Stretch marks can happen to everyone. It is not just a lady’s issue. Although stretch marks are well-known as a side effect of post pregnancy.
However, stretch marks can happen in several situations where your skin grows and stretch more rapidly than the normally occurring.
Aside from pregnancy, working out is also another major reason why people get stretch marks on their skin. We all know that regular working out helps our body to get toned. But, your gym may cause stretch marks too.
But, there are a bunch of things that you can follow to prevent stretch marks that occur to your body because of your working out.
Here, in this article, we are going to cover what causes stretch marks, and what are the ways to prevent stretch marks from your exercise.
What causes stretch marks?
Stretch marks are light scar tissue. As the tissue underneath the outer skin layer grows, sometimes your skin doesn’t get enough time to replicate cells to cover the new volume.
So, the scar tissue is used to fill the gaps to cope with this situation. Because scar tissue can be constructed so quickly by the body and also it can span moderate distances.
The maximum skin stretching and subsequent scaring can happen in a variety of locations. But in pregnant women, this scar tissue can be found in a maximum number across the belly. If you do regular exercise then your body expands more quickly so scar tissue can also develop in this situation.
People with dry skin tend to be more prone to get stretch marks. This is because only appropriate moisturized skin is more elastic and strong enough to tolerate stretching.
Methods to prevent stretch marks from working out
Working out has many benefits. But, you may have to pay a small price for it- small, pale strips on your arms, thighs, belly, butt, etc. As your muscle will grow more rapidly and be more toned, you might require more skin to cover the gaps. When your skin is unable to cope with your muscle, stretch marks appear.
You should keep in mind that scars don’t get disappeared fully from your skin so you need to take action to prevent them in the first place. If you start early enough, or if you already have fewer stretch marks on your body, these tips will help you to reduce your appearance.
# Tip 1: have a nutritional diet:
You always be careful about the food that you eat. Your food must contain nutrients that are good for your skin. You must intake food that is rich in vitamins, proteins, zinc, and antioxidants. You must maintain your skin from the inside then your skin will be suppler and stronger to damage.
# Tip 2: Drink plenty of water:
One of the primary components of healthy, and elastic skin is water. So, you need to be properly hydrated all through the day. During exercise, you can lose a maximum amount of hydration, so you need to replenish that loss properly and also keep your electrolyte balance.
# Tip 3: Keep your skin moisturized:
There is a variety of moisturizing lotions available in the market that prevent your skin from getting stretch marks. Along with maintaining your skin from the inside, you must be very careful to maintain your skin from the outside too. So, you need to moisturize your skin properly.
Products containing ingredients such as Shea butter, cocoa butter, and vitamins A and E, are most effective for your skin. But, if you want something more for your skin then you can ask any doctor regarding Retinoid treatment. But you should skip using Retinoids during pregnancy.
# Tip 4: Fuel your body properly:
Several components are essential for your body to have healthy, and elastic skin. Some of them you are familiar with such as vitamin A, elastin, and collagen. But Omega 3 fatty acid is also an important component for your body to achieve healthy, and well-moisturized skin. So, you need to intake plant-based sources such as walnut, olive oil, and flaxseed. These are a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Most importantly salmon is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.
# Tip 5: Don’t skip cardio:
Cardio keeps your muscle in check. You must keep at least 30 minutes for cycling, running, swimming, or speed walking 3 to 5 days each week. Cardio helps you to keep your muscle growth controlled and you will not gain stretch marks. Further, cardio will also help you to burn calories.
# Tip 6: Cut down on the weight:
You can cut down the amount of weight that you are lifting at your gym. So, you don’t gain a lot of muscle growth very quickly. This may lead to eliminating or reducing stretch marks.
# Tip 7: Use sunscreen lotion:
UV rays can damage the production of collagen in your body; can encourage forming of stretch marks on the body. When you are going outside you must ensure that you are wearing sunscreen lotion to protect your body from the UV rays.
#Tip 8: Use a stretch marks prevention lotion:
Even if you have not yet gotten stretch marks over your body, you can still use a good quality stretch marks removal cream. These creams will make even skin tone and keep your skin moisturized. There are plenty of stretch marks removing cream that focuses on keeping your skin moisturized. These lotions are great skin care products.
While purchasing a stretch mark cream you must consider the ingredients that are used to manufacture the cream. Shea butter, cocoa butter, and aloe Vera are the best ingredients to deposit and lock the moisture. You can apply the cream over your arms, legs, thighs, belly, buttocks, shoulder, and so on.
You can start applying stretch mark cream as early as possible. After application, your skin will be prepared for the stretching, these creams help your skin to stretch without any stretch marks.
FAQ:
Is it normal to get stretch marks from working out?
Ans: Regular working out can intensify the chances of getting stretch marks. The rapid increase of muscles in your thighs, shoulder, and arm can be caused stretch marks to appear. But, there are various ways that you can follow to eliminate or reduce your stretch marks appearance.
How long do stretch marks last?
Ans: Generally, stretch marks take six to twelve months to get fade. But if you follow some routine then you can get rid of stretch marks very faster.
How to remove stretch marks naturally?
Ans: There are various home ingredients that you can apply over your stretch marks to get them to fade away. These are:
- Coconut oil
- Aloe Vera
- Olive oil
- Vitamin A
- Potato juice
Conclusion:
Generally, stretch marks caused by working out or body lifting tend to happen in the biceps, shoulders, and arms. Also, they can happen in any area of our body. So, if you want to prevent stretch marks then you can follow the above-mentioned tips.
Hope, this guide will help you to get rid of stretch marks. But if still you are not getting rid of stretch marks then you can consult a doctor and ask him about your exercise plan and how to eat well.