How to Erase Stretch Marks
Stretch marks are reddish, linear, sometimes depressed scars that can stay in your skin for a long time. Stretch marks occur in the dermis, the elastic second layer of skin that allows it to keep its form. However, when continually stretched, the skin can break down leaving behind scars. Dermal collagen is damaged and blood vessel dilation results in the appearance of red or purple-colored stretch marks.
When your skin is excessively stretched during pregnancy, weight changes or growth spurts, stretch marks or striae can appear. They can also be caused by some medications, including hormones and steroids. Stretch marks occur when rapidly expanding skin is stretched to its limit and tiny tears appear in the supporting layers of skin.
Over time the redness of the original scar can disappear and the bands of the stretch mark can become lighter in color than the surrounding skin. The bands can become depressed and shiny in appearanceor acquire an aberrant scar like texture.
Men and women can get stretch marks on several areas of their bodies, including the abdominal area, upper arms, breasts, hips, thighs, flank or lower back. They affect 70% of adolescent females and nearly 40% of young males.
Stretch Marks and Pregnancy
Though the nine months of pregnancy are a beautiful time in a woman’s life, there are a host of unwanted alterations that occur in the skin during this time. Some of these are due to hormonal influences and others are due to the mechanical alterations in the organism linked with pregnancy.
Stretch marks are one of the most well known and talked about skin alterations that can occur during pregnancy. They are believed to be a consequence of the thinning of the skin during this time period due to female hormones which alter the protein balance in the skin. Almost 90% of pregnant women will suffer stretch marks, usually developing during the last trimester.
There is an inherited predisposition to developing stretch marks during pregnancy. Many women consider the look of stretch marks to be distressing. Luckily, the removal stretch marks is possible.
How to get rid of stretch marks
There are plenty over-the-counter therapies aimed to prevent stretch marks, like Strivectin. Sadly no topical remedies have been medically demonstrated to improve the look of stretch marks. RetinA, glycolic acid, alphahydroxy acids have been prescribed with very little success. Dermabrasion or chemical peels have also been used. The effects of these treatments vary from fair to minimal.
Surgical alternatives to deal with these types of lesions, involve removing large areas of stretched skin. In a tummy tuck intervention, for instance, skin below the belly button is removed. This is usually an area in which stretch marks are prominent. It also works by tightening the skin in surrounding regions. These surgical procedures are efficient, but are more invasive than other options and thus involve longer recovery time.
The best solution to get rid of stretch marks and other skin blemishes comes now in the shape of a new skin care product, made with the best natural components to regenerate your skin.
- Valerie Garnier