Everyone wants flawless skin. But sometimes, due to different health factors, we get stretch marks on our skin. In simple terms, stretch marks are some set-in streaks that appear on our breasts, hips, stomach, thighs, hands, and some other areas. As the name suggests, they occur when your skin is extra-stretched. They look like thin and rippled marks. We also call them stria.
Anyone with stretch marks would want them gone. Stretch marks are not harmful to our health, but they do not look good. Complete removal of stretch marks is almost impossible, but the marks can fade away with the help of some medication.
What are the causes of stretch marks?
As mentioned above, stretch marks appear when your skin is stretched beyond its elasticity. When our body grows fast due to any reason, our skin fails to keep up, and our skin gets stretched. It doesn’t involve any bleeding or swelling. Just some crack marks will be visible on them. Collagen is responsible for our body’s elasticity. So, when your body lacks collagen, stretch marks will appear when your body grows. Now, here are some of the common reasons for stretch marks:
Weight gain
When we gain an excessive amount of weight all of a sudden, our skin fails to cope with our changing body shape. Thus, we end up having stretch marks on several body parts.
Pregnancy
This is seen in most of the women. When they get pregnant, their body undergoes major transformations. Their belly grows rapidly, and they get stretch marks. Even after delivery, these marks stay.
Puberty
Puberty is another stage of our life when we get stretch marks. Because of the hormonal changes in our bodies, our body develops. Because of this, different parts of our bodies change their shape and size. As a result, we may get stretch marks. Sometimes, these stretch marks fade away as we grow old.
Bodybuilding
When we start exercising to build our muscles, we may get stretch marks. In such cases, our muscles get pumped up. This may lead to stretch marks on specific areas of our bodies.
Steroids
People take steroids to pump their muscles. When the body muscles build-up, the skin gets cracked, and we get stretch marks.
Marfan syndrome
This is a type of genetic disease. In this disease, our skin fiber gets weakened and our body parts grow excessively and unusually.
Genetic
Sometimes, if you have stretch marks in your family, you also get them. This is a genetic condition.
Stretch marks: Symptoms and Diagnosis
Stretch marks usually appear as parallel marks on your skin. They have different colors and textures, so when you touch them, you can feel these marks. Sometimes they are slightly raised and feel itchy. These marks also have different colors. In the beginning, they are usually red or pink. Later they turn pale and grey. After many years, they will look like white scars on your skin.
Stretch marks can appear on different parts of your skin, like-
- Breast
- Back
- Arms
- Hips
- Buttocks
- Shoulders
- Stomach
Stretch marks can be diagnosed just by one look. Doctors may ask your medical history if you have taken steroids at any time or if you have high cortisol in your body.
How can we treat stretch marks?
Some homemade remedies and medical treatments can be done to remove stretch marks. Which will work better for you depends on your skin type.
Medical treatment
- Pulsed dye laser therapy is effective in removing stretch marks. It is a painless process where a blast of light is used to calm your blood vessels that may cause stretch marks.
- Microdermabrasion is a technique where tiny crystals are used to rub off the upper layer of your skin. This method helps to fade away the new stretch marks. It can also be combined with skin peels.
- Cosmetic surgery is another way to get rid of stretch marks. In such a surgery, the skin with stretch marks is removed, but it may leave some scars, and it will be a costly and painful process.
- Radiofrequency is a process where radio waves are used to produce heat, which triggers our body’s collagen production. The more collagen you have, the fewer stretch marks you get.
- Red Light Therapy is a medicinal approach that utilizes red low-level wavelengths of light to treat skin issues. Red light therapy on stretch marks is commonly used to remove them promptly.
Homemade remedies
- Body makeup and body tanners may help you to hide the stretch marks.
- Creams that contain tretinoin improve collagen levels in your body, so they may help you to get rid of the stretch marks. But these creams may cause skin irritation and redness.
- You can use bitter almond oil and massage your skin during pregnancy. This has proved to be highly effective during pregnancy. Most mothers do not get stretch marks when they follow this method.
How to prevent stretch marks?
There is no absolute way to prevent stretch marks from appearing. All you can do is, look after your health and stay fit. Gaining weight all of a sudden is the primary reason for stretch marks so stay active and follow a healthy diet. Apart from this, keeping your skin well moisturized and healthy will help you to avoid stretch marks.
Conclusion
Stretch marks neither cause any pain nor affect your health. But, if these appear disturbing to you, there is always an option to consult a physician. This can help you learn about the ways to make them less noticeable. If you want to get away with your stretch marks, you can visit Evolve Med Spa. They have a professional team that gives you flawless skin and you won’t ever regret your decision.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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