Stretch Marks a Form of Scarring on the Skin

Stretch marks are nothing but a form of scarring on your skin simply with an off color hue. Basically they are caused by tearing of dermis which over time may also diminish but may not disappear. They are usually the result of stretching of the skin rapidly that can be most common in puberty or even weight gain like at the time of pregnancy or even muscle building that usually overcomes the dermis elasticity. They can also be influenced by the hormonal changes that take place at the time of puberty, pregnancy or muscle building. The marks initially appear as reddish or purple lines but gradually fade up leaving the affected area empty and soft to touch.

These marks occur in dermis, the portion of the skin that simply helps in retain its normal shape. These marks would only occur if there is no support within the dermis. They usually would develop along the marking lines. These marks may simply appear anywhere on the body, but most commonly around abdomen, breast, thighs, under arms, hips and buttocks. They are in no form risk to the health of an individual, but do not compromise with the normal functioning of the body and its repair system.

The Glucocorticoid hormone is responsible for these stretch marks that effect the epidermis by simply preventing the formation of collagen and elastin fibers, thus creating a lack of supporting material and formation of stretch marks. This can be cured, but if epidermis and dermis has been penetrated then laser would also not be able to remove these marks from the skin. Hormonal changes and genetic has a much greater influence on the skin thus effecting its capacity to withstand stretching. Over diet and over exercising may also be another reason for this.

Around 90 percent of women develop these marks at the time of pregnancy due to gaining extra amount of weight. The hormonal changes at the time of pregnancy mean stretch marks. Of all the factors responsible for the development of these stretch marks only one factor that can be control by human is the diet. Very few have claimed to get rid of these stretch marks completely. Studies show that application containing Centella Asiatica extract and vitamin E with collagen-elastin can fewer stretch marks often that are caused during pregnancy.

Moisturizers could be an effective way to control these stretch marks. Cocoa butter can be effective in controlling these stretch marks. There may be various treatments that can improve the appearance of these stretch marks. Certain methods involve laser treatment, prescription retino acid and dermabrasion. There may be many creams available in the market that claim to reduce these marks but these claims are not supported by any medical proof. In addition the use of laser could also increase the pigmentation with repeated treatments. Tummy tuck is the best surgical treatment for removing these stretch marks from the lower abdomen area. Using laser treatment may work but the results are often slow. Using pulse of light only removes a fraction of marks after several treatments, thus creating microscopic wounds in the area.