The causes of stretch marks on the legs. Is it realistic to erase them without a trace, what measures will be the most effective and how soon the results can be expected?
Stretch marks on the legs are always unpleasant and a little offensive. So it was all in vain? Long hours of fitness, trips to the solarium, thorough pedicure … What's the point in this if, from the chiseled shapes, even tan and well-groomed fingers, your gaze still runs over to the torn white stripes that line your legs here and there? Let's try to fight an unpleasant skin defect.
What are stretch marks?
Stretch marks or striae, as experts call them, are atrophic scars. In other words, scars under the top layer of the skin, marking the places in which its fibers were once traumatized due to strong tension. Moreover, only the dermis located in the depths received microtrauma, while the upper layer of the epidermis remained unharmed.
Broken fibers and capillaries spread to the sides, forming ugly bluish and red stretch marks on the legs. Fortunately, our body is very good at coping with such wounds, so the torn tissues soon stopped bleeding, then healed, then turned pale, and you got what you have to this day - a personal "barcode" of long and short strips, from which, by the way, I would very much like to get rid of it.
Note! Qualitatively "cleanse" the skin is possible only from fresh red and purple stretch marks. It is hardly possible to turn white stretch marks on the legs into an unpleasant memory, although with careful and comprehensive care they can be made unnoticeable.
Why do striae appear?
Stretch marks on the legs are usually caused either by the game of hormones, or by the rampant growth of muscles, bones and body fat.
First of all, the risk group includes:
- adolescents, sometimes stretching 5-6 cm in a year;
- bodybuilders who have worked superbly on their muscles;
- fat men and fat women who gained pounds too quickly;
- people with various endocrine diseases, due to which the dermis loses collagen and elasticity;
- pregnant women, on whose skin a growing uterus, adipose tissue accumulating on the hips and rampant hormones are simultaneously working.
Some people are born with too thin skin and therefore can be attacked by stretch marks with the smallest fluctuations in weight. But young ladies with dense skin are able to endure triplets and not get a single stretch. If you still do not know which category you belong to, remember how many stretch marks your relatives have: skin density is a genetically transmitted trait.
Note! If striae suddenly begin to appear on your body, and you do not see any good reasons for this, do not be lazy to visit an endocrinologist and find out why stretch marks appear on your legs. You may need some hormonal correction.
How to get rid of stretch marks at home?
We will not hide, there is a tremendous job to be done. You will have to master the principles of proper nutrition, which always affects the condition of the skin, do gymnastics and make your lifestyle more active to normalize metabolic processes in body tissues, draw up a skin care program that includes a whole range of measures, and adhere to it steadily.
Creams and oils
Purchased cosmetics are good because their composition is thought out by experts in their field. All that remains for us is to choose a tube according to our tastes and budget:
- Vitabiotics Pregnacare Stretch Mark Cream … British scientists, about whom witches love to joke so much, did not disappoint. In a small, unassuming-looking tube, they hid panthenol to heal minor injuries, soften scars and moisturize the skin, diluted it with beta-carotene to rejuvenate cells and saturate them with oxygen, added primrose and lavender oil, mixed all this with extracts of aloe vera and calendula, enriched with vitamins C and E and seasoned with cooling menthol. The cream stimulates skin regeneration, refreshes, softens, soothes, rejuvenates. Manufactured in the UK. It costs up to 500 rubles. for 100 ml.
- Integrale Werking by Vichy … The universal cream for stretch marks has a pleasant light consistency, spreads over the skin without problems and is quickly absorbed. Among its active substances are silicon, the amino acid hydroxyproline, bassia oil, vitamins and plant extracts. The cream is safe for pregnant and nursing mothers. Manufactured in France. It costs 2200-2500 rubles. for 200 ml.
- Japanese Camellia Oil blend Elemis … Victoria Beckham's favorite stretch mark oil is made up mostly of two ingredients: natural Japanese camellia seed oil and sweet almond oil. A small part of the volume is reserved for vitamin E, fragrances and other substances, mostly organic. Manufactured in England. It costs 3100 rubles. for 100 ml.
- Tonic Oil by Clarins … Another oil, this time a tonic one, again confirms that everything ingenious is simple, and naturalness does not mean ineffectiveness. It contains only 4 components: hazelnut oil for nourishing, moisturizing and strengthening the skin, essential oils of mint, geranium and rosemary for toning, aroma and spiritual harmony. Manufactured in France. It costs 3000 rubles. for 100 ml.
- Stretch Mark Control by Clarins … Among the main trump cards of this remedy are natural extracts from Crowberry and Centella asiatica berries, the latter, by the way, regularly appears among the components of various creams for stretch marks due to its ability to strengthen collagen and elastin fibers. They are accompanied by olive extract and Madagascar sigezbekia, known for its protective properties. Of the minuses - a small amount of alcohol. The cream is produced in France. It costs 3800 rubles.
Scrub for stretch marks
Creams, especially from well-established manufacturers, are certainly helpful, but don't place your hopes on them alone. If you want to learn how to remove stretch marks on your legs, start with scrubs. This is a real three-in-one: removal of dry epidermal scales, body massage with the smallest scrubbing particles and saturation of the skin with nutrients. Together, it contributes to cell renewal and stretch marks reduction.
The ingredients for a perfect stretch mark scrub:
| Basic part | Scrubbing part | Useful Supplements |
| A few spoons of any vegetable oil |
Coarse coffee or coffee grounds White or brown sugar Finely ground salt Semolina Cosmetic clay Ground oatmeal |
Honey Yogurt Aloe juice Fruit juice Spices - pepper, cinnamon Oil solution of vitamins A and E |
Take your favorite vegetable oil, add one element from the second column of the table, a couple from the third, and make your own personal scrub that suits your tastes. You can choose the proportions arbitrarily, the main thing is that the mixture does not turn out to be either too liquid or too dry.
Note! Combine lemon juice with sugar for a light version of an acidic fruit peel.
Wrap recipes
Why don't stretch marks on my legs go away on their own? Alas, damaged skin is not able to smooth out scars and grow young cells in the right amount without outside help. So, it makes sense to try to help her by feeding her with all her might with nutrients. In this regard, wraps have proven themselves, which, due to the greenhouse effect and the duration of exposure, have a more pronounced effect than masks and rubbing.
Recipes for the following mixtures will come in handy:
- Chocolate - 1-2 bars of chocolate, melted with a few tablespoons of cream and cooled to a temperature acceptable for the body.
- With mumiyo - a couple of grams of "mountain resin" dissolved in 1 tbsp. l. water and mixed with a serving of baby cream.
- Grape - from crushed or ground grapes in a blender.
- Carrot - 1 large carrot, finely grated and mixed with 2 tbsp. l. sweet almond oil.
- Lemon - juice and grated zest of half a lemon, whipped with a glass of natural yogurt and a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil.
- Butter - 2-3 tbsp. l. olive, jojoba, almond, coconut, avocado or other oils of your choice, mixed with 2 drops of clove, mint and geranium essential oils. Another option is to add a combination of mandarin, lavender and neroli esters to the fatty oil.
The mask is applied to clean feet, steamed in the shower and treated with a scrub, wrapped in polyethylene and laid under a thick blanket. After 30-40 minutes, the mixture is removed, the skin is rinsed without soap and smeared with cream.
Note! Essential oils often act as a strong allergen, and some of them are prohibited for use during pregnancy.
Massage
Vigorous kneading, rubbing, and pinching of the skin causes the blood and lymph to accelerate. The first brings the substances and oxygen they need to the cells, the second carries away the processed residues of life and toxic substances. As a result, tissues receive enhanced nutrition and cleansing, regenerate faster and look better.
The advantages and disadvantages of different types of massage:
| Massage type | pros | Minuses |
| Self-massage manual | Cheap, affordable, simple. | Ineffective. |
| Honey massage | Effectively, it makes the skin velvety and smooth in a few treatments. | It hurts, and with an inept approach, you can do more harm than good. |
| Massage roller, pyramid, dolphin | It helps to qualitatively stretch the skin and muscles, is inexpensive, does not require special skills. | It cannot be compared with a professional massage, with excessive force it can lead to bruising. |
| Vacuum can | Moderate cost, simplicity, efficiency. | It is easy to handle the legs with a can, but it is difficult to get to the buttocks. |
| Mesoscooter | The components of the healing agent go directly to the skin. | With hypersensitivity, the procedure may be too painful. |
| Electric massager | Convenient, efficient and requires little effort. | Expensive. |
| Professional manual massage | A professional will take care of the beauty of your feet. | Expensive, takes time. |
Note! Massage is not recommended if you have spider veins or protruding veins in your legs.
Scented baths
You can strengthen and invigorate the skin of the legs by periodically rubbing it with ice cubes from herbal decoctions or taking baths with herbal infusions.
Help to cope with stretch marks:
- horsetail;
- fern;
- comfrey;
- Melissa;
- mint;
- green and black tea;
- seaweed.
To increase skin tone, use sea salt with aromatic citrus oils, and to soften and moisturize - the famous Cleopatra's milk and honey baths (pour 1-2 liters of warm milk with 100 g of honey dissolved in it).
Note! The water should be warm, but not hot. Such baths are taken for no more than 20 minutes, and after the procedures, the body is additionally rinsed under the shower.
In addition to baths, contrast dousing and a visit to the bath have a good effect. Naturally, if you do not have chronic diseases or other problems that are contraindications for visiting the steam room.
Sport
Any physical activity speeds up cellular metabolism and recovery processes. But if your goal is to get your legs in order as soon as possible, it makes sense to focus your efforts on this particular part of the body.
Exercises for legs to help skin renewal:
- Lunges;
- Squats to a right angle at the knees;
- Raising the pelvis from a supine position or the well-known "Birch";
- Raising the legs from a supine position and on the side, alternately and together (do exercises at a slow pace with a small amplitude - this will make the muscles work more actively);
- Raising the legs lying on the stomach, alternately and together;
- Half-bridge based on feet and shoulders.
Start with 5-10 reps and a couple of sets for each exercise, building up over time.
Salon treatments for stretch marks
Sometimes all home methods are powerless against large stretch marks, which have managed to heal and coarse thoroughly. To deal with them, you have to use heavy artillery in the form of beauty salon treatments. There is, of course, nothing wrong with that - everyone takes care of themselves as they see fit.
| Procedure | Operating principle | disadvantages |
| Microdermabrasion | Mechanical grinding with microcrystals. | For a visible effect, you will need to go through many procedures. |
| Chemical peeling | Removal of the top layer of the skin and stimulation of collagen production using chemical formulations. | The exfoliation procedure requires a lot of experience, and these are two drawbacks at once - problems with finding a good master and a high price. |
| Mesotherapy | Injecting cocktails under the skin containing ingredients to repair tissue and smooth out scars. | High cost, allergic reactions are possible. |
| Plasmolifting | Plasma extracted from the client's blood is injected under the skin. | High cost, soreness. |
| Microcurrent therapy | Exposure to the skin with currents. | Low efficiency. |
| Laser therapy | The laser destroys scars in the deep layers of the skin, forces cells to actively produce collagen and helps to restore the structure of damaged fibers. The difference lies in the type of laser and the way it is applied to the skin. | An extensive list of contraindications, cost. |
| Fractional photothermolysis | ||
| Plastic surgery | Surgical removal of damaged tissue | Cost, long rehabilitation period, the need to remove postoperative scars. |
Video tips to get your skin back smooth:
You can know everything about how to get rid of stretch marks on your legs, and still not be able to cope with them. So what? Only your complexes can reduce the quality of your life, but not striae! Arm yourself with the examples of Halle Berry, Shakira, Lady Gaga, Reese Witherspoon or one of Victoria's Secret's "angels", model Jasmine Tooks. All these ladies have stretch marks on different parts of the body and do not try to hide them. Does that make them less charming?
