Stretch marks are white, pink or bluish streak like marks on skin commonly noticed during pregnancy and when body is growing rapidly during adolescence.
Pregnant women notice the stretch marks on their growing belly after 4th or 5th month. Stretch marks in adolescents and men are usually seen on a variety of body parts parts like abdomen, hips, thighs, chest ,breasts , shoulders and arms. People who are on a muscle building exercise program , and those who take supplements containing steroids , also tend to develop stretch marks.
Stretch marks are medically called’Striae”.The term stretch mark is misleading. Stretching of skin is not the real cause of these marks . Stretch marks are seen is thin individuals as well . When plastic surgeons actually stretch the skin 2-3 times its size during some surgeries like tissue expansion, stretch marks do not appear. When someone is suffers from Cushings disease ( excess steroid hormones) the body develops stretch marks. Stretch marks happen due to excess circulating steroid hormones in the body- like during pregnancy, vigorous exercise etc and also due to increased sensitivity of skin to those hormones. Indian women are more prone to develop stretch marks during pregnancy than their white skinned counterparts.
All stretch marks are not the same. Mild stretch marks are like faint scratches whereas severe stretch marks are as wide as half a centimeter and also deep. You can feel the thin papery skin at the bottom of a wide stretch mark. All stretch marks look pink initially but gradually turn pale white over next few months. Deep and wide stretch marks tend to look bluish due to visibility of blood vessels through the thinned out skin.
Variety of stretch mark creams containing cocoa butter, Vit E etc sell like hotcake because people are desperate to treat stretch marks. These creams provide moisture but do not really do much for stretch marks. So what is the alternative? How do some actresses continue to wear skimpy clothes even after pregnancies without a sign of stretch mark?
Certain vascular lasers like Pulse dye laser can lighten bright pink stretch marks to pale white. If the stretch marks are already pale vascular laser will not be of any use. Other treatments like chemical peels, microdermabrasion can slightly improve certain superficial stretch marks only. A lot of sittings over many months are needed and the results are unpredictable. Recently fractional laser has been used for treatment of stretch marks. Light stretch marks can be improved upto 50 percent . Like with most lasers 6-10 sitting are required at one month intervals. Cost of laser treatment of marks on lower abdomen can be 1-2 lakh(2000-4000USD) rupees.
The fact remains that the most common type of deep stretch marks on the abdomen , post pregnancy can not be treated by any of the above methods. Tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is a surgical option. Apart from stretch marks there is also loose skin and bulging abdomen after pregnancies, which is resistant to proper diet and exercise. All these issues can be tackled with tummy tuck, which involves removal of fat, tightening of muscles and removal of all the skin below naval . Abdomen ends up looking pretty much same as it did before pregnancies. Even if the marks are extensive and going above the naval, they can be shifted very low down. Downside of tummy tuck is a long scar. Fortunately this scar is placed very low near pubic hair and it can be cleverly hidden in bikinis and low waist jeans. Cost of tummy tuck in India is Rs and 75000-1.5 lakhs( USD 1600-3000) upwards depending on geographical location and surgeon.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Secret of yummy mommies
Motherhood is a beautiful experience. Unfortunately it brings with it permanent changes in body, which some women are able to hide effectively in clothes and some others are not. The fear of childbirth at younger age and living lifelong with sagging body makes some women postpone the childbirth and avoid breastfeeding while some others sigh at the sight of shapely women like Malaika, Madhuri and Hemamalini who look gorgeous even after having babies.
In past women bore children at younger age and were working hard performing their household work and raising children. They did not put on excessive weight during pregnancy and lost it quite soon after childbirth. Whatever loose skin on tummy remained or if their breasts sagged they accepted it as a part of life and tried their best to hide the flaws in suitable clothes.
Scenario has changed with time in more than one ways:
Women are gaining more weight during pregnancy: This is due to better availability of food, excessive indulgence by family and overall sedentary lifestyle. Some women develop problems like hypertension during pregnancy which makes them still heavier. In a high risk pregnancy often women are prescribed rest which again contributes to their weight gain.
Women are not working as hard at home as in past: due to the availability of household help and maids who look after kids.
Women are going back to the deskjob sooner after childbirth.: This is inevitable due to their demanding professional lives and financial considerations.
Women do not breastfeed for long:.Breastfeeding is not only good for child but also helps mother lose a lot of weight. Breastfeeding for upto an year or more is a thing of past. Due to their work or social lives women prefer to wean the child completely in a couple of months. Generally they tend to mix breastfeed with bottle feed which in turn leads to faster drying up of milk. Even though they are feeding the baby infrequently they tend to take rich food during breastfeeding. All this contributes to weight gain.
Women do not get time to exercise after childbirth: They are usually overwhelmed with the child and work. By the time they are pregnant with the second child they are still overweight and the cycle continues.
Society , jobs and women themselves today are more demanding. The need to be fit and look young is on everyones mind. The factors responsible are:
Exposure to media: One sees middle aged ”yummy mommies” coming back so shape and flaunting their flat abs even before the baby is out of the cradle. So an average woman is perceived as careless and uninterested if she continues to be fat after having children. Very often husbands are not happy with fat wife.
Jobs are demanding: Not just air hostesses and actresses, women in variety of jobs like hospitality, fashion designing, marketing and sales need to look trim always. Even other professions like software engineers need to look fit to be perceived as efficient and competitive. Doctors need it too to be able to set an example for their patients.
Desire to wear fasionable clothes like jeans and T shirts which do nor hide the flaws too well.
Lifestyle sports like swimming require slim figure to be able to get into swimsuits.
So what is the secret of getting back enviable shape after childbirth? Are some women plain lucky to have good figure even after having kids.? No, their shapely body is a result of their motivation, balanced diet and exercise …and often plastic surgery. Diet and exercise helps them shed fat and tone up their muscles. Most times diet and exercise alone are not sufficient . What women want is:
1. Flat stomach: Loose tummy is not due to fat alone but due to stretched muscles and skin which loses its elasticity and does not go back completely. This part though well hidden in sarees, tends to show up in other clothes. Tightening the muscles and removing the excess skin with a scar that is well hidden in panties is the secret of flat abs.
2. Firm breasts: Breasts tend to enlarge during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This stretches the elastic ligaments in the breast and also stretches the shin. The result is sagging, soft breasts with nipple pointing downwards. Unless special support bras are worn the breasts look saggy even in clothes. Breast lift surgery with a cleverly
Hidden scar on the undersurface of the breast enables women to wear all kinds of clothes with ease even without a bra.
3.Trim figure: Often the fat deposits on certain places like hips and thighs refuse to go even after healthy weight is achieved. These resistant bulges can be easily and permanently removed with liposuction thru small holes.
If healthy lifestyle in form of balanced diet and regulat light exercise like walking and yoga can be fitted into the schedule one can expect stunning figure and longlasting results with plastic surgery.
In past women bore children at younger age and were working hard performing their household work and raising children. They did not put on excessive weight during pregnancy and lost it quite soon after childbirth. Whatever loose skin on tummy remained or if their breasts sagged they accepted it as a part of life and tried their best to hide the flaws in suitable clothes.
Scenario has changed with time in more than one ways:
Women are gaining more weight during pregnancy: This is due to better availability of food, excessive indulgence by family and overall sedentary lifestyle. Some women develop problems like hypertension during pregnancy which makes them still heavier. In a high risk pregnancy often women are prescribed rest which again contributes to their weight gain.
Women are not working as hard at home as in past: due to the availability of household help and maids who look after kids.
Women are going back to the deskjob sooner after childbirth.: This is inevitable due to their demanding professional lives and financial considerations.
Women do not breastfeed for long:.Breastfeeding is not only good for child but also helps mother lose a lot of weight. Breastfeeding for upto an year or more is a thing of past. Due to their work or social lives women prefer to wean the child completely in a couple of months. Generally they tend to mix breastfeed with bottle feed which in turn leads to faster drying up of milk. Even though they are feeding the baby infrequently they tend to take rich food during breastfeeding. All this contributes to weight gain.
Women do not get time to exercise after childbirth: They are usually overwhelmed with the child and work. By the time they are pregnant with the second child they are still overweight and the cycle continues.
Society , jobs and women themselves today are more demanding. The need to be fit and look young is on everyones mind. The factors responsible are:
Exposure to media: One sees middle aged ”yummy mommies” coming back so shape and flaunting their flat abs even before the baby is out of the cradle. So an average woman is perceived as careless and uninterested if she continues to be fat after having children. Very often husbands are not happy with fat wife.
Jobs are demanding: Not just air hostesses and actresses, women in variety of jobs like hospitality, fashion designing, marketing and sales need to look trim always. Even other professions like software engineers need to look fit to be perceived as efficient and competitive. Doctors need it too to be able to set an example for their patients.
Desire to wear fasionable clothes like jeans and T shirts which do nor hide the flaws too well.
Lifestyle sports like swimming require slim figure to be able to get into swimsuits.
So what is the secret of getting back enviable shape after childbirth? Are some women plain lucky to have good figure even after having kids.? No, their shapely body is a result of their motivation, balanced diet and exercise …and often plastic surgery. Diet and exercise helps them shed fat and tone up their muscles. Most times diet and exercise alone are not sufficient . What women want is:
1. Flat stomach: Loose tummy is not due to fat alone but due to stretched muscles and skin which loses its elasticity and does not go back completely. This part though well hidden in sarees, tends to show up in other clothes. Tightening the muscles and removing the excess skin with a scar that is well hidden in panties is the secret of flat abs.
2. Firm breasts: Breasts tend to enlarge during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This stretches the elastic ligaments in the breast and also stretches the shin. The result is sagging, soft breasts with nipple pointing downwards. Unless special support bras are worn the breasts look saggy even in clothes. Breast lift surgery with a cleverly
Hidden scar on the undersurface of the breast enables women to wear all kinds of clothes with ease even without a bra.
3.Trim figure: Often the fat deposits on certain places like hips and thighs refuse to go even after healthy weight is achieved. These resistant bulges can be easily and permanently removed with liposuction thru small holes.
If healthy lifestyle in form of balanced diet and regulat light exercise like walking and yoga can be fitted into the schedule one can expect stunning figure and longlasting results with plastic surgery.
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