stretch marks

DrSugar is in the house and he's answering your health questions.

Dear DrSugar,
I will be leaving my teen years behind soon — thank goodness. But I've noticed red stretch marks around my breasts and am greatly concerned. I have not gained or lost any weight and cannot find a reasonable explanation as to why I am getting these red lines. I thought stretch marks only occurred in pregnant woman and obese people! Why do I have them? Are they permanent? What can I do to prevent them from staying there? Please help!
— Stressed About Stretch Marks

To see DrSugar's advice on stretch marks, read more

You can't judge a book by its cover, but can you pick on a product line because of its name? LeastLikely2Breed sells a line of remedies ($6 - $18) for expectant and new mamas. From stretch mark potion to nipple salve and hemorrhoid ointment to vaginal jelly, there's even some diaper rash balm for baby. But the names of the products are another story. In your ninth month of pregnancy, would you find humor or insult in rubbing Whale Oil ($12) on your big belly?

A new mama's got much ado about stretch marks. Some let fate run its course, while others slather on potions and creams in hopes of avoiding (and fading) the inevitable. For the new mommy who is looking to keep her pregnancy chemical and stretch mark free, Kimberly Parry Organics Belly Butter will work to do just that. Made from organic oils (jojoba, coconut, and olive), as well as unfiltered beeswax, the emollient has a rich, nutty smell that will leave your belly moisturized all day long. At $34, keeping your bump organic is not cheap, but no one ever said it was easy being green.

There are hundreds, if not thousands of different belly butters, cremes, salves and potions aimed at pregnant women's bellies on the market and every mother (or mother-to-be) seems to have her own favorite. I've shared my most trusted stretch mark cures in the past, but I'd love to know what type of other ointments or products you rubbed on your expectant belly.

You can share your picks by bookmarking them on TeamSugar. I'll do a recap next week of your suggestions.

Don't forget to tag your finds as "belly products."

geeksugar has written an explanation of how to bookmark items on TeamSugar if you need a helping hand. Still don't know where to start? To see some of my favorite online stores, read more

If your ankles are swollen and your partner won't rub them, pamper yourself with the heavenly scented On the Go prenatal foot and leg reviver tonic. It's part of Otopia's line of organic bath and beauty products

Dedicated to expectant and new moms as well as babies, the natural products are free from harmful chemicals and toxins. Choose between prenatal and post natal lotions, stretch mark creams, and massage oils. For lil ones, there are creams, washes, oils and powder.

And to get baby clean as a whistle, try Baby Soft top to toe hair and body wash. The tear free formula is also nut free due to allergic reactions some lil ones have.

Otopia supports local suppliers by purchasing their organic raw ingredients so you're going beyond buying bath gel and helping out small businesses.

I was two weeks overdue with my daughter, when I spotted a few shimmery streaks at the base of my swollen belly. Dead set on going into labor, I didn't pay much attention to them until after my little girl was born and my stomach began to deflate. Then, those couple of blemishes became a bit more noticeable.

While stretch lines are a mark of motherhood, there's nothing wrong with willing them away.

After having my son, I invested in a couple of creams. And, I was somewhat surprised when they made a difference.

While the flaws haven't been erased, they are camouflaged — a result of the products helping them fade with time.

Source

Stretch marks. Say it with me now, "UGH!" No one likes stretch marks but everyone seems to get them at some point or another.

Women get them especially during pregnancy, as teens going through puberty (where the skin stretches as breasts and hips grow in), or during excessive weight gain or weight loss. Stretch marks in men, apart from rapid weight gain or weight loss, can occur as a result of disease, the over use of steroid hormones and sometimes when suffering from diabetes. These tips below for stretch mark prevention in pregnant women from Medical News Today can also be applied to anyone feeling like you've got stretch marks coming on:

• Limit your weight gain to no more than 25 to 35 pounds and this gain should be made gradually. A controlled weight gain without any sudden upward swings will let your skin stretch at a steady rate.
• Use a brush or washcloth to massage the areas where you have noticed stretch marks or want to prevent stretch marks from occurring. This will increase circulation to that area.
• Try to eat lots of those foods rich in zinc such as nuts and fish, rich in vitamins A, C & D such as carrots, citrus fruits and milk and those foods rich in protein.

There are more tips, so read more

So New Year's is over and I'm sure you're all busy working on those New Year's Resolutions. Losing weight and exercising more were tops on your list this year.

It's great to decide to get in shape now, so you'll be ready to sport a bikini come summer. But the thing is, if you are planning on losing weight in your hips, thighs, and love handles, you've got to prepare your skin.

When you gain or lose weight, a lot of times, you'll get those hideous stretch marks we've all come to despise.

So pick yourself up a tub of 100% Shea Butter and a Shea Butter lotion. This miracle worker has an anti-elastase ingredient which makes it a great active ingredient against you guessed it - stretch marks.

I found this 100% all natural, unrefined, Organic Shea butter from Nature's Shea Butter. You can order an 8 oz tub for $11 or if you really love it, you can get yourself all lubed up with the 16 oz tub for $20.

Fit's Tips: The shelf-life of Shea Butter is 18-24 months, but you can keep it longer if you refrigerate it.

When you grow or gain weight quickly, your skin takes a beating. When it's overstretched, the normal production of collagen (the major protein that makes up the connective tissue in your skin) is disrupted - Hello stretch marks.

This usually happens during pregnancy or puberty (as if surviving those events aren't hard enough - now we have scars to prove it). Both women and men get them. The million dollar question is, how do we get rid of them?

Unfortunately all those creams and lotions that claim to help don't do a darn thing.

You'll have to visit a dermatologist or plastic surgeon if they're really bothering you. They can perform procedures such as microdermabrasion and laser treatment - these reduce the appearance of stretch marks. But you'll pay a pretty penny for these techniques and your insurance won't cover them.

Fit's Tips: Embrace your stretch marks - and take advantage of fashions that hide them. When you're in the sun, choose higher neck bathing suits or ones with boy cut shorts. Some suits even have little skirts attached, or you can wrap a pretty scarf or sarong around your hips.

And make sure to use sunscreen on the areas where you have visible stretch marks - your skin will tan, but your stretch marks won't, making them even more noticeable.

Bio-Oil is a South African skin care remedy that is on its way to the US this Spring. Bio-Oil® is a specialist skincare product that helps improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone. Its advanced formulation is highly effective for numerous other skin concerns, including aging skin and dehydrated skin.

Bio-Oil is a non-greasy protective formula that contains natural plant extracts and vitamins in an oil base, which is said to help the ingredients maintain their maximum potency. The ingredients - vitamins A and E, calendula, lavender, rosemary oils and chamomile extract - are then combined with PurCellin Oil™. This 60-ml. bottle will sell for $11.99 and Walgreens is the only confirmed U.S. retailer as of now.