What You Should Know About Getting Rid Of Stretch Marks

To most women, stretch marks are unsightly flaws in the skin that can have a profound negative impact on their self-confidence and body image. This is especially true for pregnant women and teenage girls who develop stretch marks because of rapid growth during pregnancy and puberty.

Stretch marks, known as striae in medical circles, mostly affect women on the belly, breasts, back, hips and buttocks. Reddish marks usually indicate newer stretch marks, while white striae tend to be older stretch marks.

The label “stretch marks” is a little misleading. Stretch marks are not actually caused by too much “over stretching” of the skin as seen during weight gain and pregnancy. Normally, human skin is more than capable of stretching far enough to cope with growth.

Point in fact, scientific evidence shows, stretch marks are a result of changes in the bodies hormones. Hormones are produced by the bodies fat cells and are similar to cholesterol and fat. In some women, the imbalance of these hormones hinder the fibroblasts in the dermis from producing enough collagen and fibers of elastin to cope with the skin generation needed for growth. The result is separation tearing of the skin in the dermis and/or epidermis and stretch marks.

Stretch marks affect different women in different ways. Genetics, diet, exercise, age, and skin type are just some of the factors that determine if a woman will get stretch marks or how successful they will be with treatment.

When trying to get rid of stretch marks, what works for one woman may not necessarily work for another. It’s important to realize that apart from invasive surgery (tummy tuck), there is no miracle cure or treatment to rid the skin of stretch marks completely. The stretch marks can only be minimized to a point where they are hardly evident. Any product that claims to be able to completely remove stretch marks should not be trusted.

With that in mind, there are plenty of treatment methods that can substantially minimize the appearance of stretch marks. These treatments include laser stretch mark removal, factional resurfacing, dermal remodeling and prescription retinoids. When  considering any treatment for stretch marks, be sure to research the subject thoroughly and most of all, consult a qualified physician.

Filed under: Beauty

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