Stretch marks, also known as striae or striae distensae, are scars that form on the skin when it rapidly stretches or shrinks. They often appear as indented streaks or lines on areas like the abdomen, breasts, hips, buttocks, thighs, and upper arms. While not harmful, they can be cosmetically concerning for some people.
Appearance:
- They start as raised, red, purple, pink, or reddish-brown streaks, depending on your skin tone.
- Early stretch marks can be slightly itchy.
- Over time, they fade in color and become thinner, appearing as slightly depressed lines in the skin.
Causes:
- The main culprit is rapid skin stretching or shrinking, exceeding the skin's ability to adapt. This can happen due to:
- Pregnancy: Hormonal changes and abdominal skin stretching cause most pregnant women to develop stretch marks.
- Puberty: Growth spurts can lead to stretch marks, especially on breasts and legs.
- Rapid weight gain or loss: Fluctuations in weight can stretch or shrink the skin, causing marks.
- Bodybuilding: Increased muscle mass can stretch the skin and lead to stretch marks.
- Medical conditions: Certain conditions like Cushing's syndrome or Marfan syndrome can increase the risk of stretch marks.
- Steroid use: Topical or oral steroids can thin the skin and make it more prone to stretch marks.
Prevention:
- While preventing stretch marks entirely is difficult, some strategies might help:
- Maintaining a healthy weight: Gradual weight changes put less stress on the skin.
- Staying hydrated: Good hydration keeps skin elastic and less prone to tearing.
- Moisturizing regularly: Using a good moisturizer can help maintain skin elasticity.
- Healthy diet: Eating a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals supports skin health.
Treatment:
- Stretch marks generally fade over time, though they may never disappear completely.
- Some Natural Oil's like Bio-Oil claim their product guarantee the removal of stretch marks.
- Some topical treatments like collagen creams or retinoids can help improve the appearance of stretch marks, but their effectiveness varies.
- Laser treatments or other cosmetic procedures can be more effective but are costly and may have side effects.
Formation of Stretch Marks
In medical terms stretch marks, or striae, are simply another form of scarring, however, most people view them differently to scars. Striae are lines on the skin that develop in periods of rapid expansion of the skin, for example in pregnant women, body builders, and adolescents during their growth spurt. They are caused by exactly what their name suggests, stretching. Lighter-skinned people tend to develop pinkish stretch marks, whereas darker-skinned people tend to have stretch marks that are lighter than the surrounding skin. The skin is naturally elastic. This elasticity is provided by the collagen and elastin in the dermis, which underlies the skin tissue. Collagen is made up of a group of naturally occurring proteins and is a key component of the body’s connective tissue. Elastin, which is also made up of naturally occurring proteins, is also found in connective tissue and provides its elastic properties. This connective tissue enables the dermis to adapt to continuous movement of the body by expanding and contracting, but during periods of rapid weight gain it may have insufficient time to adjust, causing internal tears in the skin tissue. When these tears repair themselves they form the scars that we know as stretch marks. A useful analogy is that of a spring being stretched. If you stretch a spring within a certain range, known as its natural elastic limit, it contracts back to its original size time and again. However, if you overstretch the spring beyond its natural elastic limit, it becomes permanently stretched and will not spring back to its original size. Although stretch marks do not represent a significant medical problem, they can cause emotional distress to those who develop them. The likelihood of developing them varies according to skin type, age, heredity, diet and the hydration of the skin.
Different stages of Stretch marks
The stages of stretch mark formation are as follows:
Stage one
Early stretch marks appear pale in colour and may also be itchy. The skin immediately around the stretch marks may also look ‘flattened’ and ‘thin’.
Stage two
Gradually the stretch marks will enlarge in length and width becoming darker and more pronounced.
Stage three
Once the stretch marks have matured and when the skin is no longer under tension they will start to fade and become paler. They may also appear slightly depressed and irregular in shape or length.
PREGNANCY STRETCH MARK FORMATION
It is estimated that between 50% and 90% of pregnant women are prone to stretch marks. Stretch marks can develop on the abdomen, thighs, hips, lower back, buttocks and breasts – areas where there is the greatest stretching of the skin as the body changes during pregnancy. While they can appear anywhere on the body, they are most likely to appear in places where large amounts of fat are stored. While stretch marks generally become visible during the later trimesters of pregnancy (around the sixth or seventh month) some women start to see stretch marks forming in the first trimester. Pregnancy stretch marks may also result from the priming of the skin for childbirth by increased levels of hormones. These hormones attract more water into the skin, which relaxes the bonds between collagen fibres. This makes it easier for the skin to tear when it is stretched and for stretch marks to form. The likelihood of developing stretch marks varies according to skin type, age, heredity, diet and hydration of the skin.
In recent years, Bio oil, a revolutionary skincare product, has quickly gained popularity for its effectiveness in reducing the appearance of stretch marks and scars.