Stretch Marks

Our skin is one of the most amazing creations of God. It protects our delicate organs from harmful foreign substances. It gives us our aesthetic worth and beauty that we can proudly share to the world. Our skin is blessed with superior elasticity, however rapid growth of the skin is more than what they can handle, thus the birth of stretch marks.

What Are Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks appear like thin, stretched skin tissue, because it is pretty much what they are. They are tiny streaks in the skin which are commonly referred to as striae in dermatology. They are merely a type of scarring in the skin. During its onset, they appear to be noticeable reddish-purple parallel stripes and eventually turn out to be in silvery-white hue. Stretch marks are commonly associated with obesity and pregnancy. They are the result of extensive skin stretching during rapid growth (puberty), rapid weight gain (pregnancy), and extensive steroid use.

When one develops a stretch mark, the top layer of the skin is characteristically normal, however in the lower layers the elastin and collagen, which gives our skin its superb elasticity and strength, have become broken. The reddish purple hue is caused by transparent blood vessels that show through because of the skin’s thinness. However, months later, these blood vessels contract and then turns the angry color to lighter, whitish hues which is no more than fat lying under the skin that show through.

Can Stretch Marks Go Away?

Unfortunately, stretch marks are permanent. A lot of stretch mark creams promises a cure but in reality most of them just don’t banish them. However, the good news is that they naturally fades and become considerable less noticeable after 6-12 months later. The dark pigmentation becomes lighter tending to blend with the surrounding skin, but the rough texture will just remain the same.

How To Get Rid Of Stretch Marks?

The advent of cosmetic technology gives more hope to frustrated men and women who bear stretch marks. However, the truth with topical creams and medication is that some of them just don’t work and only a few of them gives a very slight change. Reality is, you won’t be able to banish them all together but if these scarring still bother you, you can consult with a dermatologist on more ways to minimize them.
Who Gets Them?

No one can ever predict if you’ll get a stretch mark. Stretch marks are eminent with pregnant women; in fact 70 to 90 percent develops them on their later stages of pregnancy. However, until now researches still could not tell why some women get them and a handful of others just don’t. They suggest that genetics may play a general role: this means that if your sister or your mother had them, you’re most likely to one yourself.

Puberty calls for a dramatic growth and change in your body. That’s why young teens develops stretch marks as well which are most common on young women. They are normally found on breast and hips where these parts are known to drastically get fuller as you become an adolescent.

Stretch marks are also common to extensive body builders. The rapid growth of the muscle forces their skin to stretch thus forming marks. In addition to lifting, they are known to taking huge amounts of steroid supplements which are also known to cause these stretch marks.


Stretch marks and you in the future…

First, you should keep in mind that it is not only you who is suffering from a stretch mark dilemma. You should also think that these aggravated scars in your skin will gradually become less noticeable even without the aid of a stretch mark remover. However, if their appearance still bothers you, go ahead and make an appointment with your dermatologists and discuss treatments to improve their appearance.