Fall is a wonderful time of year. The leaves change to brilliant colors, you get to bring your sweaters, light scarves, and boots back out of the closet, and you get to look forward to some of the best holidays of the year. However, fall can be an easy time to fall into some of the habits that cause stretch marks to form. Consider these tips for preventing stretch marks as you enjoy the mild and beautiful fall season.
Don’t Go Tanning
As your summer tan starts to fade, you may be tempted to get a subscription at your local tanning bed facility, but don’t do it. Not only can the UV rays from tanning beds cause skin cancer, they also weaken your skin and make it more prone to tearing and scarring when stretched. The tanning bed damages the collagen in your skin, which is the protein that keeps skin healthy and elasticized, and if you damage your collagen, you may be more prone to getting stretch marks if you gain any winter weight.
Stay Active
It can be hard to stay active when the weather gets cool. Where in summer you’re enticed out for hiking, swimming, and just spending time in the great outdoors, fall and winter always feel like good times to curl up on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa and binge watch Netflix. However, staying active will help you avoid putting on any winter weight that could cause you to develop stretch marks. You don’t have to go outside to stay active if it’s freezing; just find an open space and do some cardio.
Avoid Sweets and Leftovers
If you can manage to avoid sneaking into your child’s Halloween candy, you’re a strong person. If you can’t avoid doing it, just try to make sure to limit what you eat. Consider getting rid of some of the candy as soon as trick-or-treating is over to reduce the amount available for both you and your kids to consume. Also try to avoid the leftover trap after Thanksgiving. When one of your relatives offers to send you home with a variety of half-eaten pies, politely decline.
Stay Hydrated
Hydrated skin is supple skin, and supple skin is less likely to form stretch marks if you happen to gain some winter weight. While you’re certainly going to want to indulge in a variety of hot beverages as the weather gets colder, make sure you’re also drinking the recommended daily amount of water.
Use a Stretch Mark Prevention Cream
If you gain winter weight every year and know it’s only a matter of time before you start putting on the pounds, consider using a stretch mark prevention cream through the fall and winter seasons. A stretch mark prevention cream will help strengthen your skin, and it can reduce the likelihood that your skin will stretch and scar if you happen to put on some weight over the cold seasons.
