You have wondered where the stretch marks on your chest come from? We explain in detail everything about the formation, prevention and how to learn to love the little features (which almost every woman has).
Stretch marks do not only appear on the thighs, buttocks or belly – many ladies also notice the small lines on their breasts
To somewhat reduce the formation of stretch marks, a well-fitting bra is indispensable. Why exactly, we explain in more detail in the article
Almost all of us have them, but only a few of us can make friends with them: Meant are Stretch marks in the area of the chest, which give structure to our skin surface and are nothing to be ashamed of, which stars like Ashley Graham or Hilary Duff regularly prove and encourage all people with. Not only older ladies, who may have already had children, have stretch marks in one place or another – the small features often show up on the skin of younger women as well. We have taken a closer look at this topic, which has long since ceased to be a taboo subject, and we explain, where the stretch marks originate and how we can favor that they appear a little less strongly.
This is how stretch marks develop
Have you ever taken a closer look at what exactly stretch marks are?? These are small tears that appear in our subcutaneous tissue when the connective tissue is overstretched – As the name suggests. This can happen in a variety of places on the body – most affected are thighs, abdomen, buttocks, arms or breasts. By the way, the medical term is "striae cutis atrophicae" or "Striae cutis distensae" and colloquially known as "stretch marks". Mostly women are affected by this surface structure, as the female connective tissue is naturally much weaker than that of men.
Causes of stretch marks on the breast
The causes of the small features on the chest are very different. In fact, a full 90 percent of all women develop during her pregnancy Stretch marks, which sometimes appear more and sometimes less, that’s why they are also called "stretch marks" describes. The reason for this is the enormously rapid growth of the bust, which takes place because of the impending breastfeeding. In addition, the collagen fibers of the connective tissue loosen due to pregnancy hormones.
However, the striking stripes do not only appear during pregnancy – it is generally observed that stretch marks develop as a result of a rapid weight gain develop and also in puberty, when the breasts are busy growing, cracks in the tissue can develop in this framework. Sometimes the cause also lies in genetics: Some people have a rather weak connective tissue by nature, which favors the development. Thus, it is quite normal if the stripes appear already at a fairly young age.
© Pexels/ Antonius Ferret
With these 6 tricks we can prevent stretch marks
- Well-fitting bra: First of all, it is important that you do not wear bras that do not fit properly and cut into the skin rather uncomfortably. Especially the sports bra should fit comfortably, because during the activities the breast is permanently exposed to shocks or jerky movements. To protect the connective tissue and thus prevent stretch marks from appearing, a well-fitting model is therefore indispensable, and besides, we don’t like pinchy bras anyway. To be honest, it is not so easy to find a model that is ideal for you, so we have summarized how to find the right bra for your breast shape.
- Cold showers: Another measure is to take ice-cold showers (brrr). But the procedure has several advantages – on the one hand our immune system is strengthened in the long term and on the other hand the alternating showers help to strengthen the connective tissue by stimulating the blood circulation. So it’s worth gritting your teeth in the shower every now and then.
- skin care: A great role to prevent cellulite is a rich care for the skin, which prevent it from drying out. We use a product specially designed for the prevention of orange peel skin: Stretch Marks Cream from Nuonove (just under 19 euros at Amazon). The texture can be easily applied to the chest on a regular basis – preferably after showering.
- Pluck massages: Both when the streaks are already very visible and as a preventative measure, plucking massages make sense. To do this, we reach for an oil, such as the popular cellulite oil from WELEDA and pluck a bulge of skin with several fingers, which we then gently pull away and let it shrink back, stimulating blood circulation.
- Drink a lot: That it is important to drink a lot (at least 2 liters a day), we already know from our childhood. Also with regard to stretch marks on the chest, it pays to remain consistent and diligently reach for a glass of water in everyday life, because this way the skin has enough fluid to stay elastic and healthy.
- Avoid radical weight changes: Last but not least, a very important topic – extreme weight changes in a short period of time should be avoided (as much as possible). If you lose or gain kilos too quickly, your skin will not keep up. Instead, the whole thing should happen at a humane pace, so that the skin surface can grow with it and anyway, we are not fans of radical diets or the like for many other reasons.
Stretch marks on the chest: need to see a doctor?
Basically, stretch marks on the chest are something quite natural, so a visit to the doctor is not necessary. Finally, the stripy, painless skin changes are solely a cosmetic and definitely not a health problem. However, if you feel that the marks are increasing at a rapid pace or you are having severe problems accepting the small stripes, it makes sense to talk to a dermatologist (aesthetic medicine) to clear up any worries or, if necessary, to find out about treatment options.
How to learn to love our stretch marks
We can’t say it enough: Fine, white stretch marks are the most normal thing in the world! Around the small stretch marks to learn to love more and thus gain new self-confidence, it makes sense to talk about it with friends and fundamentally deal with the question of what bothers you about the cracks in the first place. Often we emulate unattainable beauty ideals of our time, which in the end make us anything but happy and are unbelievably unrealistic anyway. In the next step we get a better feeling about our body, by caring for the affected areas, massaging them and in any case not trying to hide them. After all, we are all in the same boat! &
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