to keep your skin well hydrated. A super hydrating cream such as the Intensive Cream is great for all-over body application. It contains Lanolin, which restores the skin lipids by assisting their function to hold moisture within the skin.
Using a stretchmark cream – Applying a cream or serum specifically designed to prevent or treat stretchmarks to areas which are most prone to them.

The Body Slimfit Stretch Mark Reductor + Slimming Serum is a highly effective stretchmark cream which will help to prevent stretch marks in a number of ways. This unique serum contains powerful ingredients which will:

exfoliate dead skin cells from the epidermis
boost the rate of collagen production
stimulate the body’s fat burning process at a cellular level
decrease the metabolism of glucose into fat deposits
provide excellent hydration
generate skin cell repair
firm, tone and improve skin colour

A number of unique actives combine to deliver these benefits. Caffeine Pro-complex, Fisetin, and Raspberry Ketone are powerful plant-derived sources able to increase the body’s metabolic fat burning process, helping to inhibit weight gain. Soy Isoflavones, L-Carnitine and Spirulina Platensis Extract are also natural ingredients which encourage the regeneration of collagen in the connective tissues and eliminate toxins from fat cells.

Another key ingredient in this stretchmark cream is an extract from the native African Baobab Tree, which has been used for centuries by African women for skincare. The fruit from the African Baobab Tree is an extremely rich source of many vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants, all of which provide important nutrients to greatly improve the skin’s condition. This extract has a unique function, imagine it creating an invisible tightening net around your skin and you will understand why it is a key ingredient for stretchmarks. In the arid plains of Africa, the African Baobab Tree is natively used as a source of water, food and nutrients hence also known as the ‘Tree of Life’.

Can you get rid of old stretch marks?

Yes you can! Stretch marks may fade with time, but this can take several years. The good news is that even if you have old stretch marks, there are easy ways to help diminish them in a matter of weeks or months.

Exfoliating – Our skin cells are constantly dying and shedding, so encouraging this process with exfoliation can help. Exfoliating with the Anti-Cellulite Sugar Body Scrub is a great way to remove dead skin cells, stimulate new skin cell regeneration, polish and smooth the epidermis.
Using a stretchmark cream – Follow this up with an application of the Body Slimfit Stretch Mark Reductor + Slimming Serum to diminish the appearance of stretch marks and regenerate collagen and elastin. Apply to problematic areas only and twice daily for best results. Active ingredients Siegesbeckia Orientalis and Centella Asiatica Extract will not only stimulate collagen production but also help to reduce skin discolouration and improve skin tone.

What are the best products for treating stretch marks?

The best treatments for stretch marks address all the contributing factors;

Weight gain – The Body Slimfit Stretch Mark Reductor + Slimming Serum contains ingredients to induce fat-burning to counter rapid, excessive weight gain, one of the underlying causes of stretch marks.
Weakened skin structure – Many ingredients in this innovative product address weakened collagen structures and stimulate collagen production in order to strengthen the connective tissues and improve skin elasticity.
Dehydrated and dull skin – Other ingredients improve the skin’s hydration levels, quality and tone, reducing the discolouration that occurs with stretch marks.

The Stretch Mark Reductor + Slimming Serum addresses all of the above and contains some of nature’s most super-charged ingredients to improve your skin and banish stretch marks. It is available to purchase Australia-wide at your local Chemist Warehouse store and online. So other than your stretch marks, what else have you got to lose?

Can you get rid of stretch marks naturally?

Getting rid of those dreaded silvery or purplish lines without invasive surgery or laser treatments is possible. One option is time. Stretch marks tend to fade naturally over time, but you probably will have to wait a lifetime for this to happen. If sitting around waiting doesn’t appeal to you, here are 3 effective tips on how you can speed up the process naturally.

1. Exfoliate

Here’s a fun fact: we shed approximately 30,000 to 40,000 dead skin cells every minute. While it sounds like a lot, it is in fact only a very small percentage of the trillions of skin cells that we have. To diminish stretch marks naturally you can help remove dead skin cells from the epidermis and regenerate new ones by exfoliating daily. Dry brushing with a vegetable bristle brush before your shower is a good method or exfoliating in the bath or shower with our Anti-Cellulite Sugar Body Scrub. This amazing scrub will remove dead skin cells, stimulate skin cell regeneration, polish, smooth and nourish the epidermis to gradually diminish stretch marks.

2. Lose weight

While stretch marks can form because of hormonal disruption such as puberty, pregnancy or menopause, it is commonly the rate at which weight is gained that causes the skin to become scarred. The collagen and elastin support structures in the dermis can’t keep up with rapid weight gain. They become weakened and damaged, resulting in stretch marks on the outer layer of skin, known as the epidermis. Losing weight is the first step to reducing stretch marks and preventing new ones. Our Body Slimfit range of slimming and firming creams contain innovative ingredients to induce powerful, localised fat-burning processes, helping you to lose weight naturally. To lose weight successfully the Body Slimfit products should be applied to problematic areas twice daily. They should be used in conjunction with regular exercise and a balanced, healthy diet.

3. Nourish the skin

Skin which is dehydrated and lacking in the vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids, which are essential for good skin health will not cope as well with sudden weight gain. Healthy skin, which is nourished, supple and has robust collagen and elastin production rates, will withstand rapid stretching and recover with less visible scarring. Keeping your skin well moisturised with essential nutrients and using a Stretchmark Reductor Serum specifically designed to combat stretch marks is a great way to provide the nourishment it needs for increased resilience.

Do stretch marks fade naturally?

Stretch marks do fade naturally over time, slowly losing colour making them less visible. But without assistance, it can take quite a long time for stretch marks to fade and can depend of various factors. Fading may not occur if the skin continues to be damaged, such as with repeated cycles of weight gain and weight loss.

What natural ingredients can help treat stretch marks?

The Body Slimfit Stretch Mark Reductor + Slimming Serum contains a range of natural ingredients to nourish the skin and treat stretch marks. L-carnitine, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Soy Isoflavones, Caffeine Pro-complex, African Baobab Tree Extract, Fisetin and Raspberry Ketone are just a few of the naturally powerful ingredients helping to treat stretch marks. Their combined actives work to inhibit weight gain and improve skin tone and resilience.

Treating stretch marks at the level where the damage begins, within the dermis, is important. Soy Isoflavones, L-Carnitine and Spirulina Platensis Extract are natural ingredients which encourage the regeneration of collagen in the connective tissues and eliminate toxins from fat cells. Extracts from the African Baobab Tree are rich in many vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants, all of which provide important nutrients to nourish the skin’s supportive structures. Botanic sources Siegesbeckia Orientalis and Centella Asiatica Extract also stimulate collagen production to firm and strengthen the skin while reducing discolouration. A healthy balanced diet which is low in sugar, salt and saturated fats and high in vitamins, nutrients and essential fatty acids is another way of providing your body with natural ingredients to improve the quality and resilience of your skin. Drinking plenty of water to keep your skin well hydrated is important for retaining elasticity and preventing stretch marks.

What are the best natural products for treating stretch marks?

The best natural products for treating stretch marks include exfoliators, stretch mark removal serums and creams specifically targeting stretch marks and designed to slim, firm and tone the body. Our range of Body Slimfit products and our Anti-Cellulite Sugar Body Scrub contain natural actives to support the skin by reducing weight gain, boosting collagen production and brightening the skin thus helping to prevent, minimise and fade stretch marks.

How can you remove stretch marks?

There are several ways to remove those annoying, discoloured lines on our skin known as stretch marks. For stretch marks that form on the stomach after weight gain or pregnancy, a tummy tuck – surgically known as ‘abdominoplasty’ – results in the removal of excess skin and the subsequent removal of stretch marks. That’s a pretty extreme method though! And what can we do to remove stretch marks that form on other body parts, such as the breasts, upper arms, thighs, hips and buttocks? And how do we remove them from our stomach without resorting to surgery? One method of stretch mark removal which is less invasive than surgery is laser therapy but then it is expensive, time consuming to attend multiple appointments and many of us simply don’t want to resort to that. If you want a cheap, painless, non-invasive and relatively simple method of removing your stretch marks you should try a stretch mark removal cream such as Alpha Keri’s Body Slimfit Stretch Mark Reductor + Slimming Serum.

Understanding what causes stretch marks will help you understand how the stretch mark reductor cream works. Stretch marks occur after rapid weight gain causes the skin to stretch placing pressure on the connective tissues and damaging the collagen matrix support system. A combination of ingredients and advanced skin science technologies – Bio-Enzyme Collagen-Filler Technology and Fat Burner Technology – in the Stretch Mark Reductor + Slimming Serum work in three ways to remove stretch marks. They:

exfoliate the skin
stimulate new skin cell regeneration and collagen production
speed up the body’s fat burning process

The result is firmer, smoother, streak-free skin while fat cells are diminished to help prevent the formation of new stretch marks.

How much does it cost to have stretch marks removed?

Unless you want to spend large amounts on surgery or laser therapy, it can cost as little as $49.99 for a 200ml bottle of the dermatologically tested Alpha Keri Body Slimfit Stretch Mark Reductor + Slimming Serum which will not only reduce the appearance of your stretch marks but improve the overall appearance of your skin and provide a slimming, firming effect too.

What helps remove stretch marks?

Exfoliating the skin and nurturing it with hydrating, nourishing products will help improve the skin’s quality and appearance. In addition to that regular applications of our innovative stretch mark removal cream will infuse the skin with ingredients to stimulate collagen production helping to repair the damage which occurred when the skin was stretched. Undertaking a regular exercise programme and a healthy diet will help to maintain your weight so that unless pregnancy occurs, you are not likely to stretch the skin again and cause further stretch marks.

What can treat old stretch marks?

The good news is that our skin cells are constantly dying, shedding and new skin cells are forming. And with time old stretch marks may fade. But this process can take a long, long time. One way to speed up the reduction in stretch marks is to use a cream designed to reduce the appearance of stretchmarks. The Body Slimfit Stretch Mark Reductor + Slimming Serum is a highly effective cream that works on old and new stretch marks. Combining this with exfoliation will help to treat stretch marks quickly and effectively. Exfoliation removes the build-up of old, dead skin cells and allows the stretch mark removal cream to penetrate to the deeper layers of the skin, repairing damage to collagen and encouraging new skin cell growth. Dry brushing before your shower is an effective exfoliation method, or simply use a body scrub such as the Alpha Keri Anti-Cellulite Sugar Body Scrub to exfoliate in the shower.

Is it possible to remove stretch marks completely?

The removal of stretch marks will vary between individuals due to factors such as age, weight, skin type and genetics. IThe best approach is to try and maintain your weight and continue applying the Body Slimfit Stretch Mark Reductor + Slimming Serum on a twice-daily basis to help reduce your stretch marks and prevent new ones from forming, while visibly improving the appearance of your skin. Our testing shows that 93% of women* reported a visible reduction of stretch marks after using the Body Slimfit Stretch Mark Reductor + Slimming Serum for just 4 weeks. If you think it’s too good to be true, try it for yourself & be the judge. After all you’ve got nothing to lose except stretchmarks! *Tested under dermatological skin specialist control – 30 women with visible stretch marks and excessive body fat at 28 days. Laboratory measured Skin elasticity, Hydration testing. 2013 Centrum Kosmetykow Dr Koziej.

How do you prevent pregnancy stretch marks?

When we are expecting a baby we don’t always consider what else we should expect during the pregnancy by way of changes to our body. Some of those unwanted changes can linger for a long time after we have welcomed our new addition to the family, and one of the most unwelcome changes has to be those annoying silvery-purple lines known as stretch marks.

Stretch marks form when our skin is stretched quickly as the baby grows, which places pressure on the connective tissues resulting in damage to the collagen layers. We can prevent this from happening by using skincare which intensively hydrates the skin, creates a protective barrier to retain moisture and provides it with nourishment.

What cream is good for stretch marks during pre and post pregnancy?

Pre-pregnancy and during pregnancy, use a 2 step skincare routine to hydrate your skin and promote elasticity. In the shower, use a body wash that not only gently cleanses but also rebalances moisture levels. The Alpha Keri Shower & Bath Oil is the perfect choice for this as it is super hydrating and assists with repairing the skin whilst cleansing. After your shower, apply the Intensive Body Cream to deeply nourish the skin. Both products are Lanolin-rich formulas. Lanolin is known for its ability to retain 200% of its weight in water. Hence it helps restore skin lipids which boost the skin’s function to retain more moisture.

Post pregnancy add a 3rd step to this skincare routine – a stretch mark cream that is specifically designed to support the production of collagen and skin cell regeneration. The Alpha Keri Body Slimfit Stretch Mark Reductor + Slimming Serum contains powerful botanic ingredients to exfoliate the skin while antioxidants, amino acids and plant derivatives encourage new skin cell formation and improve hydration levels and skin elasticity.

While the active ingredients will visibly reduce your stretch marks, the benefits don’t stop there. Users report a slimming effect, along with softer and firmer skin. The overall appearance of the skin is improved, looking visibly younger and more toned.

Stretch marks can also form on the breasts post-pregnancy during lactation, as the rapid influx of milk causes the breasts to swell quickly. Applying a moisturiser such as the Intensive Body Cream to the bust during pregnancy & breastfeeding can help to maintain the skin’s elasticity and minimise stretch marks.

After you have weaned your baby, you can apply the Stretch Mark Reductor & Slimming Serum to the bust to reduce the appearance of stretchmarks.

When do stretch marks occur during pregnancy?

Stretch marks form when your skin doesn’t have enough elasticity to keep up with the rate at which it is being stretched beyond its capacity. They occur during pregnancy most commonly in the latter months, when the baby is gaining weight at a rapid rate in the last trimester. But every woman’s body and pregnancy is different, so stretch marks can form at any stage not only on the belly but also on the legs, buttocks and breasts.

Keeping up your pre-pregnancy fitness levels as long as you can and maintaining a steady weight gain within the recommended guidelines can help to prevent the formation of stretch marks during pregnancy, but genetics plays a major part too. Unfortunately, if stretch marks run in the family, your likelihood of developing them during pregnancy is higher.

How can I get rid of pregnancy stretch marks?

Keeping your skin well moisturised and staying hydrated will help to keep stretch marks at bay during the pregnancy.

Post pregnancy, the most effective way to help get rid of stretchmarks is to apply the Body Slimfit Stretch Mark Reductor & Slimming Serum. The stretch mark reductor cream should be applied twice daily in a circular motion. It has proven results with a study revealing a whopping 93%* of women confirming a visible reduction in their stretch marks and 83%* of women experiencing a visible fat tissue reduction after just 4 weeks.

For maximum results – before applying the stretch mark cream, exfoliate with the Anti-Cellulite Sugar Body Scrub. This amazing sugar scrub works by removing dead skin cells and stimulating new skin cell regeneration, also paving the way for your stretch mark cream to work more effectively by allowing actives to penetrate to the deeper layers of the skin.

What to apply for stretch marks during pregnancy?

To keep your skin soft and supple during your pregnancy, use the 2-in-1 Alpha Keri Shower & Bath Oil in the shower and afterwards as a body oil to massage onto your skin. Alternatively you can use the Intensive Body Cream as a body moisturiser to keep your skin super soft, deeply hydrated and elastic.

With these tips in mind, you will be well equipped to prevent stretchmarks & fade their appearance if they do show up with the arrival of bub!

*Tested under dermatological skin specialist control – 30 women with visible stretch marks and excessive body fat at 28 days. Laboratory measured Skin elasticity, Hydration testing. 2013 Centrum Kosmetykow Dr Koziej.