First things first, girlfriend… we’re all bothered by stretch marks and cellulite, no matter if you’re Cindy Crawford or Kim Kardashian! I mean, it’s no wonder Kim always wants to laser the shit out of her derrière. And we’ve all heard that this works on stretch marks and weight loss reduces cellulite and what not, right? So, I’m here to bust some myths and help you out with what I’ve learned down the line. I’m not saying I’m stretch-mark free, but I’m saying… stop wasting your time trying certain methods and see some results with other methods. Ya’ dig?
So, cellulite: it’s not caused by getting fat, really. It’s the kind of stored fat that any woman can have, the fat that’s hard to metabolize. And no matter how much fat one loses, a certain percentage of your body will always consist of fat for survival. Since women have a stretchier tissue, we’re prone to cellulite caused by the disruption of this stretchy tissue, which is why it isn’t all about weight loss. Then there’re stretch marks: this one affects both males and females almost proportionately. It’s caused by the sudden stretching of the skin, so usually during pregnancy, rapid weight gain or loss, and growth periods. While both this skin issues appear to be external, they’re really more under the surface and while eating healthy, drinking water, and exercising helps you look good overall, but unfortunately, it doesn’t exactly target these specific problem areas.
When it comes to cellulite, no topically applied ingredient seeps in far enough to help cure it. Nothing is strong enough to re-repair broken tissue. Spa treatments like endermologie are said to “cure” cellulite, but it only temporarily reduces the appearance for a high cost. If that’s something you want to do, then sure… it works to a certain extent. There are many similar tissue massaging equipments available on the market that give pretty much the same results. Lasers have also been proven to show results to a certain extent, again temporary. Body wrapping, which can be achieved with plastic wrap, compresses your skin for a bit before going back to normal.
When it comes to stretch marks, again, unfortunately… no topical ointment or cream helps. The damage is in your elastin and irreparable. What has shown markable improvement is laser treatment, peels, or dermatologically prescribed tretinoin (an ingredient found in Retin-A that pregnant women should avoid). If you’re prone to stretch marks there isn’t really anything you can do to prevent it or make it completely go away.
Source: Vivité
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So, while it’s important to keep your expectations real, the only at-home treatment you can do for stretch marks and cellulite is to improve the overall condition of your skin: keep it smooth, exfoliated, soft, and supple. While it’s good to cleanse and moisturize, there are certain ingredients you can use at home that will improve the overall feel of your skin, including back-acne and small bumps to the reduction of mild scarring. These ingredients are used at a higher dosage in peels. AHA is one example, Alpha Hydroxy Acid, like citric acid and lactic acid are also found in citrus-y fruits or lactic acid is found in milk. Glycolic acid is another example of AHA. These work best on sun-damaged skin. BHA works better for oily or acne-prone skin, whether that’s the face or body, and a salicylic acid is a common form of BHA. Make sure you get serums or moisturizers for your body with either of these ingredients. You can try natural remedies with lime or milk and other products that have these acids naturally.
Hope that helped with your skincare queries and even though busting some of those myths may have come down hard, most doctors agree to it. Now, there are surgeries that have developed as a more invasive method that works on this skincare concerns, but it requires research, certainty, and a good doctor. Agree, or maybe disagree? Leave a comment below!