Stretch marks after weight loss are a common side effect of rapid weight loss and significant weight gain and loss.
They typically show up on the thighs, but they can appear on other areas like the stomach or buttocks too.
Stretch marks generally have a cyclical appearance when they first start to develop.
The stretch marks generally start off as red in color, then fade to purple or silver when they are close to disappearing completely.
Stretch marks can be treated with a few different methods, but most remedies for this issue require you to do some work on your own.
Are you ready to see these stubborn stretch marks disappear? I know how it feels because this happened to me too after rapid weight gain and loss.
Without any further ado, let’s dive in.
What Are Stretch Marks?
Stretch marks are a type of skin imperfection that results from the stretching and tearing of collagen fibers in the dermis.
This can occur in both men and women, but it is more common among post-pregnancy women and in middle-aged adults, often due to rapid weight loss.
These stretch marks usually appear during adolescence and early adulthood.
They generally start off as small red or purple marks with lighter patches of skin appearing between them at first, which gradually darken in color until they form a linear pattern along the line of stretch.
They usually disappear when the area regains elasticity at some point after puberty, like around 25 years old.
If you’ve had stretch marks in the past, you might be asking yourself, “How do I get them?”
They can form at any time after rapid weight gain or loss, but they are most common among people who have lost significant amounts of weight in a short period of time.
What Causes Stretch Marks?
Well, there are many factors that contribute to stretch marks. When hormones go out of whack, the skin is weakened, which makes it more susceptible to tearing or other damage.
Let’s find out what is behind those annoying stretch marks.
Dehydration
Imagine experiencing rapid weight loss without drinking plenty of water while you manage to keep your body mass index (BMI) low?
Well, this can be pretty stressful on your skin. Your skin needs water to maintain levels of collagen, which is the protein that gives skin structure to stretch marks.
When you don’t drink enough water during rapid weight loss, this results in your skin losing moisture, which eventually makes it more susceptible to tearing and other damage.
The best way to treat this issue is to drink enough water. Aim for a minimum of 64 ounces a day, but remember that more is better.
Underlying Hormonal Imbalance
Even a little bit of a hormone imbalance can wreak havoc on your body and cause problems like stretch marks.
The main hormones that affect your skin are estrogen and progesterone, which are both related to reproduction in women and menopause in women.
When these hormones aren’t working properly, they can cause the collagen fibers within the dermis to become weakened and stretch marks form as a result of this weakness.
Pregnancy can also throw your hormones out of balance and cause stretch marks, so you might want to consult your doctor if you’re worried about these marks.
Genetics
Stretch marks can be passed down from one generation to the next.
If your parents or other family members had stretch marks, there’s a good chance that you will too, especially if you follow a similar diet and lifestyle as them.
The same goes for hereditary hormonal imbalances and other factors.
If you suspect that genetics has played a role in your stretch marks, contact a physician to discuss this issue further.
Damaged Skin
If you lose all of your collagen, you won’t have enough support for your skin to stretch properly.
This makes it very vulnerable to damage and tear fairly easily, which can result in stretch marks when the skin isn’t fully recovered after losing substantial amounts of weight.
Overweight/Obesity
You might be wondering what’s the connection between obesity and stretch marks?
Well, there are a few that are worth clarifying here.
Firstly, it’s important to know that the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that excess weight is one of the main risk factors for developing stretch marks after rapid weight loss.
This is because as excess weight increases, the skin becomes stretched as well as plumped to become bigger and heavier.
Therefore, extra weight can disrupt the collagen fibers within the dermis and cause them to stretch.
Secondly, according to a study that was published in Clinics in Dermatology by a team of researchers from China’s Second Military Medical University, rapid weight loss during middle age has been linked to developing stretch marks on the face.
The researchers note that once you have stretch marks on your face, it’s more difficult for them to disappear than it is on other areas of your body. In fact, they can stay there for years on end.
Poor Diet
We already went over how a poor diet can contribute to stretch marks, so we won’t bore you with the details.
Suffice it to say, if you go on a weight loss diet where you don’t pay attention to your food intake, your skin will suffer greatly.
This is because if your skin isn’t getting any nourishment or protection, it will be constantly under stress and it will end up tearing more easily.
As mentioned above, this is very common among rapid weight loss dieters who are trying to lose substantial amounts of weight quickly.
Underlying Condition
If you have any underlying medical conditions, you’re more likely than others to develop stretch marks.
For example, if you’re suffering from hypertension or heart problems, your skin is under a significant amount of stress due to your condition.
If your skin is stretched out or weakened underneath by any supplements that you’re taking for your condition, then this can contribute not only to stretch marks but also other types of skin damage.
This is why it’s so important to make sure that you take proper care of yourself and don’t neglect any medical conditions.
Poor Skincare
Poor skincare is another factor that can contribute to stretch marks.
If you’re not regularly moisturizing your skin with quality products, then you might find that it’s more susceptible to damage and skin damage.
After all, when the skin is constantly under stress, it can’t do its job of protecting itself properly.
Remember to wash your face, moisturize it well, and use an effective SPF every day when you want to minimize the chances of your skin getting damaged or stretch marks.
How to Reduce Stretch Marks after Weight Loss
Let’s assume that you’ve been diligently working on reducing your body fat, and you’re now at a stage where you’re wondering how to get rid of those nasty stretch marks.
First, it’s important to note that you can’t eliminate stretch marks as quickly as you can lose weight. In fact, it can take a considerable amount of time to do so.
Not all treatments are the same. Some have been proven by clinical data and many have not.
7 Ways To Reduce Stretch Marks After Weight Loss
1. Laser Treatment
Laser treatments are said to be extremely effective in treating stretch marks.
After all, they get rid of the collagen fibers within the dermis, which is what makes them get stretched.
This is why it’s particularly important to use them if you suffer from stretch marks because this treatment will help reduce the damage to your skin and restore its ability to be elastic for a very long time.
The Laser City Group has different laser treatments that are specifically designed for different skin types, so you can choose the one that’s right for you.
2. Microneedling
Microneedling is a procedure that involves repeatedly puncturing the skin using a special needle.
It’s important to note that micro-needling can help with treating stretch marks, but it’s not always guaranteed to do so.
In fact, your chances of getting rid of stretch marks through this method aren’t very high.
The reason for this is because micro-needling essentially stimulates the skin and the faster-growing tissues within it – resulting in faster collagen production.
In some instances, this can result in creating new stretch marks on top of old ones.
3. Compression
The most important factor that we need to remember is that any new stretch mark you develop is not permanent – it’s just a scar.
For this reason, anytime you get a stretch mark, it’s important to do something to reduce its appearance so that it won’t be as noticeable.
One of the methods you can use to reduce the appearance of stretch marks is by using compression clothing or sleeves on your arms and legs.
There are many brands of these on the market and they’re available for both men and women.
4. Supplement With Vitamin E
Vitamin E has been proven to have some benefits when it comes to reducing the appearance of stretch marks.
For example, a study published in the International Journal of Dermatology showed how vitamin E can help improve stretch marks.
The easiest way to use vitamin E is by purchasing a quality supplement that contains this anti-oxidant property.
To be clear, this won’t eliminate your stretch marks but it can help reduce their appearance significantly!
5. Water
It’s important to stay hydrated when trying to reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
As mentioned previously, water will help moisturize your skin and make it healthier.
In fact, a study from the University of Vienna showed that hydration can help with collagen production as well as reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
In fact, it’s been reported that drinking 8 glasses of water a day can help reduce stretch marks by 16%.
6. Superfoods
A superfood is a food that contains a lot of nutrients that help your body in many ways.
For instance, omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are often linked to reducing the appearance of stretch marks.
It’s also reported that leafy greens like kale and spinach can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks because they contain vitamins and antioxidants that can prevent them from occurring in the first place.
It’s also important to remember that if you’re supplementing your diet with these foods, make sure you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables like spinach, sea vegetables, avocado, berries, lentils, etc.
7. Oatmeal
Oatmeal can actually help reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
By oatmeal, I mean the type that you can buy in a packet, not just the stuff that comes out of a bag.
Despite this fact, some people still think that oatmeal is just for breakfast. Not true!
Oatmeal has many benefits to your skin including reducing the appearance of stretch marks.
This is because oatmeal contains beta-glucan, which is a natural compound found in the skin of young babies and people with normal skin!
You can put it on your skin or ingest it by cooking with steel-cut oats.
An Enhanced Diet For Stretch Mark Reduction
In this section, I will show you how to remove stretch marks after weight loss naturally with the help of some superfoods you can add to your diet.
Supplementing your diet with these superfoods can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks and make your skin healthier.
Collagen
Collagen is a type of protein that’s found in your body and it can be one of the best ways to get rid of stretch marks.
Collagen is present in nearly every part of the body, but where it’s most prominent is in the dermis.
In fact, the dermis comprises more than 70% of your skin’s thickness. In some instances, collagen can be present even when there are no stretch marks present on the skin.
This is why you need to include collagen supplements into your diet on a regular basis to get rid of them quickly and completely.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is commonly used in many types of skin products because of its high level of healing properties.
Its gel-like consistency can be very soothing for your skin. Recently, studies have discovered that aloe vera has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
This is because an inflammatory response occurs when the body tries to repair damaged tissues, which is why you see it in instances where you have stretch marks.
Garlic
Garlic has been used for centuries to help improve the health of the body because of its natural healing properties.
In fact, a study published in the Journal of Food Chemistry showed that garlic is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent that can help cure many ailments, including stretch marks.
Some studies have even shown that garlic can be used to get rid of acne scars too!
One of the best ways to use garlic is by consuming it in a green form or cooking with it because this will help reduce the odor and allow you to get all of its benefits.
In addition, remember that it’s important to consume enough garlic so that your body can absorb enough selenium.
Collagen-Rich Foods
Now that you know that skin collagen can reduce stretch marks, the next question is ‘what foods contain collagen?
There are many foods that contain collagen, but they can’t do much if you don’t consume enough of them.
For instance, beef is a very high-protein food that’s very easy to consume.
Therefore, you can eat it on a regular basis to make sure your body can absorb enough collagen to reduce your stretch marks.
Soy Products
Soy products are another great place to get your daily dose of antioxidants and vitamin E because these ingredients help boost their effects.
In fact, consuming soy has been shown to reduce the appearance of stretch marks! This is because soy contains compounds that can help prevent collagen breakdown.
Salmon
Salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for producing healthy skin.
A study from the University of South Florida showed that salmon was able to reduce skin inflammation markers in some people.
In addition, salmon is a very good source of vitamin D, which also reduces the appearance of stretch marks by reducing inflammation in your body.
Egg Whites
Egg whites are a great place to get all of your daily protein requirements.
Since egg whites are a high ratio of protein to fat, they’re a very good way to lose weight without feeling hungry.
In addition, egg whites also contain vitamin B, which protects against skin damage.
Also, a study from the University of Italy showed that egg whites can reduce the appearance of stretch marks by increasing collagen production in subjects with pre-existing stretch marks!
Yogurt
Yogurt is a great source of protein and probiotics, which are beneficial for your overall health.
Yogurt contains an amino acid called proline that helps lower skin inflammation by reducing the production of elastin, which is another skin compound.
Avocado
Avocado is a fruit included in many highly popular weight-loss diets because it’s full of healthy fats!
For instance, avocados contain healthy fats that help keep your body strong and healthy, which makes them ideal for people who are trying to lose weight.
You can also use avocado as an alternative to salad dressing if you’re on a fat-loss diet.
Almonds
Almonds are a great source of protein you can consume on a daily basis so they don’t go to waste!
These little gems contain many compounds that have been proven to reduce skin inflammation and improve the appearance of stretch marks.
In addition, a study from the University of Illinois showed that eating almonds reduced skin inflammation markers in subjects with mild stretch marks.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is a very high-quality food that’s rich in antioxidants and also contains protein.
In addition, dark chocolate contains flavonoids and other compounds that can help improve your skin tone by reducing redness and inflammation.
A study from the University of California shows that eating dark chocolate can reduce the appearance of stretch marks!
However, I’ve found that it’s very difficult to maintain a healthy diet if you’re on a fat-loss diet because dark chocolate is high in sugar and cocoa butter which is a product most people don’t consume on a regular basis.
There are definitely many more superfoods that can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks, but these are the ones that I find are the most effective.
Remember that collagen supplements are the best way to get your daily dose of this miracle ingredient.
However, if you want the more fastest approach to get rid of your stretch marks, I highly recommend this stretch mark cream below. (Click on photo to learn more and get pricing from Amazon)
Final Thoughts On Stretch Marks After Weight Loss
Getting rid of stretch marks after weight loss is a long, hard process.
It’s very easy to lose weight, but it requires a little of hard work to get rid of stretch marks from your body.
In addition, stretch marks can become more prominent when your skin is thinner.
Therefore, it’s important to use the tips in this article to help you maintain the weight you lost so that you can prevent stretch marks from becoming more prominent or even disappear completely!
I hope you enjoyed this article. Please be sure to share it with your friends so they can learn more about stretch marks and how to reduce their appearance.
