Stretch marks - what causes them?
How to get rid of stretchmarks
Stretchmarks can develop when the skin is stretched a lot over a short period of time : more precisely, the skin’s second layer is torn rather than stretched. The worst affected places are the stomach, breasts, thighs and hips. Anyone can suffer from stretchmarks and they affect the majority of adults. Luckily, they aren’t harmful to our health and only affect us cosmetically. However, As it becomes warmer, and we wear fewer clothes, our concerns about stretch marks increase.
What causes stretch marks?
The skin stretches when the body expands so quickly that the skin cannot keep up with it. Stretch marks are most frequently associated with pregnancy however, they also develop during puberty: sudden weight gain and even body building can also result in stretch marks.
Although the skin is usually fairly elastic , when it stretches, the normal production of collagen is disrupted. collagen helps to keep the skin firm and elastic. There are factors outside the body which affect the ability of the skin to produce and maintain collagen levels such as diet or smoking It is the level of collagen in the skin which affect the appearance of facial wrinkles and lines. They also largely dictate how other blemishes, such as acne scars or even surgery scars, heal.
What do stretch marks look like?
When initially formed, stretch marks stand out as red / purple lines. They appear indented and maintain a different texture to the surrounding skin. as they get older, the red and purple colour goes away, turning a lighter colour, generally silver,and fade away slightly. Depending on individuals, the stretch marks can heal to a degree but it is unlikely that they will completely disappear.
Stretch Mark Removal
Finding a way to treat stretch marks can be hard as not everything that claims to get rid of stretch marks, works. Stretch mark treatments vary dramatically in cost and effectiveness, treatments range from creams to cosmetic surgery For most, stretch marks are a sign of imperfection and stop people from being confident about their bodies, but this can be overcome or reduced by treatment to remove stretch marks.
Creams and oils are sold over the counter and are the chepest way to remove stretch marks however, not all creams work overall, creams are not the best stretch marks treatment. However, using creams with techniques such as micro-needling, allows significantly more cream to be absorbed so this method is probably the most effective method for many individuals.
