Why Do You Get Stretch Marks?
Stretch marks as the name implies happen when your skin is stretched. This may be brought about by different situations such as pregnancy (most common cause), working out, breast implants, the use of steroids or other conditions that can make your body grow drastically. This can also happen if your skin does not have enough collagen. Collagen is a substance that is responsible for the elasticity of your skin. Not having enough collagen can weaken your skin fibers and when your body grows immediately, your skin won’t able to cope, leaving fine lines or stria.
Does Everybody Gets Stretch Marks?
Unfortunately, everybody without regards to age sex and race can get stretch marks. However, this skin condition is common among women who are pregnant. The tummy of a woman who is pregnant grows in order to accommodate the growing fetus inside. And as that happens, the skin in the tummy area also stretches. Because of hormonal changes during pregnancy, the skin fibers also weakens and as a result most women get stretch marks.
This condition is not exclusive for pregnant women. Obese males and females can also get stretch marks. Protein shake enthusiasts and body builders are not a exempted. They too can have stretch marks as their body grows quickly. Even kids can get stretch marks during puberty. This is caused by the drastic increase in height.
Are these Lines Noticeable?
Some marks may look more like scars while others can be light. The marks also varies in color. Some may fade from reddish to pink or purplish to a lighter tone. This marks fade over time and may not be that noticeable. These marks are often found in the stomach, breast, arms, buttocks, hips and shoulders.
Products for Stretch Marks
There are a lot of commercially available products that can help lighten stretch marks. Body make up can also be used as cover up. These products can be in different forms. Some are made of cream while others are in oil form. Though these products may help lighten the marks, there is no solid proof that shows products that can 100% eliminate these lines.
Some products that you can use to treat stretch marks includes tretinoin, collagen boosters, bitter almond oil, shea butter, and centella asiatica.
Procedures to Get Rid of Stretch Marks
When looking for procedures to get rid of stretch marks, it is important to find a licensed dermatologist or a certified skin technician especially if the procedure is invasive. Some of the procedures that you can use includes:
- Pulsed dye laser therapy – Pulsed dye laser therapy is a non invasive procedure using a blast of light to lighten new stretch marks. This is a painless procedure that is done in an outpatient clinic. This procedure works by calming the blood vessels that can cause red light marks on your skin.
- Fractional CO2 laser therapy – This procedure on the other hand is used for old white stretch marks. Unlike the pulsed dye laser therapy, this procedure is a little bit more tedious. The patient will be required to go through several sessions.
- Microdermabrasion – This procedure is also used for treating acne. Microdermabrasion uses tiny crystal-like particles to scrub off the top layer of the skin. This makes the skin even and reduces stretch marks. Aside from that, this treatment also cleanses the pores allowing for healthy skin growth.
