What are stretch marks?

Basically, stretch marks are scars or disfiguring lesions. There are multiple names for these types of marks: striae, striae atrophicans, striae gravidarum, and striae distensae.

Although the names may sound intimidating, stretch marks are not really physically dangerous. But, developing them may negatively affect self-esteem and self-image issues. In today’s world of photoshop, these marks can become a cosmetic concern for many women.

How do stretch marks form?

Stretch marks are scar types that develop when our skin shrinks or stretches in a short span of time. The sudden change causes the underlying collagen and elastin that act as a support to our skin to rupture. These marks appear after the skin starts to heal.

The reasons which lead to stretch marks include pregnancy, weight gain, weight loss, and so on. The skin cannot return back to its normal state after this period of intense growth. Even sudden growth spurts during puberty can cause stretch marks.

The most commonly affected areas are the abdomen, hips, buttocks, breasts, flanks, and thighs.

How can you get rid of stretch marks?

Before we list the different ways in which you can try to get rid of stretch marks, we like to point out that a single treatment may not work for everyone while some products may not work at all.

So, it’s mostly a trial and error game. Again, using these treatments does not guarantee 100% stretch mark removal but, you may see a reduction in the overall appearance.

Using stretch mark creams, gels, and lotions

Initially, there were concerns that using stretch mark creams and lotions were not really that helpful for stretch mark removal. Researchers then studied these topicals and concluded that applying the products diligently does have the potential to fade stretch marks.

Also, we would like to point out that stretch mark creams can be of two types: preventative and curative. These are two separate formulas that have to be used at two different times.

You should use the preventative stretch mark cream formula to prevent the appearance of stretch marks. You have to apply the cream before the stretch marks have even appeared. In the case of the curative formula, your stretch marks have already formed and you can use the cream to reduce its appearance.

Remember, these treatments take time but they most certainly do work to improve the texture of your skin.

Applying prescription medication

Research studies have proved that using prescription medication like hyaluronic acid and tretinoin can be really helpful to make the stretch marks less noticeable. These prescription medications can be brought over the counter and are very easily available in most pharmacies.

A type of retinoid, tretinoin is a prescription cream that needs to be directly massaged onto the stretch marks. You can also opt for retinol which is another type of retinoid to facilitate the fading of your stretch marks.

Using effective natural remedies

We are already aware of how helpful natural remedies can be. There are just so many home remedies that can be created using natural ingredients like coconut oil, almond oil, vitamin E oil, cocoa butter, and so on.

The idea here is to create a simple DIY that you have to make sure to follow regularly. For example, you can make a sugar and coconut oil mixture. Take one cup of sugar along with 1/4 cup of coconut oil and add a few drops of lemon juice to it. The overall consistency of this mixture has to resemble that of wet sand.

Massage this mixture on the stretch marks for about 10 to 15 minutes in a circular motion. It should be interesting to note that rubbing sugar on stretch marks is actually a common microdermabrasion method that has been used for many years.

Rubbing aloe vera gel is another home remedy that can be really effective to make your stretch marks less noticeable. Aloe vera has been used for skincare for many years now. Not only does this ingredient replenishes and nourishes the skin, but it also helps to improve the skin texture. In short,  it is exactly what your skin needs in case of stretch marks.

We put personally suggest you use aloe vera gel that is 100% natural. For this purpose, you can buy an aloe vera plant and use the fresh gel every day. If you decide to go for store-bought aloe vera gel, make a careful note of the ingredients used to create it. The product should not contain any harmful chemicals that can cause allergic reactions to your skin.

Opting for procedures carried out by dermatologists

A dermatologist can perform different procedures to help reduce your stretch marks but none of them actually guarantee complete removal. These procedures include the following:

• Laser therapy
• Radiofrequency
• Chemical peel
• Ultrasound
• Microdermabrasion

Choosing to go for laser therapy or light therapy, for example, can be one of the best ways of removing stretch marks quickly and efficiently. In fact, even the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery recognizes this method as one of the most effective ways for stretch marks removal.

Under this procedure, a dermatologist will use a beam of light to break down your stretch marks gently. As you might have realized, laser therapy is actually a non-surgical procedure. This process lasts for about 30 minutes and can tremendously help to enhance the natural texture of your skin. In addition to this, the results are almost instantaneous.

Each of these procedures has its own set of plus points. There might even be times when your dermatologist will employ the use of more than one procedure for effective results. Having said this, some of these procedures may have possible side-effects. It’ll be best that you talk to your dermatologist to select a method that would work best for you. Try to schedule an appointment with the dermatologist that is board-certified and experienced.

Resources— American Academy of Dermatology, Very Well Family

Traveling with kids is never an easy task. It requires a lot of planning and it often involves parents giving up on their own fun in order for their kids to enjoy themselves. Thankfully, the tourism industry has been aware of this issue and new alternatives have been developing to suit each family member.

Traveling together

Traditionally, there are a lot of things you sacrifice when you become a parent, one of them  was often the summer holidays. Parents would pick a kid friendly place for their holidays and spend their stay taking care of their children, forgetting about having fun or relaxing themselves. After all, our beloved kids always come first. 

But there are alternatives now that will allow our kids to enjoy themselves at the same time parents relax. There are resorts designed keeping the needs of the whole family in mind, and the best all inclusive family resorts are located in Cancun. 

Estudio Playa Mujeres is a 5 star luxury resort located in Cancun, Mexico. It is placed right on the Caribbean shore, which is the ideal spot when you think about summer vacations. What makes this resort such a wonderful spot for families is the wide range of activities it offers within its installations. Your age does not matter, there is the perfect activity ready and waiting for you in this resort. Estudio Playa Mujeres is also pet friendly, so your pets can tag along just like any other member of the family without fear. 

The perfect plan for our children

Kids are king on Estudio Playa Mujeres. The studio offers an innovative program called Doodle Land® especially designed for the little ones of the family. 

The Doodle Land® program is divided within three different categories which vary regarding of the age: doodle baby, doodle kids and doodle teens. This ensures us that our kids attend activities especially adapted for their age and get to make friends within the same age gap. 

The main objective of the Doodle Land® program is to incentivise the creativity in our children by the use of a series of interactive and fun activities. On the multiple workshops available kids will have fun while learning and toying around with contemporary Mexican art or gastronomy stations among others. 

With the Doodle Explorers program kids will interact with the nature in the resort and learn about it. Professional instructors will guide them around the resort, with activities that keep them in contact with nature and sports near the beach and pool in order to incentivise healthy habits on our younger ones.

Estudio Playa Mujeres also offers the exclusive Doodle Camp, where fun meets technology. In this program kids can interact with technology while learning on the process. There is an exclusive laboratory fully equipped where kids will get the chance to play with robotic features and 3D printing activities. The studio also includes an amazing planetarium for kids to learn about the universe surrounding them. 

Doodle Land® includes the Chef program, where autonomy in the children is promoted by teaching them to prepare their own meals. 

On Doodle-Arts, kids are supplied with a lot of materials so they can have fun creating their own artistic masterpieces.

A pleasant experience for parents

Parents also get their fair share of fun at Estudio Playa Mujeres. You get everything you may need for relaxing and having a great time within the reach of your hand. 

The Resort includes luxurious suites with all sort of comforts, like a bed especially designed to ensure the best resting experience possible or 24 hours room service. 

The installations of the resort offer all sort of activities for you to enjoy your summer. There is a 18 hole golf course, a relaxing spa center to take the stress from the daily routine away from you, five different restaurants with cuisine from all across the world and three different bars for you to have fun and enjoy yourself. 

Your age does not matter, Estudio Playa Mujeres has the best alternatives for your next holidays.

Halloween is right around the corner! In our house we like to get ready extra early, and to really squeeze as much fun as we can out of the season.  My kids love Halloween as much as I do! Fall can be a kind of hectic time of year, though, and getting organized for Halloween is often at the back of Moms’ minds.  This year I thought I would share a few of my favorite hacks for the Halloween season– hopefully they’ll inspire you and make your celebrations extra festive!

But first, allow me to share my biggest face palm Mom Fail moment from last Halloween.  First of all: my kids got LICE the day before Halloween from school.  Yep.  So Halloween proper we spent the entire day in a lice-removal salon.  We rushed home to get the kids’ costumes on, headed out, and Yours Truly didn’t make sure that my two little dragons had eaten something before we headed out.  I figured we would Trick-Or-Treat and then eat after.  Well those kids just kept poppin’ candy as they gathered it, and forty five minutes in to the evening my kids were in a full blown sugar meltdown.  Then they wouldn’t eat dinner, AND they wouldn’t sleep.  Best night ever! LOL. Take it from me, and take my advice for my very first Mom Hack I’ll share with you: feed your kids a simple & delicious meal before you head out on Halloween! My go-to for delicious mealtime simplicity is Red Baron Pizza.

I’ve spoken about it here before, but I keep Red Baron Pizza in my freezer for easy mealtimes when I’m stressed or pressed for time– or when I need my kids to actually eat the food I’m serving them! Red Baron offers three multi serve options: Classic Crust, Brick Oven, and Thin & Crispy– and it’s located in the freezer aisle of grocery stores nationwide.  I’m going to make Marlowe and Major a Red Baron Pizza before Trick-Or-Treating this year for sure.  Red Baron Pizza can also be such a great party hack. I like to slice it with a pizza wheel in to strips, and then I serve it with a trio of dipping sauces: Ranch, Honey Mustard, and Barbecue Sauce.  Add a couple of spooky figurines to the plate and you have the perfect Halloween party snack! Here are a few other hacks I love for the Halloween season…

Make It A Pizza Night

Avoid a sugar meltdown: feed your kids a simple and delicious meal before you head out for trick-or-treating on Halloween. My go-to for delicious mealtime simplicity is Red Baron Pizza. I like to slice it with a pizza wheel in to strips, and then I serve it with a trio of dipping sauces: Ranch, Honey Mustard, and Barbecue Sauce. Add a couple of spooky figurines to the plate and you have the perfect Halloween party snack!

Clementine Pumpkins

Another fun Halloween hack is to make clementine pumpkins! It’s such a simple and cute snack idea, and it can be the perfect, festive addition to a child’s lunch box! Simply peel the clementine or orange, cut a small piece of celery, and insert it in to the top of the fruit to create your pumpkin.  I love serving these as a healthy treat at Halloween parties as well.

Spooky Ice Cubes

Spruce up kids drinks or cocktails with fun and festive ice cubes! I always take an ice cube tray, pop some plastic spiders in to each cube, fill with water, and then freeze.  Add grape juice or sparkling water for a kid-friendly refresher.

Easy Mermaid Makeup

This hack always impresses Marlowe, and with her Four-nado years in full swing, I’ll take as much street cred as I can get! All you need is some eyeshadow in aquatic colors, a fluffy eyeshadow brush, scissors, and a mesh bag from a sack of potatoes or clementines– or even garlic! Cut a square from the mesh bag. Hold it firmly against the skin. I like to start at the temples and move down to the cheekbones for a nice mermaid look! While holding the mesh to the skin, take the fluffy brush and swirl it a few times in the eyeshadow.  Pat it over the mesh on the areas you’d like scales.  Repeat on both sides of the face.  If desired, take a shimmery highlighting powder and brush it over the forehead, down the bridge of the nose, on the eyelids, and on the lips.  Top with gloss on the lips and swim away! This is such an easy costume choice for parents that don’t want to go all out, or as the face makeup for a full-on mermaid costume extravaganza.