Stretch marks
Hate stretch marks around your hips, abdomen, or perhaps your breasts and buttocks? You're not alone. More than three-quarters of all women get stretch marks. Stretch marks, which are pink, red, or white in color, look like slightly depressed lines on the skin.
Stretch mark causes
Stretch marks are visible scars occurring in the skin. They are caused by tearing of the dermis and rapid stretching of the skin seen during periods of growth. The normal expansion of the skin cannot keep pace with the volume growth and a rend or tear occurs within the dermis. This most commonly occurs during puberty, pregnancy, or significant weight gain. The scars are often accompanied by a color change, with pink or red hues occurring when the stretch marks are young and newly formed, for up to 9-12 months.
Stretch mark treatment
Unless you can surgically remove them like in a tummy tuck, stretch marks will be permanent. Lasers can help with the darker color when they are new but they don't eliminate the damaged skin, they just make it less conspicuous.
The anatomy of a stretch mark explains why no treatments can cure them. They are a splitting of the deeper dermis layer of the skin while the outside epidermal layer remains intact. It is like splitting a tomato over a flame only in a stretch mark, it is the deeper layer that splits, not the outermost layer.
Stretch marks products
There are numerous products available that claim to treat or reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
- Murad Firm and Tone Serum for Cellulite and Stretch Mark Management
- Otopia Post-Natal Stretch Mark Massage Oil
- StriVectin-SD is a revolutionary skin-smoothing cream originally designed to help eliminate the appearance of stretch marks
- Decleor Tonilastil Firming Stretch Mark Cream
- Erbaviva Mommy-to-Be Stretch Mark Oil
- Mustela Stretch Mark Intensive Action is said to "diminish the size, depth and color of existing stretch marks."
Preventing stretch marks
There are several ways to prevent stretch marks from occurring in the first place:
1. Avoid unusually large weight gains during pregnancy. Not only do large weight gains cause stretch marks, but they are unhealthy for the baby and the mother.
2. Avoid excessively large breast implants. They can stretch the skin, occasionally causing it to give way and form stretch marks along the top and sides of the breast.
3. Avoid repeated weight gain and loss. In stretching to accommodate increased body weight, the dermal fibers can rip, causing stretch marks.
More stretch mark information on RealSelf
- How do I get rid of stretch marks?
- What causes stretch marks?
- Can anything be done about stretch marks on the breast?
- What's the best laser treatment for stretch marks?
